(Snow) Leopard Installation on Mac Mini (Intel Core Solo)

[bastones]

In a few weeks time I'm getting my Mac Mini upgraded to 2GB memory for Snow Leopard when it comes out. My Mac Mini is a 2006 Intel Core Solo model, and in September I'll be wanting to buy Snow Leopard but I want to be 100% sure that my Mac Mini will be able to install Snow Leopard since its DVD media. I know I can't burn DVDs with this Mac Mini but, although may seem like a stupid question will I be able to install Snow Leopard with it being DVD media? I'm sure I can since the Mac Mini can "read DVDs", but I want to be certain before paying out £70 when its released in September.

Thanks.

[DeltaMac]

Any Mac sold for the last 5 years or so, have drives that will read DVDs. SO, yes, it will read and boot to that Snow Leopard DVD.
Your mini came with a set of DVDs for installing your OS X system and software. They are grey in color. SO, you could try booting to the disk-1 of that set - that will tell you for sure if booting to a DVD is possible...

[Jesse714]

Im sure that the Mac Mini from 2006 has a DVD drive, and if you have a DVD drive, you can read DL discs regardless of whether you can burn them, all dvd drives can read DL's.

So in 2006 Leopard wasn't released yet, so your not eligible for the 30 dollar upgrade to Snow Leopard, Bummer..

And did you say that its a single core processor?

[Jesse714]

Or you can go to about this mac, more info, and select ATA, and that will tell you what your drive is compatible with, but it will for sure, dont worry about that.

[bastones]

Intel Core Solo processor.

Anyway, I know I won't be eligible for the $29 upgrade pricing since I still have Tiger but will I be eligible for $29 upgrade pricing if I purchased Leopard early next month before Snow Leopard comes out? (I'd install Leopard first, obviously)

[ElDiabloConCaca]

Anyway, I know I won't be eligible for the $29 upgrade pricing since I still have Tiger but will I be eligible for $29 upgrade pricing if I purchased Leopard early next month before Snow Leopard comes out? (I'd install Leopard first, obviously)

Yes, but then you'd be paying more for Snow Leopard than it really costs, assuming Apple keeps the pricing the same at $129.

So you want to do this:
1) Purchase Leopard @ $129
2) Purchase Snow Leopard upgrade @ $29
3) Install Snow Leopard
TOTAL COST: $129 + $29

...when you could do this:
1) Wait for Snow Leopard to be released
2) Purchase Snow Leopard @ $129
3) Install Snow Leopard
TOTAL COST: $129

...or did I misunderstand what you intend to do? Just be aware that Leopard is not required for Snow Leopard -- you can go straight from 10.4 to 10.6 if you like.

[Jesse714]

I don't think that you get the discount just for buying leopard, I'm pretty sure that you have to have a mac that came with leopard in order to get the discount on snow leopard.

[bastones]

Yes, but then you'd be paying more for Snow Leopard than it really costs, assuming Apple keeps the pricing the same at $129.

So you want to do this:
1) Purchase Leopard @ $129
2) Purchase Snow Leopard upgrade @ $29
3) Install Snow Leopard
TOTAL COST: $129 + $29

...when you could do this:
1) Wait for Snow Leopard to be released
2) Purchase Snow Leopard @ $129
3) Install Snow Leopard
TOTAL COST: $129

...or did I misunderstand what you intend to do? Just be aware that Leopard is not required for Snow Leopard -- you can go straight from 10.4 to 10.6 if you like.

According to the Apple website:

Upgrading from Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger.

If your Intel-based Mac is running Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, purchase the Mac Box Set (when available), which is a single, affordable package that includes Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard; iLife ’09, with the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb and iDVD; and iWork ’09, Apple’s productivity suite for home and office including Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

And the Mac Box Set costs $169. By that I presumed that I'd need to get the Mac Box Set at $169 in order to get Snow Leopard, or will there be a Retail version of SL at the usual $129? According to this ZDNet article I'm exempt from the $29 upgrade pricing since my Intel Mac Mini is a 2006 version (since it had Tiger at the start).

Any Mac purchased after October 1, 2007 satisfies the upgrade criteria: an Intel-based system running Mac OS X version 10.5 (Leopard).

And on the ZDNet article:

If you own one of those 2006-2007 PCs and are still running Tiger, the upgrade to Snow Leopard will cost you $169, which is the price of the Mac Box Set.

It's not exactly clear on how everything will go - will I need to purchase a Mac Box Set (at $169) or will I be able to purchase a retail version at $129?