Downgrading OS- early 2008 Mac Pro/mid 2014 Macbook pro

[roguemacpro]

2 different topics;
1. I have an early 2008 Mac Pro. I bought it used and eventually upgraded it to El Capitan 10.11.6. I want to run a Legacy audio interface on it and the only way I can do that is to downgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or lower. I have the 2 original install DVD's (grey) that have Leopard 10.5. Can this be done without screwing up my computer?

2. I bought a mid 2014 Macbook Pro, thinking I could get this to work with the audio interface, but to my chagrin, even a worse situation, trying to downgrade from Catalina to SL. I'm thinking of keeping the mac pro in case I get updated equipment in the future, but it seems downgrading that would be much more difficult.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[RogerWilco6502]

2 different topics;
1. I have an early 2008 Mac Pro. I bought it used and eventually upgraded it to El Capitan 10.11.6. I want to run a Legacy audio interface on it and the only way I can do that is to downgrade to Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or lower. I have the 2 original install DVD's (grey) that have Leopard 10.5. Can this be done without screwing up my computer?

2. I bought a mid 2014 Macbook Pro, thinking I could get this to work with the audio interface, but to my chagrin, even a worse situation, trying to downgrade from Catalina to SL. I'm thinking of keeping the mac pro in case I get updated equipment in the future, but it seems downgrading that would be much more difficult.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Ok, You can run SL on the Mac Pro. Back up your data and format the hard drive. Then you can install SL. Alternatively you could get a second hard disk and install on that, assuming you haven't already used all four HDD bays in your Mac Pro.

You can't run SL on the 2014 MBP. It's too new, sadly.

 

[roguemacpro]

I have a Passport 1TB ext. SSD for my Time Machine. MP all backed up. I was told that I could partition my ssd and install SL there to use for restart and it will install on the MP. Does that work?
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Ok, You can run SL on the Mac Pro. Back up your data and format the hard drive. Then you can install SL. Alternatively you could get a second hard disk and install on that, assuming you haven't already used all four HDD bays in your Mac Pro.

You can't run SL on the 2014 MBP. It's too new, sadly.

Also, I was told if I partition the MBP I could install SL there and boot to that drive when needed. No?

 

[RogerWilco6502]

I have a Passport 1TB ext. SSD for my Time Machine. MP all backed up. I was told that I could partition my ssd and install SL there to use for restart and it will install on the MP. Does that work?
[automerge]1589069363[/automerge]

Also, I was told if I partition the MBP I could install SL there and boot to that drive when needed. No?

You can boot the Mac Pro externally, yes. Just make sure you select the external drive when installing SL.

Sadly you cannot run SL on the MBP. You said it was 2014? That means the earliest it can run is Mavericks (10.9.4 specifically).

 

[B S Magnet]

I have a Passport 1TB ext. SSD for my Time Machine. MP all backed up. I was told that I could partition my ssd and install SL there to use for restart and it will install on the MP. Does that work?
[automerge]1589069363[/automerge]

Also, I was told if I partition the MBP I could install SL there and boot to that drive when needed. No?

The last MacBook Pros which can boot Snow Leopards are the late 2011 “Sandy Bridge” models (which were also the last unibody MBPs without USB 3.0 or Metal-capable graphics). 2012 and later models, both unibody and Retina, will only run Lion and newer.

 

[Spectrum]

If needed, you can, however, run SL server in a virtual machine using VMWare fusion.