Is Snow Leopard recommended for a Late 2008 MacBook Pro?

Will Snow Leopard work on my Late 2008 MacBook Pro?
Any cautions or advice?
Have any of the Top Users upgraded to Snow Leopard yet? If not, why?
Thank ya!

You might check to see if all your apps and system add-ons you commonly use are compatible first. If that's your only computer, you might wait a bit yet.
Dave M.
MacOSG Founder/Ambassador  An Apple User Group  iTunes: MacOSG Podcast
Macsimum News Associate Editor  Creator of 'Mac611 - Mobile Mac Support'

Similar Messages

How do I revert to Snow Leopard from Yosemite on late 2008 MacBook with no optical drive?

Late 2008 MacBook. I don't need to back up, just to go back from Yosemite to Snow Leopard without a working optical drive.
Thank you.

If you have a Time Machine backup from Snow Leopard, then use it to restore from. Other than that, you will need to get an optical drive and run your install disks that came with your computer. Of course, you will need your Snow Leopard updater if you still have it since you can't get it from the App Store.
I may be wrong about it not being available. I found a like from apple where you can still purchase it. It may still work.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

Where can I find a new Magsafe power adapter for my late 2008 Macbook Pro

my magsafe adapter has failed and it appears apple no longer makes one for my MacBook Pro. Any ideas on where to find one?

Apple Store online and off, any Apple reseller including AASPs. Do a Google search.

How to update graphics card drivers for late 2008 macbook pro with Nvidia 9600m GT?

Can anybody help me update the drivers for my 9600m GT graphics card for my Late 2008 Macbook pro? I am running OS X Lion 10.7.5 with a Windows 7 partition. I have tried finding support on Nvidia's website, but at least for the 9600m GT, it isn't supported for my operating system. Would I have to update it from my Windows side? And if so, would the update apply to my OS X side as well? I have a little computer knowledge, but nothing indepth.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
In OS X, Apple provides the GPU drivers and you cannot update them from NVIDIA. They are updated with each OS X update, so you are running the most recent drivers for your OS X version. OS X Mountain Lion and Mavericks have got more recent GPU drivers, but it's not worth upgrading unless you need newer drivers for an app (I highly doubt this).
However, you can update the GPU drivers in Windows, and you should do it to get the best performance. You can download them from the NVIDIA site > http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us Note that drivers are only applied in the operating system you are installing them, so they will not be installed in OS X

Are there genuine replacements available for battery in late 2008 macbook pro?

are there genuine replacement batteries available for a late 2008 macbook pro?

Probably your only hope, based on your description, is a SMC reset:
http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295
Note that you can contact Apple and ship your MBP to them for evaluation and possible repair. That may be easier than a trip to the Apple store.
Ciao.

I just put snow leopard 10.6.8 on my macbook pro and I was told that I could purchase Apature for photo management- now its says I need a different version.... is there an older version I could get? so frustrating.

I just put snow leopard 10.6.8 on my macbook pro and I was told that I could purchase Apature for photo management- now its says I need a different version.... is there an older version I could get? so frustrating.

The current version of Aperture requires 10.7.5 or later.
Upgrade Paths to Snow Leopard, Lion, and/or Mountain Lion
You can upgrade to Mountain Lion from Lion or directly from Snow Leopard. Mountain Lion can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $19.99. To access the App Store you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.6 or later installed.
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard — Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.
After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mountain Lion if your computer meets the requirements.
     Snow Leopard General Requirements
       1. Mac computer with an Intel processor
       2. 1GB of memory
       3. 5GB of available disk space
       4. DVD drive for installation
       5. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider;
           fees may apply.
       6. Some features require Apple’s iCloud services; fees and
           terms apply.
Upgrading to Lion
If your computer does not meet the requirements to install Mountain Lion, it may still meet the requirements to install Lion.
You can purchase Lion by contacting Customer Service: Contacting Apple for support and service — this includes international calling numbers. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before) plus tax. It's a download. You will get an email containing a redemption code that you then use at the Mac App Store to download Lion. Save a copy of that installer to your Downloads folder because the installer deletes itself at the end of the installation.
     Lion System Requirements
       1. Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7,
           or Xeon processor
       2. 2GB of memory
       3. OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)
       4. 7GB of available space
       5. Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Upgrading to Mountain Lion
To upgrade to Mountain Lion you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or Lion installed. Purchase and download Mountain Lion from the App Store. Sign in using your Apple ID. Mountain Lion is $19.99 plus tax. The file is quite large, over 4 GBs, so allow some time to download. It would be preferable to use Ethernet because it is nearly four times faster than wireless.
     OS X Mountain Lion — System Requirements
       Macs that can be upgraded to OS X Mountain Lion
         1. iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) — Model Identifier 7,1 or later
         2. MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer) —
             Model Identifier 5,1 or later
         3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         4. MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer) — Model Identifier 2,1 or later
         5. Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         6. Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         7. Xserve (Early 2009) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
To find the model identifier open System Profiler in the Utilities folder. It's displayed in the panel on the right.
Are my applications compatible?
         See App Compatibility Table — RoaringApps.
     For a complete How-To introduction from Apple see Upgrade to OS X Mountain Lion.

