tiger vs. snow leopard... should i upgrade??

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 30, 2010

hi everyone,

i'm new to the forum and would appreciate your advice.

i currently have a mac pro (2007 purchase) with 2x dual-2.66ghz xeon (woodcrest), 4gb ddr2, and radeon x1900xt for 2 20" lcd screens. i mainly use my computer for multiple firefox/music/video sessions. i've had this computer for almost 3 years and hardly ever see any beach balls. cpu is usually 90%+ idle and memory is usually 75%+ free.

is it worthwhile to spend $170 to upgrade to snow leopard? would i notice any performance differences?

6string · Jan 30, 2010

Absolutely worth the jump... from tiger to SL you will certainly notice the jump.
Even if the speed and extra space isn't an issue.
Also, there is a major move now in the available software for SL, esp since the discontinued support for tiger.
Back it up in case you don't like it, and then if by chance you don't like it, you can always revert back to Tiger with a clean install.
.....You will more than likely make a handsome profit on ebay for the discs if that is the case

The only thing I recommend is to check compatibility of 3rd party apps that you may be using at the moment.
If you do go for the upgrade, be sure to let all the updates install.... or just download Mac OS X v10.6.2 Update (Combo) directly.

TattooedMac · Jan 30, 2010

Yep i have to agree with my musician mate ^^

I upgraded from 10.5 and got 6GB back on my HD and it was noticeably quicker.

BUT do backup and check out THIS list for Snow Leopard Compatibility .... Which apps work with Mac OS X 10.6?

Very helpful ....

Ketan · Jan 30, 2010

definitely upgrade, worth it, does not slow down the Mac and is compatible if your Mac is Intel because the setup is not compatible with PowerPC Mac's. So yeah i'd say upgrade. It is worth while and tiger is quite old and not many people use it anymore.

osxx · Jan 30, 2010

It definitely gives a speed bump to Intel Mac's.

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 30, 2010

ok i just got home from the apple store with the snow leopard box set. just moved all my stuff to the portable hd. gonna nuke the hd and start fresh, let's see how long this takes. never installed osx before, only windows with past computers and it was always a headache.

6string · Jan 30, 2010

Did you use time machine, or a cloner like CCC or Superduper?
Either way the, just test the external hard drive before you do the erase, to make sure that it is all good!

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 30, 2010

nothing like that, just a drag-and-drop. my itunes and iphoto are synched to the iphone, so really there wasn't a whole lot to move.

6string · Jan 30, 2010

Ok... well, I'd be going one of the other methods, preferably one of the cloning methods.
This way, not only you can boot from the external, but to switch back is a lot faster if you choose to.....
At the end of the day, safer, easy, and no harm done if you choose to revert back to Tiger.

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 30, 2010

6string said:
Ok... well, I'd be going one of the other methods, preferably one of the cloning methods.
This way, not only you can boot from the external, but to switch back is a lot faster if you choose to.....
At the end of the day, safer, easy, and no harm done if you choose to revert back to Tiger.

good point, i guess that means i'm likely not going back to tiger :Cool:

so i chose to zero out the empty space, which adds 2 hours to the process. i'm forced to post using my old pc laptop O:)

are you using safari or firefox? i use both, but firefox more often because of the add-ons.

6string · Jan 30, 2010

I predominantly use firefox, but I use safari with certain sites to pay my bills as with firefox for some reason I have to change the page style to "no style" or change the font size in order to have all the tabs work for some reason.

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 31, 2010

the main installation completed without any issues. now i'm just configuring and learning the new features.

couldn't be happier... i feel like i just bought a new computer all over again. thanks everyone for the encouragement!

TattooedMac · Jan 31, 2010

Noice

Well done Yackedy In the end it all prevails ..

Glad you are happy with it. Would hate to have it on my mind i encouraged you to spend all that money and you didnt haha

Do you know how much HD space you got back with it ??
And did it just finish run Zero's over ?? lol

Yep it well worth it

6string · Jan 31, 2010

Good work...... enjoy your new OS........ and you know I'm still going to hound you about backing up with time machine and cloning with CCC or SuperDuper, esp now that you are going to be testing things out and you may want to revert back to a backup

Backup, Backup, Backup, Back.........uppppppppppppppppppp

As for you tattooed one, did you check out that link re production date of your machine on that other thread?

TattooedMac · Jan 31, 2010

Heading there now mate
Cheers

Yackedy Sacks · Jan 31, 2010

the zeroing took over 2 hours and i'm pretty sure that was a waste of time. but at least i'll get to say that i've tried it.

i recovered over 20gb of disk space, but i think that's because i nuked my hd and only archived the vital folders. also, i had a lot of junk installed that i probably won't do over.

i suppose that is the downside of restoring from time machine -- you're also restoring all the clutter that's built up through the years. despite that, i've poked around time machine (it wasn't available for tiger) and have decided that i like it. so i'll be using the 640gb portable for time machine... currently performing the first backup.

6string · Jan 31, 2010

That's the way...... and yeh, the Zeroing out is only worth it if you are selling your machine, and even then, once you erase and install, I really don't see the point, as you are writing over everything anyway.
As for the archive, a clean install would have been a better option.
If you have install discs for any apps that you want back on there, it is always better an option, as you keep a clean system, and then you can drag your pics, documents, music, movies, etc, from the external.
After that, you can download any 3rd party apps fresh from vendors.
You can still do that though next time you have a few hours free, and have a free from clutter new OS with even more free space

TattooedMac · Jan 31, 2010

Well you should partition it for the size of the TM backup and do a SD or CCC backup/bootable clone JUST in case your Int HD fails .. Remember TM isnt a bootable copy ....

Just trying to do some of your hard yards in the hounding stakes 6string

6string · Jan 31, 2010

Agreed... I have my external HD partitioned into time machine, CCC, and bootable SL installation disc (in case I lose or damage the original).

Lex · Jan 31, 2010

Yackedy Sacks said:
the main installation completed without any issues. now i'm just configuring and learning the new features.

couldn't be happier... i feel like i just bought a new computer all over again. thanks everyone for the encouragement!

I felt exactly the same way after I installed snow leopard. Have fun playing around with it ;D