Old Mac Question

[easysurfer]

I recently got a used old MacBook Pro laptop (circa 2006) that has Snow Leopard 10.6.8 as the OS.

Usually when I buy a computer (used or new) I try to make an image or clone of the computer so I can get it back to the state at time of purchase if needed. The used laptop didn't come with a system restore DVD and is too old to restore through the internet (like newer Macs).

My question is, if I was to buy an OS X Snow Leopard disc on ebay would that disc be able to install? Or are DVD Restore discs tied to just one Mac computer at time of purchase? Seems when I read, there's some confusion.

May not even be worth the trouble since this is such an old machine, but out of habit, I do like to get a computer back to when bought.

 

[braumeister]

This might help:

How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

 

[easysurfer]

This might help:

How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

Thanks for the interesting link.

I haven't been able yet to pinpoint which type of restore disc I'd need from my machine, but that's a start.

Or I may just sit tight and say not worth the trouble .

This old mac gave me memories of why once upon a time I was a mac person then left because of roadblocks.

 

[teetee]

Thanks for the interesting link.

I haven't been able yet to pinpoint which type of restore disc I'd need from my machine, but that's a start.

Or I may just sit tight and say not worth the trouble .

This old mac gave me memories of why once upon a time I was a mac person then left because of roadblocks.

Curious of which roadblock you had. Mine was not enough games.

 

[yakers]

Thanks for the interesting link.

I haven't been able yet to pinpoint which type of restore disc I'd need from my machine, but that's a start.

Or I may just sit tight and say not worth the trouble .

This old mac gave me memories of why once upon a time I was a mac person then left because of roadblocks.

I was happy with OS9

 

[homestead]

Can you create a bootable flash drive with snow leopard on it?

 

[Sunset]

Wondering what is so special about the old Mac software ?

Couldn't you just put ubuntu on it for free ?

 

[target2019]

I was happy with OS9

Same. I still have it running on a 77500.Just for nostalgia.

 

[easysurfer]

Curious of which roadblock you had. Mine was not enough games.

I was happy with OS9

To clarify, I like yakers was happy with OS9.

OS X was a rough transition and never really happened for me. I did by one of those beefy white eMac machines but found it crashing too often and the frequent updates. I finally gave up as at that time found Win XP easier to use so defected to the darkside .

 

[sengsational]

I've got an older iMac that Apple tried to make me replace through a "version play". Specifically, they would not let me submit to the AppStore from my non-current version of the IDE (xcode). They would not allow upgrade of xcode on the OS I had, and they would not allow the machine to upgrade to the next OS. I found a YouTube video that got around that last roadblock, so I'm in business again, but it makes me glad I've never been on the Apple tradmill.

 

[easysurfer]

Wondering what is so special about the old Mac software ?

Couldn't you just put ubuntu on it for free ?

I wanted a laptop with a built-in firewire 400 port and iMovie and was barking up a tree reading thats a way to go in making good transfers of old VHS to digital.

After barking for the past few days, have things working, sort of. But I'm leaning towards returning the laptop (I have 30 days return on that purchase) and look for something Windoze.

The old MacBook Pro was ahead of it's time. Something to envy back in 2006.

IMO, the strength and weakness was the design of their machines being all-in-one. Like my favorite Mac Plus from mid 1980's. I remember happy with an all in one system (monitor, floppy drive built in), while co-w*rkers were opening PC cases to install an internal CD drive. This MacBook Pro, if I want to change the HDD, I have to take the laptop apart just to do that.

 

[mpeirce]

My question is, if I was to buy an OS X Snow Leopard disc on ebay would that disc be able to install? Or are DVD Restore discs tied to just one Mac computer at time of purchase? Seems when I read, there's some confusion.

Macs OS software has never been tied to specific machines. Any install disk from Apple will work on any supported Mac hardware.

 

[ncbill]

Macs OS software has never been tied to specific machines. Any install disk from Apple will work on any supported Mac hardware.

IIRC, I don't think that's accurate for 10.6 (Snow Leopard)

IIRC, the latest retail version you can buy on disk is 10.6.3 which won't boot machines that came with a later version of 10.6 (10.6.4 or later)

For those you'll probably need to order the specific disks that came with the machine from Apple.

I've bought many 10.6 disks off eBay...none boot on my 2011 MBP...one day I'll find the original disks that came with it, I know I will.

 

[Jerry1]

I have an old Apple Air laptop. I think I got it around 2006. I do have the original recovery disk. I was thinking of clearing everything out and starting from scratch (install to recovery disk). But then what? I have no idea if I would be able to upgrade the machine from that point to the current iOS or not. As much as I’d like a fresh start, I’m thinking better just to leave it alone at this point. Wondering what others think. Would I be able to go from that old of an operating system to the current OS?

 

[homestead]

Same. I still have it running on a 77500.Just for nostalgia.

What mac is a 77500?

 

[homestead]

I have an old Apple Air laptop. I think I got it around 2006. I do have the original recovery disk. I was thinking of clearing everything out and starting from scratch (install to recovery disk). But then what? I have no idea if I would be able to upgrade the machine from that point to the current iOS or not. As much as I’d like a fresh start, I’m thinking better just to leave it alone at this point. Wondering what others think. Would I be able to go from that old of an operating system to the current OS?

Oldest laptop that can run current OS (Big Sur) is late 2013 model. I have an early 2013 macbook pro which can run it by using a program which patches the OS so it will run on older hardware.

There is an app called Mactracker which you can download and it will tell you the latest software you can run on every model of mac.

 

[target2019]

What mac is a 77500?

Sorry, one seven too many. PowerMac 7500.

 

[easysurfer]

Did some detective work on my old MacBook Pro. In particular about restoring system.

My understanding is with restore discs like my old Mac, that it only can be restored with restore discs for to the system it was pre-installed with.

So, in my case, my laptop actually was pre-installed with OS 10.4.5 so I'd need 10.4.5 restore discs, not snow leopard discs. The max system it can run is snow leopard 10.6.8 which I have, but restore from disc is to the pre-installed OS.

Don't know if I care to go to the trouble of restore discs. But at least now I know .

 

[easysurfer]

An update to my old mac excursion.

I ended up finding a better solution and no longer need the old mac.

So, decided to just return the laptop.

Was an interesting trip anyhow .

Thanks for everyone who added to the thread.