Replacement hard drive for late 2008 Macbook Pro

I need to replace my drive in a late 2008 Macbook Pro 15". I can access the battery and what looks like the hard drive from the underside, if this helps. Would this be a good replacement choice?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136279
Finding exact specs for the drive has been tricky, or maybe I just need to have the physical size verified. What I know/have found is:
5400rpm       (would a 7200rpm improve performance, or am I limited by hardware?)
SATA II        (does this matter tese days?)
2.5" drive   (needs verification)
open drive? (do I need this or not?)
Any other options or advice? I'd like to spend a small amount since this is an older computer and won't be around a whole lot longer anyway. Thanks in advance!

The link you posted above is for a WD drive,....dont get it.   WD drives (some) have SMS sensor coflicts with Mac, and the consumer grade western digital HD are the worst you can buy.
Same as used by Apple below, best option, cheapest price.
best likewise replacement 1TB 9.5mm Toshiba
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Toshiba-1TB-MQ01ABD100-HDKBB96A1A01-2-5-5400RPM-Laptop-N otebook-9-5mm-HDD-/171120091488?pt=US_Internal_Hard_Disk_Drives&hash=item27d78d 6 160
$68
Stockdizzle
I will need to clone the current drive before it fails; is there an article in this forum on that?
Easy, 3 clicks and sit back and let Superduper CLONE your HD.....about 40 mins average.
Superduper is free and most of the pros use it (or carbon copy cloner)
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
See instruction and get software there<     very very easy to do

Keyboard Mappings for Late 2008 MacBook Pro

Hi
I have found the keyboard mappings for older models of the MacBook Pro (shown below) but I can't find the same article for the new keyboard on my new late 2008 MacBook Pro.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1220
Thanks!

Hey Bigtalex712!
I have an article here for you that can provide some troubleshooting steps for this issue:
Intel-based Mac notebooks: Troubleshooting unresponsive trackpad issues
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1248
Take care, and thanks for visiting the Apple Support Communities.
-Braden

I need a recommendation for a 24" monitor for my late 2013 MacBook Pro

I need a recommendation for a 24" professional photography monitor for my late 2013 MacBook Pro. I am looking for a monitor that plays well with my 13" late 2013 Macbook pro. I tryed the Dell U2413 and found after the fact that it did not work well with my Macbook pro. Read up on the Asus PA 249Q, It also seems to have problems with my Macbook Pro. Apple display is larger than i want. Looking for recommendations for compatable IPS monitor for use with Aperture. buget is $300 to $800.
Anybody happy with thiers?
MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mavericks (10.9), Aperture 3.5.1

Any monitor will work. Decide what specs work best for your needs and get that monitor.

New macbook pro battery for late 2008 macbook pro dies fast.

I have a late 2008 macbook pro 2.4 HGz Intet Core 2 Duo with 2 GB of ram. I've had it since 2009 and just got a new battery, as the old one finally gave up. That being said, the new battery dies quite fast and I'm not sure why. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! thank you

Only problem is that maybe the battery you were sold was manufactured around the same time as the Mac. And LiPo batteries die because of old age as well as use. Take it out and carefully examine all markings, especially anything that can date when it was made, like copyrights or such.
With that evidence you can go back and demand a refund.

