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FINALLY migrating from PPC G5 to Intel Mac Pro - I have questions

R

rassoodock

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 22, 2007
77
0
After putting it off for far too long, I am finally going to migrate from my old G5 running 10.4.11 and get a new Intel Mac Pro tower. I use my Mac like my life depends on it and have a few questions because my situation is somewhat unique (I think).

I absolutely cannot live without my Eudora email client, Quicken 2007 for personal finances, and Quickbooks Pro 5.0 for business.

So... I think what I need to do is to get Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and stop there as I must have the Rosetta feature to run these programs.

Assuming everything I have just said is actually true (it is as far as I can tell), then my big question is this:

Can I buy one of the newest Mac Pros that are being sold right now, wipe the drive and do a clean install from a Snow Leopard disc? I'm just afraid that the newest Mac Pros will have some issue if they come with Lion and I "downgrade".

Any help or advice most appreciate. Thanks.
 
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Even the most recent MacPro machines technically origin from about two years back when there was no Lion, so i would assume that it should be no problem at all to install SnowLeopard on such a machine.

Another option (though more costly) would be to get Parallels, VMware Fusion oder VirtualBox to run Windows as a task under OSX and have your business software running on Windows (that may also open an option for you to upgrade to a newer version of your business software with newer functions or bugfixes, as Windows software in that area often gets better maintenance - provided it is backwards compatible).

If i remember correctly by now you can even run OSX in an emulator, so you could continue using your old business software without having to deal with Windows...
 
rassoodock said:
After putting it off for far too long, I am finally going to migrate from my old G5 running 10.4.11 and get a new Intel Mac Pro tower. I use my Mac like my life depends on it and have a few questions because my situation is somewhat unique (I think).

I absolutely cannot live without my Eudora email client, Quicken 2007 for personal finances, and Quickbooks Pro 5.0 for business.

So... I think what I need to do is to get Snow Leopard 10.6.8 and stop there as I must have the Rosetta feature to run these programs.

Assuming everything I have just said is actually true (it is as far as I can tell), then my big question is this:

Can I buy one of the newest Mac Pros that are being sold right now, wipe the drive and do a clean install from a Snow Leopard disc? I'm just afraid that the newest Mac Pros will have some issue if they come with Lion and I "downgrade".

Any help or advice most appreciate. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Well, in the past, most new macs would not accept an OS older than the one they shipped with because their firmware was incompatible with older OS versions. Not sure if this is still the case or not........

However, IMO it would best to do as Neodym has stated.....Keep Lion as is so that you always have the most current & up to date OS installed. Then either do the virtual machine setup for Snow Leopard or install it on a 2nd HDD and boot from it when needed........that way you have the best of both worlds :)

Either way, good luck with your new Mac Pro. You will be amazed at the difference.......
 
The only reason for OP to not being able to install an older operative system would be that his computer shipped with new hardware. It wouldn't be because it shipped with new firmware.
 
Im going to attempt to install sl on my new refurb mp QC which has lion on it.

Before lion, the min Os on the mp was 10.6.4 (ie install before this and stuff may not work)

I have SL 10.6 install disc which I gt when I upgraded on my Mbp .

This is how I'm going to get SL on my lion boot.

Make time machine / cc of my Mbp boot which is 10.6.8

Start mp, hold option, choose disc utility, choose 'restore from backup , this should now restore the scorned lion boot back to SL - if it works, will do am erase and install on the Mbp, get it up to 10.6.4 then get the mp upto 10.6.8 from there (this just seems cleaner than bringing 4+years of boggyness)
 
why don't you just accept that times change and with it means using newer versions of these cherished programs, or finding some other newer program that can perform the job as well? :confused::confused::confused:
 
ive heard adobe master col. doesnt work on lion - well the version im using - but i might as well try it and see, but much easier to stay on sl
ive taken a clone of Lion anyway so can always go back
 
steveOooo said:
ive heard adobe master col. doesnt work on lion - well the version im using - but i might as well try it and see, but much easier to stay on sl
ive taken a clone of Lion anyway so can always go back
Click to expand...

Master Collection works fine with Lion
 
rassoodock said:
After putting it off for far too long, I am finally going to migrate from my old G5 running 10.4.11 and get a new Intel Mac Pro tower. I use my Mac like my life depends on it and have a few questions because my situation is somewhat unique (I think).

I absolutely cannot live without my Eudora email client, Quicken 2007 for personal finances, and Quickbooks Pro 5.0 for business.
Click to expand...

I'm actually very sympathetic as I wish Apple had kept Rosetta, but... It would be best to start planning to move off those apps. Sooner or later you're going to have to upgrade your OS to something beyond 10.6.

I actually keep an older tower around just to run PowerPC apps. Might work for you especially in since you are starting with an old tower. :)
 
DeeEss said:
Master Collection works fine with Lion
Click to expand...

Well I'll give it a try and see whats working / what's not

EDIt

have done a test install of Adobe MC CS5 and FCS 3 and everything is working on Lion - though only opened some adobe apps and FCP - havent actually done any work in them yet.

I just hope this saving in the background / backup crap can be turned off when upgrading to 10.7.2
 
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Buy new MP now (before the new ones come out), put SL on another HDD using target disk mode and update to the current version. (you will not be able to install Snow Leopard from a retail installation disc as the current MPs need drivers from 10.6.5 to function.)

Then enjoy your Mac Pro. If you are used to 10.4, there is no reason for you to ditch the apps you like just for the sake of using Lion.
 
jrfive0 said:
why don't you just accept that times change and with it means using newer versions of these cherished programs, or finding some other newer program that can perform the job as well? :confused::confused::confused:
Click to expand...

Because newer is supposed to mean better. The "new" version of Quicken sucks.
 
Herdfan said:
Because newer is supposed to mean better. The "new" version of Quicken sucks.
Click to expand...
You need to accept changes. You can't use an older OS forever, just upgrade and learn the new apps. Or else you will face the same problem further down the road.
 
why don't you just accept that times change and with it means using newer versions of these cherished programs, or finding some other newer program that can perform the job as well?
Click to expand...

Tell that to a Final Cut Pro editor. :rolleyes:
 
When it comes to software applications or operating systems, newer is not always better.

Apple does not offer backward compatibilty. Therefore it's best to accept their position if you buy a new Mac. Embrace the change & do what's needed to make it work for you.

Everything is a compromise.
 
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