Restoring to old OS

Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2.26 13" MBP, WD 7200 RPM 320GB HDD, 4GB RAM; 2 EDU iBook G4s, 4g nano, 16GB 2g Touch, shuffle
I just got a Macbook Air and upgraded to Lion with the free upgrade offer. The laptop came with Snow Leopard. I had been using my 2009 Macbook pro with Leopard on it. I hate Lion. The font is too small and hurts my eyes (and I am in my 20's). It is ridiculous. Is there a way to restore back to Snow Leopard with my install disk without having to put all my stuff back on the computer (music, photos, etc.)? I put all the new stuff on because I have to get my other computer ready to sell, but I cannot take this small font. If there is a way to reinstall Snow Leopard, I'd really appreciate hearing how.

thank you!
 
Joined
Mar 17, 2008
Messages
6,879
Reaction score
191
Points
63
Location
Tucson, AZ
Your Mac's Specs
Way... way too many specs to list.
The only way to reinstall Snow Leopard is to format the drive and install it. So you would have to manually put all your stuff back.
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
I see no difference on the same iMac here with the fonts between Snow Leopard and Lion.

What Mike says is Spot on. Only other thing I would suggest is make a time machine backup on an external and then format and install Snow Leopard then use Migration assistant to migrate data and apps over. Should work but I have only tried that the other way from SL to Lion.

I am wondering if it's a setting in Lion for maybe the resolution as like I said, both look the same here font wise.
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
I am wondering if it's a setting in Lion for maybe the resolution as like I said, both look the same here font wise.

I agree with Dennis. I updated both a 2008 MacBook and Mid 2011 iMac from Snow Leopard to Lion and the system fonts are the same size. However, I notice the OP is using a MBA which has a fairly high resolution (1366 x 768 for the 11") for a small screen. The 13" MBA is 1400 x 900. If he's using an 11" model, I agree with him about the fonts. These old eyes of mine couldn't take that for very long.
 
OP
kuklachica
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2.26 13" MBP, WD 7200 RPM 320GB HDD, 4GB RAM; 2 EDU iBook G4s, 4g nano, 16GB 2g Touch, shuffle
So snow leopard and lion have the same tiny fonts?? These are RIDICULOUS compared to Leopard. I really don't like it!

I'm using a 13" MBA. If I try changing the resolution the screen is too fuzzy.
 
OP
kuklachica
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2.26 13" MBP, WD 7200 RPM 320GB HDD, 4GB RAM; 2 EDU iBook G4s, 4g nano, 16GB 2g Touch, shuffle
I have a Macbook (white) running 10.6 and the font is the same as my 2009 MBP 13" running leopard. Is it just the resolution of the screen?? i thought this would be an upgrade but I'm really regretting the purchase now if this can't be changed.
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
I have a Macbook (white) running 10.6 and the font is the same as my 2009 MBP 13" running leopard. Is it just the resolution of the screen?? i thought this would be an upgrade but I'm really regretting the purchase now if this can't be changed.

You can change the resolution in System Preferences/Displays but if you do things might look a bit grainy as LCD panels only look good at their native Resolution. You can try it.

Another suggestion is check all over OSX and change the Font of everything to a larger one. That might work also.
 
C

chas_m

Guest
To the best of my knowledge, there has been NO CHANGE in the system fonts on the Mac in many years now. Certainly my machine (which I've had right the way through Tiger to Lion) has not changed fonts or sizes or resolutions in any way whatsoever.
 
OP
kuklachica
Joined
Jun 25, 2007
Messages
225
Reaction score
3
Points
18
Your Mac's Specs
2.26 13" MBP, WD 7200 RPM 320GB HDD, 4GB RAM; 2 EDU iBook G4s, 4g nano, 16GB 2g Touch, shuffle
So even if I had a 15" MBP the fonts would still be the same exact size as they are on my MBA?
 
C

chas_m

Guest
On reflection, I think what has happened here is that you (or someone) "blew up the screen" on your older machine (changed the resolution to a lower resolution). Now that you've changed systems, of course, the new OS reverts to the "native" (true) resolution of the display. You should be able to set it back to the way you like it using the "display" preference in System Preferences.

I do have to add (out of collegial concern) that if you're in your 20s and find the native resolution of any computer to be very difficult to read/irritating, this could indicate an eyesight issue and I hope you will make sure that isn't the real problem (I'm probably wrong, but I'd hate to be right).
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top