Load new Air with Mavericks

[cptkrf]

I have a high end MBA (or as high end as an Air can get) on order and want to install Mavericks in place of Yosemite. Anybody have any knowledge of backing up the OS one generation on MBooks? Or a reason why it won't work?

As near as I can tell, there are minimal differences in the hardware from the mid 2013 model.

Don't ask why, please. That is a topic for the Flames forum

 

[johnodd4]

Actually it should i would honestly think so you would have to log into the app store or download it on another machine and copy it over because yosemite won't allow you to download maverick inside of yosemite and you can try it and see what happens.

Now if it doesn't install and you still want maverick you can use Sixty Four on Thirty two to add your machines id to the installation if you have to it's unknown if you will or not.

 

[pigoo3]

Minimum OS is 10.9.2 for 2014 MacBook Airs. So installing Mavericks should be ok.

- Nick

p.s. Assuming you previously downloaded Mavericks. Since it is currently not available at the Mac App Store.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

You can't install a newer version of OS X over an older version. As long as the hardware supports running Mavericks, you can simply wipe the drive clean and install it from scratch. Normally, I'd do so via a bootable installer on a USB stick. You can make one using DiskMaker X.

As for why it won't work in your case, you didn't really elaborate on what you've done. You also didn't tell us exactly which MacBook Air you are trying to do this to. You just mention a mid-2013 model, which I guess is your old one? The most recent version of the MBA is the early-2014 model, which shipped with 10.9.2. Given that, if this is what you have, you can't use the regular Mavericks installer off the App Store since that'd put you at 10.9.0. You'd have to use Internet Recovery to get back to the version that the MBA shipped with. I've not tried this myself, but I don't know for certain that Internet Recovery won't grab Yosemite instead if that was more recently installed.

 

[cptkrf]

You can't install a newer version of OS X over an older version. As long as the hardware supports running Mavericks, you can simply wipe the drive clean and install it from scratch. Normally, I'd do so via a bootable installer on a USB stick. You can make one using DiskMaker X.

My old one was a mid 2013. The new one isn't delivered yet and will be the latest they have - 2014 I guess it is called.

I never update an OS. I format the drive back to bare oxide and install new. As I remember, I learned that the hard way with DOS 4.0. (And with just about every OS since then.)

I have a tested and working USB installer for Mavericks on USB so unless some driver wonders what this new hardware is, then I assume it should install.

Ok. One reason. (Just one of several). My Wacom tablet works on BSD, it works on Linux, it works on Snow Leopard, Lion, ML and Mavericks. It not only doesn't work on Yosemite, it BSOD's the machine into the ground in a flaming crash. Both on the older Air and this fairly new 4 core 16gb Mini.

 

[cptkrf]

Minimum OS is 10.9.2 for 2014 MacBook Airs. So installing Mavericks should be ok.

- Nick

p.s. Assuming you previously downloaded Mavericks. Since it is currently not available at the Mac App Store.

Great. Thanks. And yep, I already have a USB installer of Mav.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

My old one was a mid 2013. The new one isn't delivered yet and will be the latest they have - 2014 I guess it is called.

Ah, my bad. I thought you already had it and tried to install but it didn't work.

I never update an OS. I format the drive back to bare oxide and install new. As I remember, I learned that the hard way with DOS 4.0. (And with just about every OS since then.)

Honestly, that's the best way to go to be sure and save a lot of potential trouble. Upgrading OS X over an existing install is generally not problematic, but that's not always true and I think most of us have learned that the hard way.

I have a tested and working USB installer for Mavericks on USB so unless some driver wonders what this new hardware is, then I assume it should install.

I think it's unlikely to work, but have at it. If it does work, then yay.

Ok. One reason. (Just one of several). My Wacom tablet works on BSD, it works on Linux, it works on Snow Leopard, Lion, ML and Mavericks. It not only doesn't work on Yosemite, it BSOD's the machine into the ground in a flaming crash. Both on the older Air and this fairly new 4 core 16gb Mini.

So their drivers for 10.10.x don't fix that? Well if you aren't looking for a solution, then that's cool, but I'd wager that the problem can be solved. Heck, I got my neighbor's all-in-one working after the manufacturer failed to provide driver updates for Yosemite. It was a simple Terminal command that "softened" the sandboxing restrictions on an existing driver. Or something to that effect. He was dumbstruck when I found and applied the fix in minutes.

 

[Dysfunction]

Interesting, they must have changed models in the last two weeks. My brand new maxed out MBA says 'Mid 2013' in 'About this Mac'

 

[pigoo3]

Interesting, they must have changed models in the last two weeks. My brand new maxed out MBA says 'Mid 2013' in 'About this Mac'

Yes...we had a discussion about this in another thread with another member. I guess it's just what Apple is doing. The Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MacBook Air's are essentially the same (the lower end 13" model was "speed-bumped")...and even though the Early 2014 MBA's WERE actually released April, 2014...About This Mac is still identifying them as "Mid 2013". Confusing!

I think that there was supposed to be a small price reduction as well ($100). So I guess this is almost the biggest difference between the Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MBA's (small price reduction).

- Nick

p.s. Here's the thread I was referring to:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/319444-new-factory-macbook-air-mid-2013-a.html

 

[Dysfunction]

Marketing is marketing, I rarely agree with them on the whole

I really never pay much attention to that and pay closer attention to the model identifier.. which is currently MacBookAir6,2 I believe. All I know is, I dig the weight.. and sometimes miss the horsepower of my '11 MBP..

