Which OS to buy so I have install discs?

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I bought my Mac Pro used and didn't get install discs with it. It's possible my friend has them somewhere as it was a work computer of his. But in case he doesn't/can't find them (which I seriously think might happen since I had to borrow his iMac disc in order to purge his name from my system) I was going to buy some sort of version of OS X.

So is Lion going to be a complete install version and can I just buy that for my "Harpertown" Mac Pro? Or do I need to buy Leopard and Snow Leopard?

And if I can just buy Lion then why all the fuss about "getting your Mac ready to upgrade to Lion" with the 10.6.8 update?

I'm currently running 10.6.7 on the following system (waiting to upgrade to 10.6.8 until I finish a big FCP project):

Model Name: Mac Pro
Model Identifier: MacPro3,1
Processor Name: Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed: 3 GHz
Number Of Processors: 2
Total Number Of Cores: 8
L2 Cache (per processor): 12 MB
Memory: 4 GB (soon to be 12gb, 8gb have been ordered)
Bus Speed: 1.6 GHz

TIA for any help.
 
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As it stands atm the way Apple is distributing Lion (via MAS) you NEED Snow Leopard 10.6.8 with the App Store App to be able to dl 10.7 Lion and install it. But dont fear as SL is only $29 US and then when lion comes around thats another $29. So for a grand total of $58 US you can have the latest Apple Mac OS . . . .
And yes Lion will be a complete OS not just a upgrade.

Not bad IMO
 
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As it stands atm the way Apple is distributing Lion (via MAS) you NEED Snow Leopard 10.6.8 with the App Store App to be able to dl 10.7 Lion and install it. But dont fear as SL is only $29 US and then when lion comes around thats another $29. So for a grand total of $58 US you can have the latest Apple Mac OS . . . .
And yes Lion will be a complete OS not just a upgrade.

Not bad IMO
Not bad at all. :)

So I have SL on my system, do I need to buy it as well then? Was SL a complete install? So to do a clean install of the OS all I would need is a SL disc? I wouldn't need a Leopard disc? I can't buy Lion and burn it to a disc and just have that? How many questions can I possibly put in a paragraph that has only questions in it? Is there a limit? ;D

I just don't want to get stuck if I run into any problems, so I want to have a disc handy to be able to use and do a clean install if needed.

Thanks!
 
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Questions are fine, thats is why we are here.

You will be fine. Update your current OS to 10.6.8 when your done with your project, then wait until Lion becomes available on the MAS. SL is a complete OS not a upgrade and you can buy the discs just to have them. Make sure you have a Bootable Backup of your SL before you attempt to install Lion when it arrives as well.
The way lion will be installed as far as we can gather is it will create a install partition and install the Lion OS on that. Then from there Lion can be installed as the new OS. You should be able to make a bootable USB with the OS as a backup as well . . .
No one is 100% sure yet until its released and Apple tells us more . .

You dont need Leopard.

You can also buy SL just to have the disks, just in case
 
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Great! Just what I needed to know. Thanks very much!
 
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YW Glad i could help . . . .
 
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The Snow Leopard disc that is sold is called an upgrade, but has the whole thing.
 
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And further I would grab the Snow Leopard discs today as they may become scarce following this week's release of Lion. When Snow Leopard was released and Apple ceased selling Leopard, the second hand price sky rocketed.
 
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I've just bought a 2nd hand Mac Mini that arrives this week (my 1st ever Mac) and it comes with Lion GM on it.

Will I have any problem buying Lion Final/Retail when it comes out or do I need Snow Leopard?
 
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You will need Snow Leopard and then update to Lion. Whoever sold it to you should have removed Lion Development copy from it. As Lion comes as a download you will need Snow Leopard discs to troubleshoot, re-install etc.
 
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You will need Snow Leopard and then update to Lion. Whoever sold it to you should have removed Lion Development copy from it. As Lion comes as a download you will need Snow Leopard discs to troubleshoot, re-install etc.

Thanks for your response. I appreciate your help.

I was told that once Lion launches to everyone that the version installed will update to exactly the same model, name and build number.
I was also given this link to check out: Will Lion GM update? - MacRumors Forums

I will buy Lion on release anyway as I am going to use the Mac Mini for ios development and so obviously I want everything to be above board (I don't want to take any risks). I'll even install it over the top too 'just-incase' it is different in any shape or form.

I just hope it is possible and alright to buy it whilst using it. If that makes sense. hehe. As I say I don't want to take any risks or do anything wrong. But at the same time I don't fancy buying Snow Leopard just to install Lion on-top-of Lion for the sake of it. I'm kinda tight for money since buying this Mac Mini and an iPod & soon an ios Apple Developer License. So I'd rather buy just the latest osx than two versions (one of which will never get used other than to install Lion).

Can it do any harm me trying to purchase Lion when it is released? As I'd rather try it 1st and see if I can. As long as I am not getting in to any kind of trouble for simply trying.
 
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As you know Lion is to be a download. There are a number of suggestion on the 'net about making a bootable DVD, and to do this you would need a DL burner. The reason for suggestion Snow Leopard discs is one assumes we are to use the SL disc to troubleshoot Lion, for such things as Repair Disk, formatting, partitioning etc etc. Will be hanging on to my SL discs following Lion's release.
 

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