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Downgrading on new iMacs

C

Chimerix

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 9, 2011
3
0
Aloha all!

Short version: I have 4 new computers on the way, shipping with Lion. They are destined for a lab of 21 machines, all running Snow Leopard. Can I downgrade the new machines to match the old?

Longer version: I am retiring 4 G5 machines so that we can update to Adobe Creative Suite 5.5, which only runs on Intel processors. However, much of our other software (Final Cut Studio 2 and Microsoft Office leap to mind) are not supported under Lion. I do not have the budget to buy site licenses for upgrading those packages this year. So, my choices are to either downgrade the new machines, or postpone upgrading Adobe until we have the budget to also upgrade FCP, Office, and whatever else turns out to be incompatible.

Which reality should I be preparing for?

mahalo!
 
The current shipping iMacs with Lion can only be downgraded to Snow Leopard if you have a 2011 iMac reinstallation dvd. They will not boot a retail Snow Leopard dvd.
 
Intell said:
The current shipping iMacs with Lion can only be downgraded to Snow Leopard if you have a 2011 iMac reinstallation dvd. They will not boot a retail Snow Leopard dvd.
Click to expand...

Any sneaky workaround, maybe turning it on as a target drive and erasing the hard drive from another computer first? A retail Snow Leopard I have. A 2011 reinstallation DVD, I'll have to find.
 
You could call Apple and explain to them that you work in an educational institution and ask for them to ship you out 2011 iMac [Snow Leopard] install disks.

I think that this is something that Apple will actually do considering the situation and the fact that their customer service actually wants to keep their customers happy.
 
"Any sneaky workaround, maybe turning it on as a target drive and erasing the hard drive from another computer first? A retail Snow Leopard I have. A 2011 reinstallation DVD, I'll have to find."

That would work I bet, provided the computer you're cloning is running 10.6.8 so that it would have all the drivers.
 
Spent a while on the phone with Apple support today. They tell me that it should be impossible to downgrade a machine that shipped with Lion. However, if it WERE possible, it would require a reinstall disc with the latest version of Snow Leopard. Which they happily sold me for $16. Now, as soon as the USPS delivers my precious package, I'll let you know what happens!
 
Chimerix said:
Spent a while on the phone with Apple support today. They tell me that it should be impossible to downgrade a machine that shipped with Lion. However, if it WERE possible, it would require a reinstall disc with the latest version of Snow Leopard. Which they happily sold me for $16. Now, as soon as the USPS delivers my precious package, I'll let you know what happens!
Click to expand...

A "generic" reinstall disc or Imac reinstall disc?
 
Asclepio said:
A "generic" reinstall disc or Imac reinstall disc?
Click to expand...

Off topic, but I completely agree with your signature. Makes you wonder why in the "About this Mac" screen in Lion why all the Macs use Tiger's Aqua wallpaper.
 
Hope it works out - I'd like to buy another new mac myself, but don't want the freaking Lion installed on it.
 
Why do people still consider going to snow leopard from lion a downgrade?

If you are getting a better experience and added functionally back

Why wouldn't you call this an upgrade. I mean dis regard the version numbers and it's an upgrade yes?
 
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