Renewing a Late 2008 MacBook Pro: hard drive and battery substitution

Hi all,
I am an happy user of a late 2008 MacBook pro.
However, with the passing of time, it became slow and the battery also deteriorate (it still quite OK, but it is not like at the beginning).
But let's start from the beginning: the hard drive
By googling for a while, I noticed that several people experienced very slow performance of their late 2008 MacBook Pro. That is also my case. Apparently, this is due to the hard disk which is dying, and then I considering to change it. However, I haven't found answers to these questions:
- Is it possible to mirror all the containt of the current disk to the new one?
- I only have the original installation disks of the first Leopard. I made all the updates through the network. Moreover, since it passed lot of time, I am afraid that some sector of the installation disks may be damaged. This means that I may fail in the installation of Mac Os X on the new hard drive. If I have to reinstall everything from scratch with the new hard drive and without installation disks, how should I do?
- If I go a Mac Reseller shop, will do they perform this operation? And how much does it costs to make it? Or I may also go to some generic computer reparation guy?
- Is it convenient to save all the data (movies, documents, pictures, emails, etc) somewhere (e.g. external HD) and then perform a completely new installation?
Next, let's consider the battery.
Here is a screenshot taken with iStat Pro:
Do you think it is worth changing it? From System Profile I have those other info:
Full charge capacity (mAh):          3386
       Current (mA):          846
       Voltage (mV):          12029
Condition:          Replace soon
What do you suggest to do then? How much does it cost a new battery? Actually, I think that also the processor performance deteriorate (it often becomes very hot, especially when watching Flash or Silverlight stuff), but, unfortunately I cannot change it.

Hi!
Thanks for all the answer. Please let me to resume this old and interesting discussion.
After having evaluated several solutions (including NAS, different ways of backup, etc) I bought an external firewire HDD, since I believe it nicely fits my necessities. Next, after these holidays, I will finally replace my old HDD with a SSD one. I think 120 GB are ok. I just need the apps and small-sized documents (rather LaTeX, Matlab, word, pages or excel documents, etc. - no movies or mp3 (I have Spotify, for that) ). Large files (e.g. movies, pictures, etc) may end up in external firewire HDD.
Now, let's consider the OS. I currently have 10.6.8 and I am very satisfied of that. I find it very stable, and all the apps I need are still well supported. On the other hand, given that there are like 5 years that I have the same installation, I may have a lot of obsolete files and setting that I can safely remove. This means that once I will have performed a backup of my documents, my email, my pictures etc. I can safely throw away all the rest. Hence, I may perform a brand-new installation of the OS. Although I am happy with 10.6.8, I was wondering if it is worth to upgrade it (I have a 2.53 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo - 4 GB 1067 Mhz DDR3 RAM) to Lion, Mountain Lion or Mavricks. In that case, which would be the real benefits? And what about the cons?
Finally consider that I only have the Leopard installation disks from 2008 (not even Snow Leopard) and I will bring my laptop to a techician to change the HDD (I know, it is simple but I don't have all the screws etc. and I will not buy them only for this purpose). Once he will have replaced the HDD, will he re-install the OS also? Or I have to reinstall the OS through my original DVD (5 years old, I don't even know if they still work) and upgrade to Snow Leopard again by myself? I would exclude the carbon copy solution since I may want to throw away a lot of garbage and perform a brand new instalation of the OS. How to proceed? Thanks again!

Late 2008 Macbook Pro doesn't boot after installing Mavericks

I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro, dual core 2.53 GHZ, 4 GB Ram (2x2).
I've been tearing my hair out trying to get this computer to boot up. Many things have been tried here. So here's the history.
Before starting this, I was running 10.6.8 on this computer.
First time I tried to install Mavericks, the installation failed, and when the computer went to restart, it just went in a loop, never really booting up, just getting the to gray screen with the apple symbol, spinning the wheel, and then going black again, restarting, and repeat. So, I took it into the Apple Genius Bar, and they diagnosed a bad battery. I replaced the battery, and had them do a clean restore back to 10.6.8.
I got it home, and tried to do an install again. This time, I downloaded the installer, and put in on an external firewire drive, and attempted to do a clean install of Mavericks. I ended up with the same boot failure problem.
I went back to the apple genius bar, and even though the diagnotics said my harddrive was fine, they said in the troubleshooting list, that the harddrive with the first thing they suspected. So, I replaced the harddrive. I did the Mavericks install again from an external HD, and for a moment, everything was great. It booted up into Mavericks. But, after my first restart, the problem was boot failure was back.
After reading a few articles, I tried booting in Safe mode. That worked. I also ran disk repair on the HD and it looked great. Still, it won't boot up out of Safe mode.
After being very frustrated, I tried just installing snow leopard from the dvd, but the install keeps failing.
Not sure what to do next.

Micajah10,
rather than a hard drive problem, you might have a faulty internal SATA cable. Do you have an external disk enclosure, or a SATA-to-USB or SATA-to-FireWire adapter? If you can boot from your hard drive without problems when it’s external, but it remains problematic internally, then that could point to the internal SATA cable as the culprit.

