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How to download Snow Leopard

LeandrodaFL

LeandrodaFL

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 6, 2011
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I recently got a Macbook Air (11", year 2010) used on Ebay, and I would like to erase the OS and reinstall Snow Leopard, as I dont feel confident using the computer as I got from the seller. Better erase everything for safety, right? So, is there a place I can download Snow Leopard and put it on a USB so I can perform a clean install?
 
The Late 2010 MBA came with 10.6.4, the DVD has 10.6.3 on it. Won't work if it's not a Mid-2009 bought in 2010.


Edit:

But you can "buy" the El Capitan installer for free from the App Store and create a bootable USB installer.
 
Last edited:
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Erdbeertorte said:
The Late 2010 MBA came with 10.6.4, the DVD has 10.6.3 on it. Won't work if it's not a Mid-2009 bought in 2010.
Click to expand...
I missed that, and Erdbeertorte is correct.

You CAN use Internet Recovery on your MBAir.
Just restart, holding Command-Option-R.
You should see the spinning globe, showing that you are booting from Apple's servers.
At the opening screen, you can choose Disk Utility, where you can erase the SSD.
After erasing the hard drive, Quit Disk Utility and you will return to the main screen, where you can choose to install OS X.
It will offer an install of some OS X system, likely Lion. And, that will be a free download. It will take a while, as it is downloading nearly 4 GB. The install will start after the system files are downloaded. Works well.
 
Its a late 2010 originally bought before the release of Lion. I never purchased Lion myself. And my goal is to run snow leopard on it. I could buy the DVD, but apparently it wont work...
 
I happen to own a white macbook and macmini both from 2010 as well, so Im in possession of 2 Snow Leopard discs already, but they are computer specific right? I believe it wont install on the macbook air...
 
One solution:
Install Snow Leopard on a USB drive, using another Mac. You could use either of your other 2010 Macs.
Update it to current version of Snow Leopard system, using the usual Software Update.
Now, boot your "new' MBAir from that USB drive.
Then, erase your MBAir internal SSD, using Disk Utility.
Still in Disk Utility - Use the Restore function to restore your external drive to the MBAir SSD.
And, that will all take a couple of hours or so, but it will work.
Last, Select your newly restored internal SSD in the Startup Disk pref pane to make sure that it is set as the boot drive.
(Once the system is installed and updated - even if the initial install is from a model-specific installer, the updated system will boot any compatible Mac. It will work in the MBAir, too.
 
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DeltaMac said:
One solution:
(Once the system is installed and updated - even if the initial install is from a model-specific installer, the updated system will boot any compatible Mac. It will work in the MBAir, too.
Click to expand...

Will try that! I already have a bootable USB with Snow Leopard as a backup boot, but its not yet updated to last version!
 
If that is a backup of your existing drive, then I would say it would be better to have a clean version of Snow Leopard (fresh, new install, without pre-existing users)
Just my opinion.
Or, you can boot to that backup, then run Software Update until no other updates are listed.
 
Erdbeertorte said:
@DeltaMac

But only if Lion has been bought before with @LeandrodaFL 's Apple-ID. Or the MBA had been bought new after Lion was released and preinstalled.
Click to expand...
The 2010 Air supports internet recovery and will download some version of OS X whether or not a version later than Snow Leopard has been purchased, and the user doesn't get prompted for an Apple ID. It's unclear which version you'll get, however. I have a 2010 MacBook Pro that downloaded Yosemite the last time I used internet recovery on it, and no Apple ID authentication was required. (and this was with a brand new disk in the computer.)
 
chrfr said:
The 2010 Air supports internet recovery and will download some version of OS X whether or not a version later than Snow Leopard has been purchased, and the user doesn't get prompted for an Apple ID. It's unclear which version you'll get, however. I have a 2010 MacBook Pro that downloaded Yosemite the last time I used internet recovery on it, and no Apple ID authentication was required. (and this was with a brand new disk in the computer.)
Click to expand...

I also bought a used 2010 Air once and Internet Recovery asked for my Apple-ID and Password. After that it said something like "item not available in the App Store at the moment..." because it has been bought new with Snow Leopard and was upgraded to Lion later and I never bought Lion in the App Store.

On other older Macs that had been purchased new or released after Lion came out, for example my Late 2011 MBP, I do not have to enter my Apple-ID.
 
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