How to Re-Download Lion From the Mac App Store

[achtung!]

if you upgraded from lion to mountain lion, you just go to the purchases and the OSX Lion is listed and ready for download. no need to use the option key trick. maybe OSX Lion will be hidden when you do a clean install. i don't know. anyone can confirm this?

cheers

 

[sorinc03]

Very strange decision if you ask me. Since the App Store is the only place where you can get Lion, people with systems that haven’t been upgraded before and are not eligible for Mountain Lion are basically stuck, unless they get it from other sources. Is this Apple’s way of saying ‘we don’t care about you anyway’? Even this option-click method to download it again appears to be more than a hidden way than an obvious solution, clearly to prevent inexperienced users from finding it. It feels as if Apple is trying to cut the cords as much as possible.

If you look on the OS X page, you'll see that anyone with the latest version of Snow Leopard can upgrade, regardless of whether or not they ever bought OS X Lion. If you have a machine bought within the past 2 years, you will have Snow Leopard on it. And if it's a machine that originally came with Leopard, Mountain Lion won't work on it anyway.

I don't see why you're worried/annoyed by Apple.

 

[Zerotolerance]

No matter what they might call it, selling fresh copies of old software implies that they're obligated to support it. And I bet you'd see lawsuits insisting on it. No consumer expects to have a dead version with security updates if they bought it yesterday from the company what made it.

And seriously, ML is $20, L was $30, SL was $30. What exactly is a discount price? We're not talking $150 upgrades anymore. It's all hardware subsidies now.

Finally, because you seem to have forgotten, Apple is the closed sales loop. They have everything to gain from encouraging you upgrade hardware, and no reason to care if you choose not to.

Isn't there some kind of aftermarket for developer seeded OSX builds? Or did they solve that problem?

Apple already has a well-established business model for selling older versions of its hardware and the software that's on them, and you can find it in the Clearance and Refurbished sections of the Apple Store. So extending that model to the App Store would be well within the bounds of Apple's retail tradition. Apple will continue to support Lion for at least the next year and Apple can still make money selling Lion to all of those users who can't upgrade to Mountain Lion. Plus, since Apple wouldn't have to produce and ship hard disks, keeping Lion available as a download on the App Store would cost Apple virtually nothing. Surely Apple can have the App Store detect when a Mac that accesses it can't upgrade to ML, and for those Macs the App Store can still stock Lion, not forever, but at least for a reasonable amount of time to give users who were caught off guard by the new requirements of ML a chance to upgrade legally.

 

[KALLT]

And if it's a machine that originally came with Leopard, Mountain Lion won't work on it anyway.

That is not true. There are a couple of Macs that came with Leopard and are still capable of running Mountain Lion. I myself own a late 2008 aluminium MacBook. What I’ve heard from others on this forum, is that there are actually concerns about the missing Lion installer.

Even though Lion may not be supported for a long time anymore, it’s still more than Leopard or Snow Leopard. By purchasing Lion, customers at least make sure that they have the latest software their Mac can run, even when it’s not Mountain Lion. There is no way to reasonably explain this, I think that this is a purely strategic decision to force people to get Mountain Lion. Those with other systems apparently don’t count anymore and it wouldn’t surprise me if Apple would rather have them upgrade their system instead.

 

[ironpony]

It sounds like Apple would make a great bad guy in a Bond film. In this case "Dr. No".
"Gold Finger", they could probably buy most of it.
Is that a 400 acre hard drive in the NC data center? I want all the data in the world!
Nothing against them but I would watch the movie.

 

[mw360]

Are there any systems that can run Lion, but not Mountain Lion?

 

[PBG4 Dude]

It sounds like Apple would make a great bad guy in a Bond film. In this case "Dr. No".
"Gold Finger", they could probably buy most of it.
Is that a 400 acre hard drive in the NC data center? I want all the data in the world!
Nothing against them but I would watch the movie.

These movies happen to be conveniently available for free watching if you happen to have Comcast's Streampix (IIRC). They have a James Bond category that has all the Bond flicks except for the two recent Daniel Craig outings.

/Bond fan

----------

Are there any systems that can run Lion, but not Mountain Lion?

Yes there are. Seems to be certain systems in the late '06 (early '06 models were capped at Snow Leopard) to early '08 timeframe.

 

[sascha h-k]

this "trick" defenitly does'nt work !

 

[PBG4 Dude]

this "trick" defenitly does'nt work !

Worked for me, did it this morning.

 

[inajeep]

I never upgraded my wife's MBP to Lion so I am at 10.5.8 so that means, I'm stuck? Perhaps I can take it in to a store to see if they can bump me up.

If not, it will be the last Mac I purchase.

 

[goosnarrggh]

Are there any systems that can run Lion, but not Mountain Lion?

Yes. Any Mac with a 64-bit CPU (Core2Duo, Xeon or newer) but a 32-bit EFI and/or graphics chipsets that only come with 32-bit KEXTs will run Lion but not Mountain Lion.

The exact cut-off date varies with product family depending on each fimily's refresh cycle, but the area of overlap starts in late 2006 (when 64-bit CPUs were introduced) and runs until early 2009 (when 64-bit EFIs were fully deployed).

 

[iRCL]

If Lion came on your MBA you already have a copy to keep -- in your laptop box you also got a tiny little white USB stick (with a grey Apple logo on it). That's the Lion install 'disc'. If you need to wipe the laptop, stick that in and hold down alt (or 'the option key') while the computer starts up.

Not with my 2011 MBA or 2012 MBA. But yes on my core 2 duo MBA. I think they stopped providing it

 

[milo]

I doubt it I would pay only $19.99 to go from SL to Mountain Lion.

