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Actually what it was is that I was seeing (although i didn't know at the time) an attempt to install the snow leopard restore disc on an empty hard drive. In otherwords, scratch what I just said. Who knows what will work and what won't
 
Good news! When I upgraded my MacBook Pro from Leopard to Snow Leopard I lost the ability to use my Airport Express wireless. No matter what I did I could not reacquire it. So I did a clean install and it's baaack! :)
 
Difference between $10 UTD disc and $29 upgrade?

After reading this thread and in the name of science, I tried to install SL on my three year old macbook from the up-to-date (UTD) SL dvd and it didn't work (I got the same "Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer. This disc requires that Mac OS X 10.5 or later already be installed on your computer" message several others have mentioned).

Does anyone know if the $29 version is different in regards to upgrading from Tiger on an old mac?
 
After reading this thread and in the name of science, I tried to install SL on my three year old macbook from the up-to-date (UTD) SL dvd and it didn't work (I got the same "Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer. This disc requires that Mac OS X 10.5 or later already be installed on your computer" message several others have mentioned).

Does anyone know if the $29 version is different in regards to upgrading from Tiger on an old mac?

Yes it works.
 
It doesn't work.
I ended up buying the Upgrade Disk for $29.
Well worth the price.

I thought the upgrade disk for tiger to snow leopard wasn't available. That it could only be had by buying a package of programs, which I already have.
 
I thought the upgrade disk for tiger to snow leopard wasn't available. That it could only be had by buying a package of programs, which I already have.

Well I bought this update for my Leopard MacBook Pro and put it in my Tiger running iMac (Early 2007) and it updated it to Snow Leopard (Actually even faster then it installed on my Leopard MBP with better specs).
 
works

Just installed SL on a Tiger machine in about 45 min. Worked perfectly and was super simple. If you are having problems, maybe check your disk on another computer.
 
Being reading your forum, while helpful, I still have a query.

What I've got is a Snow Leopard upgrade disk from the Up To Date program for my recently bought iMac. What I'm wanting to do is upgrade my lad's mini Mac from Tiger 10.4.11 to Snow Leopard. Like other users, I'm finding this is not possible with the UTD disc.

Will I in fact be able to do this with the £25 Snow Leopard Upgrade disc? ie is there a difference between the UTD disc and the £25 SL upgrade disc?

In anticipation, thanks.
 
I used the upgrade disc that I bought on the day that SL got out over here in the states to upgrade from 10.4.11 to 10.6. I am have heard somewhere that some of the newer disc may not let you upgrade from Tiger but I don't remember where I remember seeing that but I am sure someone on here could really let you know if this is the case. Also, I know this all was the case in the US and I assume that it is like there in other countries but I am not sure but again someone will let you know
 
Hey guys I have a new one for you regarding this:

I have an UTD Mac Book Pro running SL, but when I bought it (literally 2 days before the release of SL) it came with Leopard. So, I ordered the SL install disc and everything is hunky dory. Now to my question- I have my 10.5.7 disc from my MBP and my upgrade disc to 10.6 and I want to upgrade my wifes Imac that is still running Tiger 10.4. I put the 10.5.7 disc in and do the option boot to run from the install disc, but every time I try to do the install it says Mac OsX cannot be installed on this computer. It does not give me a reason, just the error message that it cannot be installed.
I know for a fact that these install discs can be used on multiple machines... heck, my buddy used his single use install disc to put Leopard onto my Tiger Imac back when Leopard first came out.
So, what should I do? My wife keeps running into software issues when she tries to DL some opensource programs and I really want to get this machine UTD.

Thanks!!
 
Hey guys I have a new one for you regarding this:

I have an UTD Mac Book Pro running SL, but when I bought it (literally 2 days before the release of SL) it came with Leopard. So, I ordered the SL install disc and everything is hunky dory. Now to my question- I have my 10.5.7 disc from my MBP and my upgrade disc to 10.6 and I want to upgrade my wifes Imac that is still running Tiger 10.4. I put the 10.5.7 disc in and do the option boot to run from the install disc, but every time I try to do the install it says Mac OsX cannot be installed on this computer. It does not give me a reason, just the error message that it cannot be installed.
I know for a fact that these install discs can be used on multiple machines... heck, my buddy used his single use install disc to put Leopard onto my Tiger Imac back when Leopard first came out.
So, what should I do? My wife keeps running into software issues when she tries to DL some opensource programs and I really want to get this machine UTD.

Thanks!!

Your 10.5.7 disc that came with your MBP will NOT work with the iMac. That disc has specific drivers and is told to scan for a certain type of computer. Your MBP's internals are obviously different from the iMac. However, from my own personal knowledge, the Snow Leopard drop in disc (the $10 one) has no specific drivers and can be used on any computer. If you can get it to start installing on the iMac you should have no problem. I used the Snow Leopard drop in disc from my MBP on our iMac that shipped with Tiger and got a Leopard drop in disc and everything works fine after a wipe of the drive in the Leopard installer, then a boot from the Snow Leopard installer to install a fresh setup.

Or, you could use the Apple-provided solution: buy a Mac Box Set. Those are the Apple solution to the Tiger--Snow Leopard problem
 
okay, i've seen this question before but I did not see a clear answer.

when I backup my files, do I need to backup my applications also?

or when I put in the SL disk it will also install the normal basic applications?
I know I will lose iLife and iWork. but safari,photo booth and those things?

cos I am scared I will do something wrong & delete all xD
 
Your answers - It's works and the work around for installing Snow Leopard over Tiger

The short answer is installing snow leopard over tiger works from the upgrade disk ..... I used the "family pack" ....

