Macbook's shipped osx

drphibes

drphibes

drphibes

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Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
329
Hi

I have been given a MacBook and want to put a ssd drive into it.
Sadly no disks are available from the owner and I need to install via the USB because the DVD drive is broke.

A friend game me an osx on USB but I cannot install because I get the message it cannot be installed to the MacBook.

The MacBook is running snow leopard 10.6.8 and is a core 2 duo with 1 gig of ram.

Thanks
 
Had a look at the store and could not see any snow leopard to download.
Also this is a Macbook and not a pro, is the download from the internet possible on a Macbook ?


I am wanting to put an ssd drive in this so it needs to be a fresh install.
Like I say the usb stick I have got gives me the message that the osx cannot be installed on the Macbook.
 
You might struggle. If you want Snow Leopard, you're going to have to install it via another Mac, to your SSD in a external caddy. And Snow Leopard isn't available on the App Store, you'll need to obtain or create a disk. Then you take out the SSD and pop it in the Macbook.

If you want the latest OS that the Macbook can handle you'll have to google it, it might go up to Mountain Lion. If you've not bought it in the past though from the App Store, you'll need to find a disk, as I don't think you can still buy it.
 
I'd check the Apple documentation and see what version of OSX you can run on the MacBook based on it's model and year. You also may want to consider upgrading the memory if possible as 1GB is pretty low. For example I have a 2009 Mac Mini with a C2D which is running El Capitan (with 4GB of memory) ... it's runs pretty slowly but it's usable for light work (I use it as a remote desktop anyway).

Here might be of help.
 
As Drphilbes says, it is the lack of RAM that is the problem.
You need 2GB for Lion or later, but 4GB if you want to open applications too.
TBH, I would get 8GB RAM and an SSD to replace the original HDD and it will run great.
I wouldn't bother putting one where the optical drive is and wasting money on an adapter. You could even replace that while you are in there, some slot-loading generic ones fit.
Losing the spinning HDD will gain battery life.
 
Last edited:
drphibes said:
Had a look at the store and could not see any snow leopard to download.
Also this is a Macbook and not a pro, is the download from the internet possible on a Macbook ?


I am wanting to put an ssd drive in this so it needs to be a fresh install.
Like I say the usb stick I have got gives me the message that the osx cannot be installed on the Macbook.
Click to expand...

Snow Leopard only comes on a disk. It was Apple's last version of the OS on a physical dvd. All OS after that were digital download.

Depending on the age of the mac it may not take the latest OS which is the only one on the App store. If you want Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion you will have to pay for it, cost is approx 15 to 20quid. Mavericks onwards is FOC but Apple always pull them when a new version is released
 
drphibes said:
Had a look at the store and could not see any snow leopard to download./QUOTE]


Try to download El Capitan (but it requires 2GB RAM).

http://www.apple.com/uk/osx/how-to-upgrade/


If I were you I'd do the following:
1. Go to About This Mac and find out what version of Snow Leopard and what model macbook you've got - make sure you can run El Capitan
2. Stick more RAM in there to make it compatible with El Capitan.
3. Install El Capitan
4. Make an install USB
5. Stick your SSD in and install El Capitan.
Click to expand...
 
Borrow / buy an external cd drive.

Either buy 10.6.3 from apple call applecare and see if they will send you one out for free. Depending on the mood I was in and how nice the customer was I would sometimes do this.

Install the combo update which takes you to 10.6.8 and gives you the app store.

See if you can update the OS from the app store. *applecare will also check this out for you if you get a good advisor
 
The way I read it, he was going to have a blank HD once he installed a new one, I could be wrong though.

May also be possible to install the OS using target disk mode and a borrowed Mac but TBH Snow Leopard was before my time with apple, yosemitie /el capitan is what I was trained on.
 
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