why cant i upgrade to leopard

Hi all i have an issue i hope someone can clear up for me. I have an old 2008 macbook pro, iv had for years.It came with mac os 10.4 with 512 ddr 667mhz ram which iv just replaced with a 2gig single stick (2g ddr 667 mhz). I have a installation disk of leopard with the applications disk, the disks say on them 13 inch macbook pro mac osx install disk and applications. Iv tried to use the disk to upgrade to leopard but during install it comes up this cant be done on this macbook!!! Is it because the disk is meant for a 13 inch or is it something else. All this is because i recently bought a iphone 4s with ios5 on and it wont connect to my mac in itunes or other so got to upgrade itunes and to upgrade that iv got to upgrade to leopard......vicious circle

I bet that those disks are gray/silver colored. They are model specific...and if they didn't come with your MacBook originally...they won't work.

- Nick

This question comes up so often it makes me wonder if Apple could do a better job of making its customers aware of this fact.

toMACsh said:

This question comes up so often it makes me wonder if Apple could do a better job of making its customers aware of this fact.

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I think that this is one VERY positive aspect of the downloadable OS (OS 10.7). No more gray disks!!!

Of course the "downloading" part creates a lot of new questions/issues...such as the folks who forget to "burn" a bootable disk BEFORE installing 10.7!

- Nick

And FWIW I don't think there is such a thing as a 2008 MacBook Pro that came with OS 10.4.
My 15 in MBP is a 2007 model that originally shipped with 10.4 and then got a free upgrade a month later when Leopard (10.5) was released.

Razormac said:

And FWIW I don't think there is such a thing as a 2008 MacBook Pro that came with OS 10.4.
My 15 in MBP is a 2007 model that originally shipped with 10.4 and then got a free upgrade a month later when Leopard (10.5) was released.

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This could be a "micro-detail" area that would have to be cleared up with the OP. Depends what the OP means by "2008". There are multiple 15" MBP's that could sorta fit a "2008" description:

1. The "Santa Rosa" models...released June & November, 2007 and discontinued Feb, 2008...shipped with OS 10.4.9
2. The more "official" 2008 MBP models...released Feb, 2008 and discontinued October, 2008...shipped with OS 10.5.2
3. The 1st generation "Unibody" MBP's...released October, 2008 and discontinued June, 2009...shipped with OS 10.5.5.

If we're talking #2 or #3...definitely no Tiger. If we're talking #1...then Tiger (10.4) is possible...but then this model would be somewhat incorrectly referred to as a "2008" model (when it's really a "Santa Rosa" model released in 2007).

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

This could be a "micro-detail" area that would have to be cleared up with the OP. Depends what the OP means by "2008". There are multiple 15" MBP's that could sorta fit a "2008" description:

1. The "Santa Rosa" models...released June & November, 2007 and discontinued Feb, 2008...shipped with OS 10.4.9
2. The more "official" 2008 MBP models...released Feb, 2008 and discontinued October, 2008...shipped with OS 10.5.2
3. The 1st generation "Unibody" MBP's...released October, 2008 and discontinued June, 2009...shipped with OS 10.5.5.

If we're talking #2 or #3...definitely no Tiger. If we're talking #1...then Tiger (10.4) is possible...but then this model would be somewhat incorrectly referred to as a "2008" model (when it's really a "Santa Rosa" model released in 2007).

- Nick

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I would guess then that my MBP would be a Santa Rosa version. It was purchased in early Oct, 2007 and Leopard was released on the 26th (hence my free copy). I have 4 OS'es for it now. The original Tiger disks, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and now Lion.

Razormac said:

I would guess then that my MBP would be a Santa Rosa version. It was purchased in early Oct, 2007 and Leopard was released on the 26th (hence my free copy). I have 4 OS'es for it now. The original Tiger disks, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and now Lion.

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In some ways kind of nice to have the choice of 4 OS's...depending on needs!

You never know...you may run across someone on Craig's List selling Adobe CS3 or CS4 really cheap...and if you really have a serious need for this "suite" of programs (which originally may have cost $1500+)...maybe an OS downgrade might be worth it.

- Nick

re upgrade

when i get the mac info box up it comes up as 2007 but i got the book in 2008 so might be earlier model although i purchased it new!

Model Name: MacBook Pro 15"
Model Identifier: MacBookPro1,1
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 2 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: MBP11.0055.B08
SMC Version: 1.2f10
Serial Number:
Sudden Motion Sensor:
State: Enabled
The ram was 512 667ghz but iv just upgraded to 2gig.
If i go on the upgrade it tells me my software is up do date!!!!! and theres no download or ugrade box after:0/

As said before iv had the book for years and only ever kept it for my diving pics and deco calculations etc. iv always had a good spec pc and not used the mac for home or work etc. I bi
ought an i phone 4s with ios5 cant connect to itunes as it needs upgrading (so no music on moby) and i cant upgrade itunes unless i upgrade to at least leopard.So as you can see not really familiar with mac problems, iv looked in the app store and cant find leopard download, only snow leopard and you need leopard to upgrade to snow leopard so it says aaaargh! so any advice is welcome of a workaround. I may just have to go and fork out £100 or more for a brand new OS but could do with knowing whats what first.thanks guys.

eey_ore_9 said:

If i go on the upgrade it tells me my software is up do date!!!!! and theres no download or ugrade box after:0/

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You can't do an update to get the next 2 upgrades - they are major upgrades and you have to pay for them.
10.5 (Retail Black and purple DVD required) is only available in the aftermarket - like eBay - and is expensive (~ $ 120).
10.6 is still available for $29.99 or $150 for bundle with iApps.

The earliest MBP came in fact with OS X.4.6 so it is quite possible. And Snow Leoparfd is as far as it will install. Lion requires Core 2 Duo.