08-27-2009, 10:23 AM

Mac OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) is due for a release any day now and some members might have some questions on moving from 10.x to Snow Leopard once they purchase the latest OS from Apple.

While I haven't used Snow Leopard yet, the installation options should be as follows:

Quote:
The ways to install

When you start the upgrade process, you’ll get to choose one of these ways to install Snow Leopard on your Mac.

- Simple Upgrade: This option upgrades all the important components of your old system software while preserving all your personal files and most settings. Could it be any easier?


- Erase and Install: This method completely erases the destination volume, then installs a new copy of Mac OS X. You’ll have to copy all your files and re-enter all your account settings.

The Simple Upgrade option is by far my personal favorite.

For more info on these different types of installs, refer to Apple's Knowledge Base.

Now about the installation itself!

1- Just insert the DVD in the optical drive

2- Restart your Mac while holding down the C key

3- You will be guided through the installation procedure and be prompted at one point to choose which install option you want

4- Once the Snow Leopard install is completed the Mac will restart itself

5- You will probably be asked to register with Apple upon restart (which you can do or not BTW)

6- Enjoy Snow Leopard on your Mac!

Hope this helps!

08-27-2009, 11:25 AM

Q: What are the system requirements for Snow Leopard?

A:

Originally Posted by Apple

* Mac computer with an Intel processor
* 1GB of memory
* 5GB of available disk space
* DVD drive for installation
* Some features require a compatible Internet service provider; fees may apply.
* Some features require Apple’s MobileMe service; fees and terms apply.

Note that older Macs that use a PowerPC (PPC) processor are not compatible.

Q: Can I upgrade directly from Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger)?

A: Yes. Apple recommends purchasing the Mac Boxed Set for this purpose, which will also update iLife (it is unknown at the time of this writing whether older versions of iLife work with Snow Leopard) and iWork. Also note that while it has been said that the $29 upgrade will work with 10.4, it is not officially supported and may be in violation of the licensing terms.

Q: What happened to the different install options? Can't I do an Archive & Install?

A: Apple has revamped the familiar installation options for Mac OS X. You now have two choices, either a straight upgrade or a clean install. Supposedly if you choose to do a straight upgrade, what actually goes on behind the scenes is what was traditionally known as an Archive & Install.

Q: Is there anything I can do to better prepare myself for the upgrade?

A: Yes. It is advisable to run a Verify/Repair Permissions and Verify/Repair Disk in Disk Utility. You may also want to run the maintenance tasks in Onyx. And finally, it would be wise to get your applications up to date using a program like AppFresh.

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More information to follow as the staff and regulars at Mac-Forums gets some hands-on time with Snow Leopard. The information above is current as of the date of this writing (8/27/09)