switching from Lion to Snow leopard

derekleech · derekleech #1 (**permalink**)

11-30-2011, 10:43 AM

Hi Guys

Any usersout there who do not get on with Lion and want to revert to SL?
I have several apps that will not install on Lion and want to install SL, but I don't have the installation disk.

Any pointers appreciated!

lifeisabeach · lifeisabeach #2 (**permalink**)

11-30-2011, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Hi Guys

Any usersout there who do not get on with Lion and want to revert to SL?
I have several apps that will not install on Lion and want to install SL, but I don't have the installation disk.

Any pointers appreciated!

Step one: verify your Mac can run Snow Leopard (unlikely if it is a new one that has seen a hardware refresh since Lion was released).

Step two: Buy Snow Leopard.

derekleech · derekleech #3 (**permalink**)

11-30-2011, 11:14 AM

Hi
Step Two sounds easy enough but I've no idea how to carry out Step one as I am very new to Mac, having just switched from Windows where I've been for about 30 years!
Thanks.

lifeisabeach · lifeisabeach #4 (**permalink**)

11-30-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Hi
Step Two sounds easy enough but I've no idea how to carry out Step one as I am very new to Mac, having just switched from Windows where I've been for about 30 years!
Thanks.

Well what exact Mac do you have? Go to the Apple menu up top and select "About This Mac".

What software are you trying to install that won't do so on Lion?

derekleech · derekleech #5 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 10:42 AM

Running Lion on MacBook Pro which will not install any Nikon software except View NX. Nikon are supposed to be testing for compatibility with Lion but I'm not holding my breath as they have huge problems of their own!

RavingMac · RavingMac #6 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Running Lion on MacBook Pro which will not install any Nikon software except View NX. Nikon are supposed to be testing for compatibility with Lion but I'm not holding my breath as they have huge problems of their own!

If you give us your Mac specs we can give you an idea about installing Snow Leopard. The problem here is drivers. Depending on the hardware in your Mac, Snow Leopard may or may not have the drivers to support it.

vansmith · vansmith #7 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 10:46 AM

Did your machine come with Lion? As lifeisabeach noted, SL may not be compatible with your machine. If you go to  > About This Mac > More Info..., what does it say under "MacBook Pro" in the Overview tab? More specifically, what does it say for the date (mine for instance says "Early 2008").

lifeisabeach · lifeisabeach #8 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Running Lion on MacBook Pro which will not install any Nikon software except View NX. Nikon are supposed to be testing for compatibility with Lion but I'm not holding my breath as they have huge problems of their own!

Developers have long been dragging their feet on making their software specifically compatible with Intel-based Macs. It's been 5 years since the hardware changeover and Apple really had to drop the emulation layer to support PPC-coded apps sooner or later. It was popular and people miss it and even need it, but it is a drag on the OS and Apple is not one to let old tech hold them back. Hopefully now that Nikon has no choice but to update their software, they will do so soon. However… I wouldn't hold my breath on it either. If you plan to stick with OS X, I would look into alternatives to Nikon's software if you can. Alternatively, you may need to either dual-boot Windows via Boot Camp, or run Windows in a virtual machine like VMware's Fusion and continue using the Windows versions of the software.

derekleech · derekleech #9 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 11:40 AM

Quick reply to your two postings for which I thank you.
About this Mac says it's early 2011.
Changing my photo software would cost me nearly as much as the Mac! I bought it to get away from Windows so I don't want to run it in any circumstances.
I'm pretty well convinced my only option is to install a recent version of SL on a partition on the Mac and then install the Nikon stuff to do so.

RavingMac · RavingMac #10 (**permalink**)

12-01-2011, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Quick reply to your two postings for which I thank you.
About this Mac says it's early 2011.
Changing my photo software would cost me nearly as much as the Mac! I bought it to get away from Windows so I don't want to run it in any circumstances.
I'm pretty well convinced my only option is to install a recent version of SL on a partition on the Mac and then install the Nikon stuff to do so.

Early 2011 should be good to go on Snow Leopard (I'm surprised, that being the case, that you didn't get a Snow Leopard OS disk with your Mac).

Anyway, the OS disk is still available in the Apple store for $29
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC...ode=MTY1NDAzOA

Alwyn · Alwyn #11 (**permalink**)

02-20-2012, 05:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derekleech

Hi Guys

Any usersout there who do not get on with Lion and want to revert to SL?
I have several apps that will not install on Lion and want to install SL, but I don't have the installation disk.

Any pointers appreciated!

Will my Snow Leopard installation disk work with my wife's iMac to replace Lion? If so does that involve erasing everything and starting again.

Apple presumably wanted to save money by not issuing the installation disk with Lion. The only way to install or reinstall Lion is to download. Where I live that's an overnight job.

yodoc · yodoc #12 (**permalink**)

02-20-2012, 09:39 AM

I have just purchased a new Mac Mini 2.5 GHz to replace a late-2006 Intel iMac that went into terminal kernal panic. They're saying the logic board needs to be replaced. I haven't started using the mini yet since I don't have a monitor that will hook up to it, but today I'm reading about all sorts of issues with Lion. I do have Snow Leopard installation disks (purchased recently to upgrade the iMac) and I purchased a SuperDrive with the mini. Can I "downgrade" the mini to Snow Leopard? Will the machine let me do this? On the iMac I was using Tiger and it worked great until it suddenly died on me.

derekleech · derekleech #13 (**permalink**)

02-20-2012, 10:21 AM

Hi guys
If you have a reasonably up to date installation disk for Snow Leopard you should be able to install it on a machine running Lion.
To do this you will need to partition your hard drive to create a separate area for SL to reside in. Do this in DISK UTILITY without removing any of your existing files, etc.
You will then be able to boot from this drive by holding down the option key as you start up, which should result in your seeing the disk icon for the partition containing SL.
Click and your machine should start in Snow Leopard.

yodoc · yodoc #14 (**permalink**)

02-20-2012, 10:38 AM

How large should I make the Snow Leopard partition? My mini has a 500 GB hard drive.

