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New Macs backwards compatible with Leopard 10.5 or only SL 10.6???

California

California

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Aug 21, 2004
3,885
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Guys, do you think the new iMacs/mac Minis/macbooks will be backwards compatible with 10.5 Leopard or only Snow Leopard compatible...

... since they will undoubtedly ship with Snow Leopard 10.6 only?
 
Snow Leopard only, at least officially. If absolutely identical hardware shipped with a Leopard machine then Leopard might boot on it, but the again it might not due to differing minor hardware/platform driver requirements.
 
The Mac mini should be 100% compatible with Leopard. There's no new hardware in it at all.

The low end 9400M G 21.5" iMac should be Leopard compatible. The jury is out on HD 4670 support for the Core 2 Duo 27" model. The 4850 support was there in the last revision.

Keep in mind you're going to need to clone or image from Leopard. Installer discs unless modified are probably going to choke on the machine ID.
 
robbieduncan said:
Snow Leopard only, at least officially. If absolutely identical hardware shipped with a Leopard machine then Leopard might boot on it, but the again it might not due to differing minor hardware/platform driver requirements.
Click to expand...

2+
But why look back?
 
Interesting.

Can someone boot a Snow Leopard only Mac off a PPC Mac on Leopard?

I'm asking because right now I can target disc boot my 1.5ghz Powerbook G4 on Leopard through my 2.26ghz Mac Mini

purchased with 10.5 OEM OS in mid August

that is running Snow Leopard now but that was an upgrade from its original Leopard operating system...

I'll bet that I could not target disc boot a PPC Mac on Leopard to a new Mac that ships with Snow Leopard only....
 
The only issue would be the partition scheme. Otherwise 10.5.8 is going to support the hardware that 10.5.8 supported. (Core 2, 9400M G, HD 4850)

Leopard will work on both PowerPC and Intel Macs since it sports both binaries. I've imaged both architectures from a single image source.
 
Thanks E,

but betchbygollywow that I won't be able to start up a Snow Leopard-only Mac with a PPC Mac 10.5 hard drive through target disc mode.
 
California said:
Thanks E,

but betchbygollywow that I won't be able to start up a Snow Leopard-only Mac with a PPC Mac 10.5 hard drive through target disc mode.
Click to expand...
As I said before 10.5.8 should just find the hardware it supports and boot it.

The only concern I'd have is Apple Parition Map (PowerPC) vs. GUID Partition Table (Intel).

I happen to know a few things about antics like this. :p

http://guides.macrumors.com/Tiger_on_Mac_Pro_(Early_2008)
 
Eidorian said:
As I said before 10.5.8 should just find the hardware it supports and boot it.

The only concern I'd have is Apple Parition Map (PowerPC) vs. GUID Partition Table (Intel).

I happen to know a few things about antics like this. :p

http://guides.macrumors.com/Tiger_on_Mac_Pro_(Early_2008)
Click to expand...

Dear E:

Yes, you do know a few things about it... very interesting info.

So, if I bought, say, a 2.53ghz 13" macbookpro today, that ships with SL installed, I could backtrack it to 10.5?
 
California said:
Dear E:

Yes, you do know a few things about it... very interesting info.

So, if I bought, say, a 2.53ghz 13" macbookpro today, that ships with SL installed, I could backtrack it to 10.5?
Click to expand...
Yes, you can install 10.5 Leopard on that hardware.

You'd have to clone or image though unless you happen to have the original Leopard discs for that model.
 
Eidorian said:
Yes, you can install 10.5 Leopard on that hardware.

You'd have to clone or image though unless you happen to have the original Leopard discs for that model.
Click to expand...

I've done exactly that, we have some issue with various software on 10.6. Not to mention postscript printer drivers!!!

I found that the new 21.5" iMacs won't even boot from a retail 10.5 disc

I installed a base installation on a separate partition, the used CCC to create a bootable image.

Then booted from the 10.6 disc, used disk utility to restore the image on to the new iMac.

As mentioned earlier in the thread the Airport card will not (function not an issue for me personally). Also noticed you cannot adjust the brightness either! So buy some sun glasses!!

You occaisionally get the grey reboot screen when starting the machine up.

I've yet to put it through its paces, just wondering whether its possible to extract the drivers for the display and airport from the disc?
 
pwatson80 said:
I've done exactly that, we have some issue with various software on 10.6. Not to mention postscript printer drivers!!!

I found that the new 21.5" iMacs won't even boot from a retail 10.5 disc

I installed a base installation on a separate partition, the used CCC to create a bootable image.

Then booted from the 10.6 disc, used disk utility to restore the image on to the new iMac.

As mentioned earlier in the thread the Airport card will not (function not an issue for me personally). Also noticed you cannot adjust the brightness either! So buy some sun glasses!!

You occaisionally get the grey reboot screen when starting the machine up.

I've yet to put it through its paces, just wondering whether its possible to extract the drivers for the display and airport from the disc?
Click to expand...
If you are running 10.5.x on your iMac 21.5" which version is it?
 
pwatson80 said:
Also noticed you cannot adjust the brightness either! So buy some sun glasses!!
Click to expand...

Managed to find a work-round for the brightness issue, theres a nice little app called Screen Shades (freebie) which helps prevent your retinas from exploding! Simply add it to your prefpanes and away you go. :cool:
 
I can also confirm Leopard compatibility on the new (October 2009) Mac Mini (2.66GHz). Using a retail 10.5.6 install disc, I booted from the disc, erased the drive with Disk Utility, and installed. Now updated to 10.5.8 and everything works fine.
 
tanousjm said:
I can also confirm Leopard compatibility on the new (October 2009) Mac Mini (2.66GHz). Using a retail 10.5.6 install disc, I booted from the disc, erased the drive with Disk Utility, and installed. Now updated to 10.5.8 and everything works fine.
Click to expand...
Looks like the "new" minis are just the "old" 9400M G ones with faster processors dropped in. I love this kind of exploration of Apple's hardware but I don't have the money to do the testing. Thanks everyone! :D
 
Right back into this thread.

My parents got a refurb 2.26ghz mac mini, just like mine, but theirs is Snow Leopard.

Mine was purchased in the Summer and came with 10.5.6 Leopard install discs.

if I erase their new hard drive, can I boot with my Mac Mini Leopard discs?

I need to do this because they are upgrading from a PPC G5 and will need to transfer the Rosetta stuff for their Word apps and other things.

As I understand it, Snow Leopard does not support Rosetta.

Do you guys think I will be able to boot their mini off my mini OEM OS discs?

(After I erase their hard drive? Their mini is brand new and never been used yet.
 
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