Snow Leopard retailed install DVD not working

[delfinx]

Hello, after i lost my Mac Pro's original System Install DVD, I started a "battle against nature elements" trying to find a new OS X install DVD to replace the one I lost.



I have a Mac Pro (mid 2010), 2x2.4 GHz Quad Core Xeon which came with Snow Leopard Install DVD (OS X 10.6.4) as it is shown on this Apple Support link https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204319.

I made further updates through the Software Update utility till reach the lastest existing version of Snow Leopard (10.6.8).



I felt like blessed days ago when i found out that Apple still sells a physical Snow Leopard install DVD ( Retail )http://www.apple.com/es/shop/product/MC573E/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard which means it can be installed on any computer ,unlike the original DVD shipped with the computer which only works with that specific machine.

So I purchased it and just received it yesterday. Decided to give it a try and to make a clean install on one of my SATA internal Hard Drives. My joy didn't take long to turn into disappointment when i realized the dvd wasn't working as expected,it stopped the install procedure before completed leaving the destination HD with a bunch of APK files impossible to execute,and even worse, there was no a way to boot the computer from the DVD (pressing C key) I only got a grey screen with the apple logo in the middle and nothing more happened.

Trying to find out the cause of that behavior i checked out the dvd's case and i saw a tag glued on its front side which specifies what Snow Leopard version the DVD contains and this is 10.6.3.

So this is the current scenarion :

My Mac Pro was shipped with Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and as i think to understand reading the first link i postedhttps://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204319 , Apple says :"Avoid trying to use a version or build of OS X that's earlier than the one that came with your Mac."



Now my questions:

1.-Could it be the 10.6.3 version (earlier than the one shipped with my mac) the reason why my Mac refuses to recognize the DVD? or being a retailed Snow Leopard dvd should it work on any machine no matter the version?



2.-If the question is Yes, how could i make it work if that is possible.

(I suppose a work around could be to take out the SATA HD from the computer go to a friend who has an older than mine Mac Pro which accepts the 10.6.3 DVD and make the installation on his computer, but my wish is to be able to do it by my self ,at home ,on my Mac)

Have read i could create a bootable thumbdrive of my current OS 10.6.8 any help or link about that option?



Sorry the long post.



thanks in advance.

 

[monkeybagel]

Hello, after i lost my Mac Pro's original System Install DVD, I started a "battle against nature elements" trying to find a new OS X install DVD to replace the one I lost.



I have a Mac Pro (mid 2010), 2x2.4 GHz Quad Core Xeon which came with Snow Leopard Install DVD (OS X 10.6.4) as it is shown on this Apple Support link https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204319.

I made further updates through the Software Update utility till reach the lastest existing version of Snow Leopard (10.6.8).



I felt like blessed days ago when i found out that Apple still sells a physical Snow Leopard install DVD ( Retail )http://www.apple.com/es/shop/product/MC573E/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard which means it can be installed on any computer ,unlike the original DVD shipped with the computer which only works with that specific machine.

So I purchased it and just received it yesterday. Decided to give it a try and to make a clean install on one of my SATA internal Hard Drives. My joy didn't take long to turn into disappointment when i realized the dvd wasn't working as expected,it stopped the install procedure before completed leaving the destination HD with a bunch of APK files impossible to execute,and even worse, there was no a way to boot the computer from the DVD (pressing C key) I only got a grey screen with the apple logo in the middle and nothing more happened.

Trying to find out the cause of that behavior i checked out the dvd's case and i saw a tag glued on its front side which specifies what Snow Leopard version the DVD contains and this is 10.6.3.

So this is the current scenarion :

My Mac Pro was shipped with Snow Leopard 10.6.4 and as i think to understand reading the first link i postedhttps://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204319 , Apple says :"Avoid trying to use a version or build of OS X that's earlier than the one that came with your Mac."



Now my questions:

1.-Could it be the 10.6.3 version (earlier than the one shipped with my mac) the reason why my Mac refuses to recognize the DVD? or being a retailed Snow Leopard dvd should it work on any machine no matter the version?



2.-If the question is Yes, how could i make it work if that is possible.

(I suppose a work around could be to take out the SATA HD from the computer go to a friend who has an older than mine Mac Pro which accepts the 10.6.3 DVD and make the installation on his computer, but my wish is to be able to do it by my self ,at home ,on my Mac)

Have read i could create a bootable thumbdrive of my current OS 10.6.8 any help or link about that option?



Sorry the long post.



thanks in advance.

No. That computer will not boot 10.6.3. It will hang on boot. You will need a USB drive with 10.7 or newer to install fresh on that machine, or the original install DVD.

 

[delfinx]

No. That computer will not boot 10.6.3. It will hang on boot. You will need a USB drive with 10.7 or newer to install fresh on that machine, or the original install DVD.

Thank for the quick answer monkey. I don't know where to get 10.7, don't think apple is selling it.Also i wonder if after install 10.7 i would be able to downgrade to 10.6 in any way as that is the OS version i work with.