Then you'd be wrong. You can skip right over Lion.

Does anyone agree with me that this makes sense, as it reduces consumer confusion?

Nope. If there's need for a product, that product should be available to buy. Seems like a dumb move on Apple's part, they're just going to encourage piracy of 10.7.

...if it's a machine that originally came with Leopard, Mountain Lion won't work on it anyway.

Not true.

 

[ncaissie]

Hi

I’m fairly new to the Mac world and recently purchased a MacBook Pro that came with Lion. I have created a USB recover disc soon after purchase. If I upgrade to Mountain Lion will I be able to revert back with my USB?

Thanks

 

[PBG4 Dude]

Hi

I’m fairly new to the Mac world and recently purchased a MacBook Pro that came with Lion. I have created a USB recover disc soon after purchase. If I upgrade to Mountain Lion will I be able to revert back with my USB?

Thanks

I sure hope so! I'm considering reverting one of my machines back to Snow Leopard (for Rosetta) and run ML in a virtual environment.

I'd rather run SL in a virtual environment, but SL's license doesn't allow for it.

 

[Dan--]

Maybe a bit off topic - but I've got a late 2006 MB C2D, (soon to be replaced, but will live on as a secondary machine) that can't run ML.

If I could get Lion on there still, what would be the recommended OS for that machine. It's currently on Snow Leopard. I don't really need Rosetta much anymore since X-rite updated it's monitor calibration SW.

Machine (dead battery) will mostly likely be used as an iTunes server for the household, plus occasional other usage.

Thanks

 

[matrix07]

If Lion came on your MBA you already have a copy to keep -- in your laptop box you also got a tiny little white USB stick (with a grey Apple logo on it). That's the Lion install 'disc'. If you need to wipe the laptop, stick that in and hold down alt (or 'the option key') while the computer starts up.

Oh,.. I never check the box for the OS. Will do tomorrow. Thanks for the head-up.

 

[Icy1007]

Lion got pulled from the App Store:
http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/12/07/25/apple_os_x_lion_pulled_as_mountain_lion_rolls_out.html


Doesn't tell me how much I would pay. I doubt it I would pay only $19.99 to go from SL to Mountain Lion.

Upgrading from SL to ML costs $19.99.

----------

If Lion came on your MBA you already have a copy to keep -- in your laptop box you also got a tiny little white USB stick (with a grey Apple logo on it). That's the Lion install 'disc'. If you need to wipe the laptop, stick that in and hold down alt (or 'the option key') while the computer starts up.

No, MBA that came with Lion do NOT come with the USB drive. You must use the Recovery mode upon bootup by holding CMD+R to reinstall Lion. I don't think you can download it through the MAS if it came with your computer.

 

[iMarc845]

... Error in the App Store.

When I click the Download button, I get a dropdown sheet saying:

We could not complete your request.

There was an error in the App Store. Please try again later. (13)

(OK)


I suspect that Apple has no intention of leaving Lion available. I think that is completely wrong since I have a 2007 MacBook that cannot run Mountain Lion.

I wonder if booting from a Lion Restore Partition will work at this point since that would imply downloading the Lion installer.

 

[Icy1007]

When I click the Download button, I get a dropdown sheet saying:

We could not complete your request.

There was an error in the App Store. Please try again later. (13)

(OK)


I suspect that Apple has no intention of leaving Lion available. I think that is completely wrong since I have a 2007 MacBook that cannot run Mountain Lion.

I wonder if booting from a Lion Restore Partition will work at this point since that would imply downloading the Lion installer.

If you've previously purchased Lion, it will always be available to download to you.

 

[gnurf]

If you've previously purchased Lion, it will always be available to download to you.

Yep, I'm still on Lion, and it shows up normally in my MAS downloads. It's hidden when you have a later OS. Apple won't be removing their own software quite yet. It might happen one day, but Lion isn't THAT old, so we'll be able to get it when needed.

 

[RickyB]

Are there any systems that can run Lion, but not Mountain Lion?

Anything with a Core 2 Duo processor (such as MacBooks and older Mac Minis) plus all except the most recent Xserves.

 

[comp]

Okay, I was finally able, after logging in from the App Store main page and then allowing hidden purchases to be shown in the iTunes in the Cloud preferences, to get Lion to appear in my Purchases List. But, I still can't do anything. If I click on the "Download" button, it tells me:

"We could not complete your purchase. You can't upgrade this version of Mac OS X because a newer version is installed."

If I just try to click on the OS X Lion title to get information, the following error pops up:

"Your request could not be completed. The item you've requested is not currently available in the U.S. Store."

So, STILL stymied on trying to revert to Lion or even making a USB key.

 

[weckart]

I And if it's a machine that originally came with Leopard, Mountain Lion won't work on it anyway.

My MBP came with Tiger. Running ML right now.

 

[iMarc845]

Still getting MAS error

When I click the Download button, I get a dropdown sheet saying:

We could not complete your request.

There was an error in the App Store. Please try again later. (13)

(OK)


I suspect that Apple has no intention of leaving Lion available. I think that is completely wrong since I have a 2007 MacBook that cannot run Mountain Lion.

I wonder if booting from a Lion Restore Partition will work at this point since that would imply downloading the Lion installer.

It's now 5:30AM Eastern Daylight Time. I just tried again to download Lion and I got the same error as before. I can no longer presume that it's due to the store being too busy. BTW, this machine IS currently running Lion.

It's all well and good to say that since I purchased Lion, it will be available. But it doesn't help if I can't I can't download it.