Reinstal Mac OS X, iWork09, iLife09 on Late 2008 Macbook Pro unibody ques?!

Alright so I've got a quick question for you knowledgeable people, I've got a late 2008 macbook pro unibody and has unfortunately installed some crap on my hard drive since i got it, and i want to be just like i got it out of the box. I want to delete everything off my hard drive, like completely erase, do I do that using the disk utility application or could i erase it completely with the mac OS X install disk that came with my mac? That's the specs of my harddrive(Hitachi Media Total Capacity : 232.9 GB (250,059,350,016 Bytes). When I reinstall my mac OS X, I will be waiting for Snow leopard (because its only $30 bucks if an upgrade), since they say the footprint of that O.S. will be considerably smaller that os x. but before i install snow leopard i want to reinstall my iwork and iLife programs, which are both 09. This leads to the next question that i have, my mac shipped with iLife and iWork 08 and I bought versions 09 after. They are single licenses and I want to know if I will be able to reinstall iWork09 and iLife09 after my reinstall of OS X without buying them again.
Thanks for any help in advance.;)

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
Here's an article on Installation options:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1545?viewlocale=en_US
It should give you clear instructions on how to proceed. You will boot from your install disc to do the Erase and Install. To erase the boot drive, you will use the Disk Utility that is on your install disc.
You have the iLife 09 and the iWork 09 discs? Then you should be able to reinstall them from the discs after installing the OS. The single license means that you are licensed to use them on only one computer at a time.
Be sure to make a good backup of anything you want to keep before erasing your drive and reinstalling the OS.
Incidentally, you can save a few GB's of space if you do a custom installation and eliminate any languages and printer drivers you won't ever use.
Good luck!

Late 2008 MacBook Pro "blackout" screen flickering - Revised

--NOTE: I have written this thread as a continuation of the following thread, as the solution in it is slightly different from my issue. I apologize to the community for the confusion. http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2230532&tstart=0 --
Many of us Late 2008 MacBook Pro owners have been experiencing a moderate to significant screen flicker when using our MacBook Pros in Better Battery life mode, which uses the 9400 M chip. While I had thought that 10.6.2 had resolved this issue, I have since discovered that it has not. In fact, some believe, myself included, that it has made it worse, as, for me, it has been happening far more frequently.
My screen flicker is like a black frame popping in randomly. This frame does not even last a second, but it does create a "flicker" effect.
These YouTube videos show it best and are virtually identical to mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNQofnQKrDA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EATI_kh6GOw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qODFFWbiGUI
*Does anyone think that this is indicative of a logic board problem?*
*Has anyone resolved this by going back to 10.5.8?*
I had never experienced this in Leopard.
Thanks.

Hi Luke,
Having the logic board replaced terrifies me, as that could lead to further issues.
I think you've rationalized out the whole situation perfectly, and I do think you're right about the logic board replacement. If the issue were a lot more frequent (or becomes more frequent) and/or is overly annoying then I would have it replaced. The chance that you'd get a bad replacement logic board would be sufficiently small in comparison to the overall pain and frustration that you'd be going through.
What I possibly can do is try to get the issue looked at by someone at Apple. If it is, indeed, a software issue, perhaps they can engineer a fix for you. At the very least we'll know that the issue was brought to someone's attention! They probably will never contact anyone with the outcome, but at least we can say we tried. You should continue to submit the Bug Reports and encourage others to.
--Travis

I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro, I am trying to run MW3 but it will not work without crashing a few minuets into the game. The general specs on my computer are a dual processor 2.53 ghz. 4 gb ram and a NVIDIA geforce 9400 (9600 is the alternate card)

I have a late 2008 Macbook Pro, I am trying to run MW3 but it will not work without crashing a few minuets into the game. The general specs on my computer are a dual processor 2.53 ghz. 4 gb ram and a NVIDIA geforce 9400 (9600 is the alternate card).
Things to note:
I have been unable to update firmware on this computer for about a year now. Im not sure why.
I am running a bootleg copy of Windows XP on this computer, I would not like to spend $149 to get Windows 7 if possible.
any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Why don't you take your 'old' MBP into your local Apple Store and have them check out everything that's wrong with it - and I mean everything? Then, when you get an estimate about how much it would cost to get the machine completely repaired, ask about the Apple flat-rate repair pricing?
It's worth a shot - and with what you may save, you can put in the bank for a new MBP.
Clinton

Is Snow Leopard recommended for a Late 2008 MacBook Pro?

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