Now, I need to work on keeping the two in sync and I'll be completely stoked

 

[pigoo3]

I really never pay much attention to that and pay closer attention to the model identifier.. which is currently MacBookAir6,2 I believe.

That's just it. Both the 13" Mid-2013 and 13" Early 2014 MacBook Airs are both listed as 6,2 models (no difference there either).

I think that one of the concerns in the other thread I linked was. If someone is selling a used Early 2014 MBA...but "About This Mac" says "Mid-2013"...it's pretty darn difficult for the seller to convince the potential buyer that it REALLY IS an "Early 2014" model.

- Nick

 

[Rod]

Perhaps this is too simple but as you have it on order why not ask Apple to install Mavericks for you as a condition of sale?
PS I still cant see why so many people want to go back to Mavericks. It is redundant thinking in my opinion. I have been running Yosemite for months now on a Mid 2012 MBP with RAM 4 GB 1600 MHz DDR3 and absolutely no problems except for a few updates of apps most of which were at reduced prices to coincide with the release of Yosemite. Sooner or later we will all need to update so why not now especially with a new device?

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Yes...we had a discussion about this in another thread with another member. I guess it's just what Apple is doing. The Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MacBook Air's are essentially the same (the lower end 13" model was "speed-bumped")...and even though the Early 2014 MBA's WERE actually released April, 2014...About This Mac is still identifying them as "Mid 2013". Confusing!

I think that there was supposed to be a small price reduction as well ($100). So I guess this is almost the biggest difference between the Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MBA's (small price reduction).

- Nick

p.s. Here's the thread I was referring to:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/apple-notebooks/319444-new-factory-macbook-air-mid-2013-a.html

Wow. That's crazy, and confusing! I just looked over EveryMac's listings, and these 2 models do have identical Apple Model Numbers and ID. The hardware difference is a slight uptick in clock speed and cache bus speed. As best as I can see, that's it.

 

[Dysfunction]

Apple will not install a deprecated operating system. You receive it as delivered. You can barely customize these things anymore. Becoming more and more appliance, less and less workstation.

 

[pigoo3]

Wow. That's crazy, and confusing! I just looked over EveryMac's listings, and these 2 models do have identical Apple Model Numbers and ID. The hardware difference is a slight uptick in clock speed and cache bus speed. As best as I can see, that's it.

I double checked Everymac.com as well. And just about everything between the Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MBA's is the same. Of the 4 models (two 11" & two 13")...the lower end models get a speed-bump from 1.3 to 1.4 ghz...the higher end models are the same.

According to the Everymac.com article comparing the two releases the differences are:

- slightly better battery life
- price reduction with the Early 2014's
- small speed bump for the low end models

Here's the article:

Differences Between Mid-2013 and Early 2014 MacBook Air @ EveryMac.com

- Nick

 

[cptkrf]

So their drivers for 10.10.x don't fix that? Well if you aren't looking for a solution, then that's cool, but I'd wager that the problem can be solved. Heck, I got my neighbor's all-in-one working after the manufacturer failed to provide driver updates for Yosemite. It was a simple Terminal command that "softened" the sandboxing restrictions on an existing driver. Or something to that effect. He was dumbstruck when I found and applied the fix in minutes.

I have installed drivers to the point that I am about to run out of electrons. But I didn't expand on the problem. It has something to do with the Thunderbolt display. With it plugged in the machines BSOD. Without it, they don't. I even borrowed another TB display to see if mine had some defugalty. Failed with borrowed one also.

(By BSOD, I mean an actual crash, just as if they had bought the app from MS. Within, say, ten minutes or so, or ten seconds, an instant blank screen appears with the message, "Your machine has hard crashed. Sorry about that." Or words to the effect.) I have had kernel panics on Linux before when, either I, or some hardware really screwed up, but after seven years of using Apple, I didn't even know that a Mac could get a BSOD.

Two fairly new Macs - one desktop and one laptop - two TB displays and they fail. I have swapped out the external wireless keyboard and mouse for wired. Unhooked everything that can be unplugged - Network, DVD, Time Machine, USB hub. Turned off wifi and tried booting without anything loading except what the system needs.

Unfortunately I don't know anyone else with a Wacom.

Take off Yosemite, it runs just like it has for years.

I will gladly take advice if someone has any insights. Maybe a new chair, or change from Dr. Pepper to Coke? Cut out more carbs? Anybody?

 

[Dysfunction]

Did you see this?

http://community.wacom.com/en/inspi...r/using-wacom-drivers-with-mac-os-x-yosemite/


(also a wacom user)

 

[Lifeisabeach]

I will gladly take advice if someone has any insights. Maybe a new chair, or change from Dr. Pepper to Coke? Cut out more carbs? Anybody?

We'd need specifics, like which exact Wacom tablet you have. And if you have a preference between Ford and Chevy.

 

[cptkrf]

We'd need specifics, like which exact Wacom tablet you have. And if you have a preference between Ford and Chevy.

Sorry. I drive a Taco.

But I "fixed" my problem by purchasing a new iMac 5k. The Wacom works with it great and plugging the TB monitor as a second display doesn't blow it up as before. Of course, this topic is now illegal in the Notebook forum since I moved the Wacom to a desktop.

And I have noticed that the new iMac monitor is pretty good.

 

[Rod]

Apple will not install a deprecated operating system. You receive it as delivered. You can barely customize these things anymore. Becoming more and more appliance, less and less workstation.

Bit sad really. But I have to agree. Just had a client with an external Super? Drive. Had a DVD stuck in it. No apparent way to disassemble, no screws, no nothing. And no little hole to insert a paper clip for manual eject. Restart holding down trackpad method did not work. What are things coming to?