Unable to install Leopard on partition

[Jim1954]

I have a new but refurbished mid-2011 iMac which originally was built with Leopard 10.6.6 according to Apple info but this refurb came with Lion.

I am needing to install Final Cut Studio 2 but get that common problem of Lion not allowing it. It has to be installed on Leopard, or, something called Rosetta inside Leopard has been installed on Lion by some with Leopard discs. I don't have a Leopard disc, only a MacBook Air usb Reinstall drive with Leopard 10.6.6. So, I set a partition for Leopard but can't get anywhere near the point where I can install Leopard on it.

I can't get that drive to start up after it prompts the restart. I just get a gray screen with apple logo. I pressed c key during Apple's opening startup tone and also tried option key but neither are working. Option key gave me choice to choose usb as startup disc but nothing happened after that, screen went gray.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Intell]

I think you mean Snow Leopard. Leopard was version 10.5. Snow Leopard is version 10.6.

To install Snow Leopard on that iMac, you must use the restore discs for the 2011 iMac. No other Snow Leopard disc will work.

 

[Jim1954]

I think you mean Snow Leopard. Leopard was version 10.5. Snow Leopard is version 10.6.

To install Snow Leopard on that iMac, you must use the restore discs for the 2011 iMac. No other Snow Leopard disc will work.

Thanks. Yes, sorry, it is called Snow Leopard, forgot about that.

Well this is disappointing, thought I was all set with my 10.6.6 usb. So, only a restore DISC will work and not a usb drive with same software? I thought this usb Reinstall drive would do the same thing since it is the same version, 10.6.6 that this iMac was built with originally.

 

[Intell]

Your USB thing is only for the Macbook Air of the model it came with.

 

[Jim1954]

I think you mean Snow Leopard. Leopard was version 10.5. Snow Leopard is version 10.6.

To install Snow Leopard on that iMac, you must use the restore discs for the 2011 iMac. No other Snow Leopard disc will work.

I know this is probably a stupid question but want to make sure before buying this. Apple Store has Snow Leopard for $30. http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A#overview It says it is for upgrading from Leopard obviously but do they mean you have to have Leopard to use it and not something like my empty erased partition? Can I assume it will also install there?
Thanks!

 

[Intell]

That will not work for your iMac. Those discs only go up to 10.6.3. You need the 2011 iMac Snow Leopard restore discs.

 

[Jim1954]

[/COLOR]

That will not work for your iMac. Those discs only go up to 10.6.3. You need the 2011 iMac Snow Leopard restore discs.

Thanks for your help, glad I asked!

 

[MacTech68]

I'm a little intrigued since Apple don't list 10.6.6 as having shipped with the MacBook Air, though in the past I've seen disks not noted on the list.

see : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1159?viewlocale=en_US#MacBook_Air

According to Apple, the only other machines that shipped with a build of 10.6.6 is the MacBook Pro 13" 15" & 17" (Early 2011). That build (10J3210) was too 'young' to work with the iMac (Mid 2011) which requires 10J4026.

Was the MacBook Air USB thumb drive supplied with the refurbed iMac, and/or how have you determined that it is a 10.6.6 install?

 

[Jim1954]

I'm a little intrigued since Apple don't list 10.6.6 as having shipped with the MacBook Air, though in the past I've seen disks not noted on the list.

see : http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1159?viewlocale=en_US#MacBook_Air

According to Apple, the only other machines that shipped with a build of 10.6.6 is the MacBook Pro 13" 15" & 17" (Early 2011). That build (10J3210) was too 'young' to work with the iMac (Mid 2011) which requires 10J4026.

Was the MacBook Air USB thumb drive supplied with the refurbed iMac, and/or how have you determined that it is a 10.6.6 install?

Sorry, you're right, thought it was 10.6.6 for some reason, yesterday was a crazy day of endless searching and reading through discussions for solutions, got my numbers mixed up. I just re-checked and it just says 10.6 on the "MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive" as it says on it. Next time I post I will have to double-check my names and numbers, confusing too many people here! Also, I bought the MBA from Apple as a refurb last year. The iMac just has something called "Recovery" on the hard drive, no discs or usb drive come with it now.

 

[MacTech68]

Sorry, you're right, thought it was 10.6.6 for some reason, yesterday was a crazy day of endless searching and reading through discussions for solutions, got my numbers mixed up. I just re-checked and it just says 10.6 on the "MacBook Air Software Reinstall Drive" as it says on it. Next time I post I will have to double-check my names and numbers, confusing too many people here! Also, I bought the MBA from Apple as a refurb last year. The iMac just has something called "Recovery" on the hard drive, no discs or usb drive come with it now.

No problem. Just wanted to confirm.

You'll need a 10.6.6 for iMac Build 10J4026, or 10.6.7 for iMac Build 10J4139

Alternatively, install the 10.6 onto the MacBook Air, update it to 10.6.8 and then clone the entire drive to the iMac (erasing the iMac first - which means you lose everything on the iMac unless it's backed up). Generally, this should work.