 

[monkeybagel]

Thank for the quick answer monkey. I don't know where to get 10.7, don't think apple is selling it.Also i wonder if after install 10.7 i would be able to downgrade to 10.6 in any way as that is the OS version i work with.

If you need 10.6, you would need the original revocery DVDs that came with the computer. You could either try calling Apple and order a set if they are still available, or see if someone can provide a set of original DVDs on here or on eBay.

What do you have to work with now in regards to creating a DVD or USB drive?

 

[delfinx]

If you need 10.6, you would need the original revocery DVDs that came with the computer. You could either try calling Apple and order a set if they are still available, or see if someone can provide a set of original DVDs on here or on eBay.

What do you have to work with now in regards to creating a DVD or USB drive?

Sorry my english monkey, i mean in the case of the main HD failure, if i had to reinstall from 10.7 USB, i would be forced to work with a different OS version than Snow Leopard wich is the version i use currently, that's why i was wondering if once 10.7 is installed a downgrade to 10.6 would be possible

 

[monkeybagel]

No, you cannot downgrade a major OS X version. The only way to get 10.6.8 on your machine is install 10.6.4 (which is only available on DVD on recovery discs, it was never offered retail) and install the 10.6.8 Combo Update, or do updates from Software Update.

From what I understand, your machine is unbootable now?

 

[delfinx]

No, you cannot downgrade a major OS X version. The only way to get 10.6.8 on your machine is install 10.6.4 (which is only available on DVD on recovery discs, it was never offered retail) and install the 10.6.8 Combo Update, or do updates from Software Update.

From what I understand, your machine is unbootable now?

Not really , my Mac is working fine both on Snow Leopard and Yosemite. But since i realized the original install dvd was missing I panicked thinking on an eventual HD failure.Could you explain me what recovery discs means please?
I have read cloning my main hard drive (snow leopard) could be a lifesaver in my case

 

[ColdCase]

Thats what I did for ease of mind (cloned the startup drive). I used CCC to clone my OS drive to an bootable inexpensive USB drive. That seems to be more reliable than depending on DVDs. Once in awhile you should check that backup drive and make sure its still working. I used a small 80GB SSD left over from an upgrade, cloning just system and user config files only takes maybe 10 GB.

Note that there are many that have had much difficulty installing snow leopard from DVD. I spent hours (on a backup machine) trying over and over again only to find it stall at one point or another. I even tried to use the install disk to recover from a Timemachine backup and failed with a stall. I found a better DVD drive that seemed to read more reliably and found that installing with airport off is more reliable. There is a feature that when snowleopard IPV6 is on, the system will eventually hang. Once up and running you can turn IPV6 to manual (TCP control tab) and turn on the wireless.

Just saying that recovering one of these machines from the OS DVD is not always that reliable anyway.

 

[ITguy2016]

Apple offers this DVD because Snow Leopard is required to use the App Store and prior versions of OS X did not include the App Store capability. Thus you can obtain this DVD in order to upgrade to Snow Leopard so you can use the App Store in order to obtain future OS upgrades (which is the only way Apple provides to upgrade the OS since the release of Mountain Lion).

Unfortunately they've left it at an interim patch level instead of upgrading it to the last version which is thus causing your issue. They should correct that (I also believe it's an upgrade disc and requires a previous OS to be installed).

 

[ColdCase]

Apple does offer 6.8 as a stand alone combo installer download. I think it needs Snow Leopard associated with your AppleID, however (or a machine that came with snow leopard). An internet connection requirement could be a catch 22. Not sure how all that works, i.e. if one could easily create a bootable 6.8 image from the download and put it on a USB stick?

 

[Synchro3]

I felt like blessed days ago when i found out that Apple still sells a physical Snow Leopard install DVD ( Retail )http://www.apple.com/es/shop/product/MC573E/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard which means it can be installed on any computer ,unlike the original DVD shipped with the computer which only works with that specific machine.

The DVD you mentioned installs OS X 10.6.0, will not work on a Mac Pro 2010, only on a Mac Pro 2009.

Assuming you have not done these upgrades:
- A new graphics card (Nvidia Kepler cards are supported around 10.8.3 and above)
- Mac Pro firmware upgrade from 4,1 to 5,1

-> Install 10.6.0 on a supported Mac on a external drive, upgrade to 10.6.8, install the drive in your Mac Pro

 

[ITguy2016]

The DVD you mentioned installs OS X 10.6.0, will not work on a Mac Pro 2010, only on a Mac Pro 2009.

Assuming you have not done these upgrades:
- A new graphics card (Nvidia Kepler cards are supported around 10.8.3 and above)
- Mac Pro firmware upgrade from 4,1 to 5,1

-> Install 10.6.0 on a supported Mac on a external drive, upgrade to 10.6.8, install the drive in your Mac Pro

The two copies I have both are 10.6.3. They have a little green sticker in the upper right hand corner that states: "New Version 10.6.3" and the DVD has 10.6.3.

