Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

ABigPurpleGoose

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 4, 2014
11
0
Cumbria, United Kingdom
I have a 2008 MacBook that is unable to update past OSX Lion (10.7.5). I had to restore OSX last year. I haven't needed to use iMovie since I did the restore, and so hadn't bothered to download it from the App Store again. Anyway, I needed it earlier this week, but when I tried to download it from the App Store (iMovie 10.0.2) but a message came up saying my computer doesn't meet the requirements. Does anyone know of somewhere I can legitimately download a previous version of iMovie (preferably through Apple)?
 
Nov 28, 2010
22,670
31
located
If you still have your MacBook's grey Restore DVDs, look onto the second DVD and install iMovie from there. It will be an older version, but capable of what you want to do.
 

ABigPurpleGoose

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 4, 2014
11
0
Cumbria, United Kingdom
I've tried the Apple iMovie 9.0.9 update, but when I run the file it says "iMovie 9 or later is required to install this update."

I do not have the original install discs for the MacBook.
 

mountain.gurl

macrumors newbie
Jul 9, 2014
2
1
Dunedin, NZ
Hi, I'm wondering the same thing about obtaining an older version of iMovie since my computer cannot run the current Mavericks version (I have a late 2006 macbook pro)... specifically iMovie version 9.0 (iLife '11)... did you ever find out how to download this from Apple?

Cheers. Jill
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
Hi, I'm wondering the same thing about obtaining an older version of iMovie since my computer cannot run the current Mavericks version (I have a late 2006 macbook pro)... specifically iMovie version 9.0 (iLife '11)... did you ever find out how to download this from Apple?

Cheers. Jill

Buy the disks off ebay, that's really your only option.
 

WSFrazier

macrumors regular
Feb 9, 2006
105
0
We ran into this problem at my previous job. When Mavericks first came out, as an large company with IT policies and security, we can't just upgrade to a new OS without testing things first.

We had some users and clients in marketing and store ops that needed iMovie for their work, but we couldn't install due to the same issue.

We even called our Apple support contacts and were told, sorry too bad. Upgrade to Mavericks or tough ****. They couldn't even help us if we threw money at them.

We had to end up actually just downloading a copy off a torrent website for the user. Absolutely ridiculous that we had no choice but to revert to what some may consider piracy.

I find it a little hard to believe that no one, no where, at Apple support had a copy of previous iMovie they could send us considering how much we would spend on leasing Macs.
 

mountain.gurl

macrumors newbie
Jul 9, 2014
2
1
Dunedin, NZ
I ended up talking to Apple for about an hour and a half yesterday on a long distance skype call from New Zealand to USA trying to figure this out.

The day before, an Apple employee in the sales department actually sold me iMovie v9.0 (2011 version) and was very helpful/ confident about it. He knew my operating system limits and knew that Mavericks and the current iMovie v.10.0 would not work on my macbook. Even the order confirmation/ receipt said "iMovie '11 single unit". Sure enough, what he sent me the next day was a download for the current iMovie v.10.0 and of course when i tried the redemption code in the App Store it says it will not work. This is what led to the very very long call.... Long story short, spent an hour alone trying to get the refund sorted out with an absolutely useless employee in the sales dept who said "wow thats really old!" when we went over my operating system details for the zillionth time and who did not know what iMovie 9.0 was. Eventually though, i ended up with the right guy in the Apps department who set me straight. He sent me iLife '11 via disk (to my U.S. address) which includes iMovie 9.0. Voila, it can be done.

What i learned: Previous versions of iLife can only be obtained via disk and not through the App Store, apparently. Same goes with anything that came out pre-App Store. What i read online leads me to believe otherwise, but not with my operating system (Lion).

Hopefully this helps someone in my shoes searching for this very same topic......

Cheers.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jeffois

Funkacheno

macrumors newbie
Jun 21, 2018
1
0
I ended up talking to Apple for about an hour and a half yesterday on a long distance skype call from New Zealand to USA trying to figure this out.

The day before, an Apple employee in the sales department actually sold me iMovie v9.0 (2011 version) and was very helpful/ confident about it. He knew my operating system limits and knew that Mavericks and the current iMovie v.10.0 would not work on my macbook. Even the order confirmation/ receipt said "iMovie '11 single unit". Sure enough, what he sent me the next day was a download for the current iMovie v.10.0 and of course when i tried the redemption code in the App Store it says it will not work. This is what led to the very very long call.... Long story short, spent an hour alone trying to get the refund sorted out with an absolutely useless employee in the sales dept who said "wow thats really old!" when we went over my operating system details for the zillionth time and who did not know what iMovie 9.0 was. Eventually though, i ended up with the right guy in the Apps department who set me straight. He sent me iLife '11 via disk (to my U.S. address) which includes iMovie 9.0. Voila, it can be done.

What i learned: Previous versions of iLife can only be obtained via disk and not through the App Store, apparently. Same goes with anything that came out pre-App Store. What i read online leads me to believe otherwise, but not with my operating system (Lion).

Hopefully this helps someone in my shoes searching for this very same topic......

Cheers.
[doublepost=1529573232][/doublepost]Where can I get one of those disks
 

Magnum46

macrumors newbie
Jul 27, 2018
1
0
edinburgh

Lcreezy

macrumors newbie
Jan 23, 2019
1
0
[doublepost=1538892277][/doublepost]

I just tried this and it works!!!!!
[doublepost=1548276050][/doublepost]Thank you so much! Other sites directed me to Amazon to buy iLife 2011 for approx $250!! This was a lifesaver!!
 

mmomega

macrumors demi-god
Dec 30, 2009
3,888
2,101
DFW, TX
$250 ? Lordt.

Glad I made a backup of that disc 8-9 years ago.

So make a digital copy as soon as you get that disc and put it in your dropbox / icloud / something
Screen Shot 2019-01-23 at 3.28.39 PM.png
 
  • Like
Reactions: Arclyn

sunrisemusic

macrumors member
Dec 18, 2010
59
3
Just upgraded to Sierra from Mavericks, had the same problem, found this thread, and also found this great vid on YT which makes it super simple, with the help of "unpkg" app.
Here's the vid with all the instructions
 

jinglepot

macrumors newbie
May 2, 2020
2
0
Thx, "keef Sutton." I'd just birthed my refurbished 2015 MBPro running 10.13.6 (High Sierra). Went to the App Store. Couldn't download the latest iMovie — what a pain! Thx to Macrumors thread, I found your work-around. Whew. I can get back to my project ... deadline: tomorrow!! Be well. Keep the distance. Edit lots. ;-)
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.