Software-related question: Since I am going directly from Tiger to Lion, will my Office Mac 2008 install on the mini, under Lion or SL?

derekleech · derekleech #15 (**permalink**)

02-20-2012, 11:14 AM

I made my partition 50GB on my 500GB disk, which proved to be okay, if a bit on the generous side (better too big than the opposite!) I think I could have got away with less but couldn't guarantee it.
Regarding software I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, install Lion or Snow Leopard on the machine currently running Tiger?
I personally would not install Lion at all as I find SL much sleeker and faster. I have SL installed on both my Macs now and will not be changing in the foreseeable future as application updates for Mountain Lion (see sneak peek now on Apple store website) are not likely to be available until the end of 2013 if past experience is anything to go by.
Hope this helps.

vansmith #7 (permalink)
Member Since: Oct 19, 2008 Location: Ottawa Posts: 15,295 Mac Specs: 2012 13" MBP (2.5 i5, 8GB)	12-01-2011, 10:46 AM Did your machine come with Lion? As lifeisabeach noted, SL may not be compatible with your machine. If you go to  > About This Mac > More Info..., what does it say under "MacBook Pro" in the Overview tab? More specifically, what does it say for the date (mine for instance says "Early 2008"). Important Links: Community Guidelines : Use the reputation system if you've been helped. M-F Blog :: Write for the blog :: M-F IRC Channel - Chats every Sunday at 8PM EST.
	QUOTE Thanks

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derekleech #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 30, 2011 Posts: 6	11-30-2011, 10:43 AM Hi Guys Any usersout there who do not get on with Lion and want to revert to SL? I have several apps that will not install on Lion and want to install SL, but I don't have the installation disk. Any pointers appreciated!
	QUOTE Thanks

derekleech #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 30, 2011 Posts: 6	12-01-2011, 10:42 AM Running Lion on MacBook Pro which will not install any Nikon software except View NX. Nikon are supposed to be testing for compatibility with Lion but I'm not holding my breath as they have huge problems of their own!
	QUOTE Thanks

derekleech #9 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 30, 2011 Posts: 6	12-01-2011, 11:40 AM Quick reply to your two postings for which I thank you. About this Mac says it's early 2011. Changing my photo software would cost me nearly as much as the Mac! I bought it to get away from Windows so I don't want to run it in any circumstances. I'm pretty well convinced my only option is to install a recent version of SL on a partition on the Mac and then install the Nikon stuff to do so.
	QUOTE Thanks

yodoc #12 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 17, 2012 Posts: 11	02-20-2012, 09:39 AM I have just purchased a new Mac Mini 2.5 GHz to replace a late-2006 Intel iMac that went into terminal kernal panic. They're saying the logic board needs to be replaced. I haven't started using the mini yet since I don't have a monitor that will hook up to it, but today I'm reading about all sorts of issues with Lion. I do have Snow Leopard installation disks (purchased recently to upgrade the iMac) and I purchased a SuperDrive with the mini. Can I "downgrade" the mini to Snow Leopard? Will the machine let me do this? On the iMac I was using Tiger and it worked great until it suddenly died on me.
	QUOTE Thanks

derekleech #13 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 30, 2011 Posts: 6	02-20-2012, 10:21 AM Hi guys If you have a reasonably up to date installation disk for Snow Leopard you should be able to install it on a machine running Lion. To do this you will need to partition your hard drive to create a separate area for SL to reside in. Do this in DISK UTILITY without removing any of your existing files, etc. You will then be able to boot from this drive by holding down the option key as you start up, which should result in your seeing the disk icon for the partition containing SL. Click and your machine should start in Snow Leopard.
	QUOTE Thanks

yodoc #14 (permalink)
Member Since: Feb 17, 2012 Posts: 11	02-20-2012, 10:38 AM How large should I make the Snow Leopard partition? My mini has a 500 GB hard drive. Software-related question: Since I am going directly from Tiger to Lion, will my Office Mac 2008 install on the mini, under Lion or SL?
	QUOTE Thanks

derekleech #15 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 30, 2011 Posts: 6	02-20-2012, 11:14 AM I made my partition 50GB on my 500GB disk, which proved to be okay, if a bit on the generous side (better too big than the opposite!) I think I could have got away with less but couldn't guarantee it. Regarding software I'm not sure exactly what you're trying to do, install Lion or Snow Leopard on the machine currently running Tiger? I personally would not install Lion at all as I find SL much sleeker and faster. I have SL installed on both my Macs now and will not be changing in the foreseeable future as application updates for Mountain Lion (see sneak peek now on Apple store website) are not likely to be available until the end of 2013 if past experience is anything to go by. Hope this helps.
	QUOTE Thanks

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