 

[monkeybagel]

He needs 10.6.5, or the special release of 10.6.4 that was bundled with the Mac Pro 5,1 to install it. Unfortunately the retail DVDs do not offer either.

 

[Synchro3]

The two copies I have both are 10.6.3. They have a little green sticker in the upper right hand corner that states: "New Version 10.6.3" and the DVD has 10.6.3.

This does not change the necessary workaround: Install 10.6.3 on a supported Mac on a external drive, upgrade to 10.6.8, install the drive in your Mac Pro.

 

[delfinx]

Hello people ,thanks for the helping replies which together with my personal search on the net took me to clarify what are the options and workarounds to get a replacement for my original OS Installer DVD.
As far as i have understood
.-I could call Apple and order my machine original Install DVD ( which i find it the less reliable)
.-I could clone my current working 10.6.8 main HD (this option sounds quite fine although i don't know how to clone just the necessary content that is supposed to come with the original Installer,excluding all the stuff i added since the first day, not only in the user's folder)
.-I could go to a friend's with an older than mine Machine and install 10.6.3 on one of my HDs using his computer (this would make me to depend on him for life)
.-Also I have found out an interesting thread giving some tricks to modify the install DVD content in order to make it identifiable for excluded machines. (It seems there is a file called OSInstall.mpkg inside the OS install DVD which is responsible of the hardware test before install, i wonder if could it be possible to rewrite that file in order to make it accept to install on forbidden machines)
.-Last option would be through "Mac Os Recovery" although it doesn't seem to work on my computer neither the Os Recovery Partition or the online recovery.

Am i missing any other way to go?

Further information would be appreciated

 

[h9826790]

Hello people ,thanks for the helping replies which together with my personal search on the net took me to clarify what are the options and workarounds to get a replacement for my original OS Installer DVD.
As far as i have understood
.-I could call Apple and order my machine original Install DVD ( which i find it the less reliable)
.-I could clone my current working 10.6.8 main HD (this option sounds quite fine although i don't know how to clone just the necessary content that is supposed to come with the original Installer,excluding all the stuff i added since the first day, not only in the user's folder)
.-I could go to a friend's with an older than mine Machine and install 10.6.3 on one of my HDs using his computer (this would make me to depend on him for life)
.-Also I have found out an interesting thread giving some tricks to modify the install DVD content in order to make it identifiable for excluded machines. (It seems there is a file called OSInstall.mpkg inside the OS install DVD which is responsible of the hardware test before install, i wonder if could it be possible to rewrite that file in order to make it accept to install on forbidden machines)
.-Last option would be through "Mac Os Recovery" although it doesn't seem to work on my computer neither the Os Recovery Partition or the online recovery.

Am i missing any other way to go?

Further information would be appreciated

1) There is NO recovery partiton for 10.6, and your Mac DO NOT have internet recovery ability. This is the new function on the later Mac / OSX. This option won't work for you.

2) you don't need you friend for life, you can get a super cheap old Mac just for installing OS for your Mac Pro. Is it cost effective is another matter, however, the main point is you have option, you don't need him for the rest of life.

3) you don't need to buy the original disc from Apple, there are plenty of them on the net.

4) If you go for your friends option. Once the installation is done. Make an image file of that HDD. So that you don't need your friend anymore. Keep that image file safe, and you can produce a bootable 10.6.8 HDD anytime you want on any machine.

5) Cloning the current OS is the easiest option in my opinion. Unless there are lots of rubbish in the OS which cause you tourble, there is no need to only clone the necessary file. TBH, it's quite impossible to only pick the files you need. That's super time consuming.

6) no matter how you "edit" the disc, it doesn't contain all the drivers that your Mac require. IMO, there is no point to spend time on this complicated protential problematic solution.

 

[delfinx]

1)
4) If you go for your friends option. Once the installation is done. Make an image file of that HDD. So that you don't need your friend anymore. Keep that image file safe, and you can produce a bootable 10.6.8 HDD anytime you want on any machine.
.

I guess i must to upgrade through snow leopard's "software update" utility before making the HDD image in order to get 10.6.8, otherwise the HDD image would be 10.6.3. Am i right?
And what computer the HDD image must be done in? mine or my friend's?

 

[G4DPII]

Call Apple customer services in your country, explain the situation. They are normally more than happy to help out. I've had them replace both original install disks that came with my 08 Mac Pro, if you catch them on a good day they my even ship them to you for free, or if not charge you postage.

If you are lucky enough to be in close reach of an Apple Store you could always ask in there first. Take the HD with you and ask if they can restore the disk to the original OS that your machine shipped with.

 

[h9826790]

I guess i must to upgrade through snow leopard's "software update" utility before making the HDD image in order to get 10.6.8, otherwise the HDD image would be 10.6.3. Am i right?
And what computer the HDD image must be done in? mine or my friend's?

Correct, you have to uograde to 10.6.8 before making the image file. Otherwise it won't magically turn your 10.6.3 to 10.6.8.

And you create the image on any machine.