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Eug · Oct 24, 2007, 11:56 PM

I'm considering getting a white iMac refurb soon. Does Apple ship them with a copy of the new OS after release? I'm hoping to get Leopard with the refurb.

If it does come with the refurb, how is it usually shipped? As a separate install disc in the box?

nonhuman · Oct 25, 2007, 08:22 AM

I assume it does, but I'm not sure. What I imagine will happen is that your iMac will come with Tiger installed, and the system disks that come with it will also be Tiger, but there will also be an envelope with a Leopard drop-in. This is how it's been done in the past for new computers, and I don't see why it would be different for refurbs. Really, if you ordered it today it would probably be fine. I'm also planning on getting an iMac (not refurb), so I'm going to call the store today and ask to make sure.

nonhuman · Oct 25, 2007, 10:22 AM

I just talked to the Apple Store guys. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask about refurbs specifically, but as far as new computers go, if it ships out tomorrow or later then it will come with a Leopard disk in the box (Tiger will still be the pre-installed OS and normal disks that come with it will also be Tiger, the Leopard disk should be the full retail version and not hardware linked). I really can't imagine that the same wouldn't be true of the refurbs.

Eug · Oct 25, 2007, 12:53 PM

Thanks, but I know that is the policy with the new iMacs. I just wasn't aware if it had been discussed with the refurbs. I'll have to give them a call soon.

Gankdawg · Oct 25, 2007, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

I just talked to the Apple Store guys. Unfortunately I didn't think to ask about refurbs specifically, but as far as new computers go, if it ships out tomorrow or later then it will come with a Leopard disk in the box (Tiger will still be the pre-installed OS and normal disks that come with it will also be Tiger, the Leopard disk should be the full retail version and not hardware linked).

I hope this is true with my order -- it is supposed to ship out by today. I would love it if Tiger is preinstalled and they drop a copy of Leopard in. I'd even pay the $10 for it, I just like having a separate Leopard disc.

nonhuman · Oct 25, 2007, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by Gankdawg

I hope this is true with my order -- it is supposed to ship out by today. I would love it if Tiger is preinstalled and they drop a copy of Leopard in. I'd even pay the $10 for it, I just like having a separate Leopard disc.

If it ships today you might or might not get the drop-in. The guy I talked to said that technically you shouldn't, but there's a decent chance you would anyway. But even if you don't you can definitely take advantage of the $10 program.

HazMacFan · Oct 26, 2007, 04:30 PM

Only thing about the $10 program, if its the same as when Tiger came out is that the DVD will be an upgrade DVD. Not a full OS.

Simon · Oct 27, 2007, 07:09 AM

It's the same with the Leopard drop-in DVD. It's only a Leopard update and it requires you install Tiger first. It's not the same as a retail Leopard DVD.

El_Chupacabra · Oct 28, 2007, 02:03 PM

Hello all

I bought my first mac (24" iMac) the same day Leopard was released. I assume I would qualify for the free update but I can't find any information about the $10 program. Could someone givme some information on how to order it please?

Thanks!

Santiago
(Argentina)

mduell · Oct 28, 2007, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

It's the same with the Leopard drop-in DVD. It's only a Leopard update and it requires you install Tiger first. It's not the same as a retail Leopard DVD.

Will the owner have to install Tiger and upgrade to Leopard (with all the reported headaches that can cause) every time they need to reinstall the OS?
With Windows you can do a full install from an upgrade disk, it just asks you to insert the previous OS disk during the install process to prove you're eligible for an upgrade.

Originally Posted by El_Chupacabra

I bought my first mac (24" iMac) the same day Leopard was released. I assume I would qualify for the free update but I can't find any information about the $10 program. Could someone givme some information on how to order it please?

You'll need to find a page like this on the Apple Argentina site.

I can't even find the Apple Argentina site.

El_Chupacabra · Oct 28, 2007, 04:12 PM

Thank you mduell, I'll have to talk to the Apple reseller.

El_Chupacabra · Oct 28, 2007, 04:25 PM

I found the link for Latin America:

Apple - Mac OS X Leopard - Up-to-Date

Thanks again!

Simon · Oct 28, 2007, 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by mduell

Will the owner have to install Tiger and upgrade to Leopard...

Umm, yes, I wrote:

Originally Posted by Simon

It's only a Leopard update and it requires you install Tiger first.

Again: it requires you install Tiger first.

Originally Posted by mduell

...with all the reported headaches that can cause...

There's no headache if you update from a fresh install. The headache comes from updating a used, hacked, cluttered, moded, whatever system. No offense, but there's a thin line between actually knowing the details and badmouthing.

mduell · Oct 28, 2007, 06:34 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

Umm, yes, I wrote:

Again: it requires you install Tiger first.

There's no headache if you update from a fresh install. The headache comes from updating a used, hacked, cluttered, moded, whatever system. No offense, but there's a thin line between actually knowing the details and badmouthing.

I read what you said, I just wanted to confirm it since it was a very disappointing result. Buy a Mac before release day? Great, for $10 here's a full install disk. Buy a Mac after release day? Great, here's an upgrade, enjoy the 2 hour OS reinstall time. Even Windows, with all the upgrade/product key/activation crap it comes with, doesn't make you install the old OS in order to do a fresh install off an upgrade disk.
And despite what some fanboys would have you think, the install process is not headache free even from a hack-free system. Users I support have had trouble with booting, logging in, mouse motion, etc after an upgrade, but are fine after a fresh install.

Simon · Oct 29, 2007, 04:37 AM

You format a disk, you install a clean version of Tiger, and directly after that you upgrade to Leopard. Is that comfortable? No. Does it work? Yes. If you do not make any exceptions to that procedure there's no reason this should cause trouble that a full Leopard install doesn't.

And for the record, $10 won't get you a full install DVD either. The ones we're getting here are (aside from the label) the same disks that people are getting as drop-ins.

Gankdawg · Oct 29, 2007, 10:20 AM

I wonder if the CheckForOSX.txt file is present in the drop-in? :-)

mduell · Oct 29, 2007, 10:36 PM

Originally Posted by Simon

You format a disk, you install a clean version of Tiger, and directly after that you upgrade to Leopard. Is that comfortable? No. Does it work? Yes. If you do not make any exceptions to that procedure there's no reason this should cause trouble that a full Leopard install doesn't.

And for the record, $10 won't get you a full install DVD either. The ones we're getting here are (aside from the label) the same disks that people are getting as drop-ins.

There's 'no reason' and yet it still happens.

That's disappointing to hear. I didn't think Apple even made 'upgrade' disks, only full install disks.

Simon · Oct 30, 2007, 04:42 AM

They've been making upgrade disk for ages. Nothing new there.

And again, it doesn't 'still happen' - simply because there is no reason for problems to occur when you upgrade over a fresh install. Upgrading is a lot more stable than in early OS X installer versions. Apple says it, I say it (after having upgraded already about a dozen Tiger Macs with exactly zero poblems), and other Mac experts say it as well. You're free to believe what you want, but anybody stubbornly going through more trouble than a simple upgrade install on a fresh Tiger is simply wasting his/her time. End of story.