The work around for errors durring installation of Snow Leopard over Tiger ....

1 - Insert the disk.

2 - Turn off your computer.

3 - Turn it back with the snow leopard disk inside it and hold "C" down until the loading spin gif starts, keep holding for up to 3 min (depends on your machine really).....

4 - enjoy.:)

.......
 
thanks for everybody's post...

i was able to upgrade successfully from leopard to snow leopard with a USB thumb drive when my internal HD died in my macbook pro.

i am now trying to upgrade my wife's macbook to snow leopard (from tiger) but i cannot get startup manager to recognize the drive!

the bizarre thing is that the thumb drive is recognized just fine in finder (this includes disk utility) on her macbook. i can even double click the mac os x icon on the thumb drive and it will ask me to press restart to proceed with installation of snow leopard.

however, after the computer restarts, it just loads right into the desktop.

i've tried holding down the option key, resetting the PRAM, etc. nothing works.

does anybody have any ideas? i've spent the whole day trying to figure this out with no results. thanks very much in advance..
 
thanks for everybody's post...

i was able to upgrade successfully from leopard to snow leopard with a USB thumb drive when my internal HD died in my macbook pro.

i am now trying to upgrade my wife's macbook to snow leopard (from tiger) but i cannot get startup manager to recognize the drive!

...

Don't know if you figured this out yet, but I had the exact same problem. I opened the Disk Utility at this point in the installation (it is one of the top menu items, conveniently). The HDD that I wanted to use was grayed-out, but when I selected it and clicked "Verify Disk" it became black. I canceled the verification, closed Disk Utility, and the Snow Leopard installer now saw my disk. Installation is ongoing as I type this!
 
Skid,

THanks for posting. I don't quite understand what you did to get the computer to read from the USB. My USB drive does not show up at all....
 
This is taken from a source on the internet. I have not tried it myself to verify that it works.

Boot from the Snow Leopard Install DVD

1. Insert the Snow Leopard Install DVD into your Mac’s optical drive.
2. Once the Snow Leopard DVD mounts on the desktop, the Mac OS X Install DVD window should open. If it doesn’t, double-click the DVD icon on the desktop.
3. In the Mac OS X Install DVD window, double-click the ‘Install Mac OS X’ icon.
4. The Install Mac OS X window will open and present you with two options. You can continue with a standard upgrade installation, or use the utilities included on the install DVD. Click the ‘Utilities’ button.
5. The Snow Leopard installer will inform you that in order to use the supplied utilities, you will need to restart your Mac and boot from the DVD. Click the ‘Restart’ button.

Using Disk Utility from the Snow Leopard Installer

1. After you reboot your Mac, the Snow Leopard installer will ask which language you want to use as the main language. Make your selection.
2. The Install Mac OS X screen will display. Click the ‘Utilities’ button.
3. In the Apple menu bar, select ‘Disk Utilities’ from the Utilities menu.
4. Disk Utilities will launch. Select one of the following instructions, depending on what you wish to do.
- Erase a Volume. Use these instructions to erase an entire volume. Be sure to back up all of your data first.
- Format a Hard Drive. Use these instructions if you wish to erase an entire hard drive, including any volumes/partitions it may contain, and not create any new volumes/partitions. Be sure to back up all of your data first.
- Partition a Hard Drive. Use these instructions if you wish to erase and partition a hard drive. Be sure to back up all of your data first.
5. When you have finished using Disk Utility, select ‘Quit’ from the Disk Utility menu.
6. You will be returned to the Snow Leopard Installer to continue the installation.

Complete the Snow Leopard Installation

To complete the installation, follow the instructions in ‘Snow Leopard Install: Basic Upgrade Install of Snow Leopard.’

That’s all there is to it. You now have a clean installation of Snow Leopard that mimics the ‘Erase and Install’ option available in previous versions of OS X.
 
I know this is sort of old, but still...

OK, I just want to say something. Has anyone read the OS X EULA?
There are three types of discs. The Leopard upgrade, which happens to be free, but need $9.99 shipping. This can be installed on and used one Apple branded computer at a time, and needs Leopard pre-installed. This disc is labeled a Upgrade. Then there is the Single User disc, which retails for $29. That can be installed and used on any one Apple branded computer at a time, regardless of whether or not Leopard is installed. The only place that says Tiger users buy the Mac Box Set is the Apple Site. And it doesn’t even say Tiger users must buy it. And finally, the Family Pack. This retails for $49 and can be installed and used on any 5 Apple Branded computers at a time.

While it is true that the Single User version can install on multiple computers at a time, it does violate the EULA. Installing it on a computer with Tiger installed, and no Leopard present, doesn’t violate the EULA. In fact, the Tiger users, never needed to have purchased Leopard.

I think Apple just wants people who know about it to buy the normal version, while ones who don’t will to buy the Mac Box Set. That way, and more people would buy Snow Leopard.

Just my 2 cents.

That's what I said on Cult of Mac.

AnonMac50
 
Problems with installing Snow Leopard over Tiger - HELP!!

I have an iMac 7.1, which is around 3 years old. It's currently running Tiger. I have a Snow Leopard family license disc, and my computer keep spitting it out. What could be the problem here? And how can I install SL? Any help gratefully received. Cheers.
 
In reading these year-plus posts, I'm still not clear if I can convert from Tiger 10.4.11 on a three year old MacBook to Snow Leopard using the $29 disc. My main issue is I don't want to do a clean install (for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is I don't have a separate hard drive).

So, using the $29 SL disc, can I simply download into my Intel MacBook running Tiger?
 
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