Resolved Question about older versions of iMovie

[ftaok]

OK, so I've been a Mac user for a long long time and I have lots of old projects. I'm interested in one project in particular that I created using iMovie'08 or maybe even iMovie HD. The footage was all from miniDV. I have the project files on my external hard drive that holds all of my old iMovie stuff. Unfortunately, the current version of iMovie doesn't recognize it.

So I've spent too much time digging up old Macs so that I can open up a compatible iMovie and export the project as a video file. No luck at all.

My current Mac is a mid-2013 Macbook Air running OS X Mojave (10.14) and it cannot run older versions of iMovie.

So I booted up a Macbook 2010 unibody running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and tried installing iLife'08 from the retail DVD. It didn't work as the Macbook wouldn't open iMovie (it had the Ghostbusters "no way" icon over the icon). The requirements on the iLife'08 box indicates that it needs an Intel/G5/G4 Mac running 10.4.9 or above. My 2010 Macbook complies yet it still doesn't run.

My next try is to use a Macbook C2D 2006 running 10.6 Snow Leopard. I'm pretty sure this should work because I think this is the Mac that I actually made the project on. The issue is that the HD is shot, so I can replace it. But I can't find my Snow Leopard disc and I can't find the CDs that came with the Macbook either.

Does anyone know if the 2006 MB will be able to run iMovie'08? Should I try to get iMovieHD somehow? Any thoughts or insights into something simple that I'm glossing over, perhaps?

Thanks!

 

[p33t3r]

You should be able to make a bootable usb stick with Snow Leopard to install on your old C2D - https://iboysoft.com/howto/macos-x-snow-leopard-download.html

 

[ftaok]

In case anyone is wondering, I was able to get access to my old iMovie project, but ironically, I ended up using my current Macbook Air 2013. I run Mac OS 10.14 on it and apparently there is a modified version of iMovie HD that runs on Intel machines up to 10.14.

I was able to install the original OS on my old 2006 Macbook and iMovie HD opened the project just fine. The problem was that in the original project, I used a song that I bought off on the iTunes Music Store and it was still DRM'd. I wasn't able to activate the iTunes on the 2006 MB, so iMovie HD couldn't use it. Huge PITA. In fact, even on the MBA that was properly authenticated, the modded version of iMovie couldn't use that file either.

So I spent too much time trying to strip the DRM off, until I realized that I didn't care about max quality, so I burned a CD and reimported it. Worked like a charm and I was able to create a new video file out of the old iMovie project.

In case anyone comes across this problem, the workflow was to use a Mac that runs 10.14 or earlier and to install the modded version of iMovie HD.

 

[Fishrrman]

" The problem was that in the original project, I used a song that I bought off on the iTunes Music Store and it was still DRM'd"

This is why I've never bought any music or video from Apple, ever.

I have bought music from amazon, in high bitrate mp3 format.
NO DRM on those.

And there's always binsearch.info ... 😎

 

[thejadedmonkey]

Thank you for coming back and explaining how you were able to solve the problem. So many people forget that step, and when someone comes looking for an answer, there's no resolution. Thank you.

 

[ignatius345]

So I spent too much time trying to strip the DRM off, until I realized that I didn't care about max quality, so I burned a CD and reimported it.

Another way around this is to use Audio Hijack to record the system audio as you play it back through the Music app. I think Piezo (from the same company) would work as well for this.

 

[McScooby]

If you still had the mini DV there's always this route (up to 15.7) https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255394385?sortBy=oldest_first