Recent firmware update prevents Snow Leopard downgrade?

Question

I need Snow Leopard for my work, and will continue to need it for at least a year. Apple online chat was unable to confirm whether refurbs currently in the pipe would ship with SL or Lion, regardless of age. They basically indicated that my chances were about 50/50.
After reading user accounts of how to downgrade from Lion to Snow Leopard, I went ahead and purchased a refurb February 2011 15" 2.2GHz MacBook Pro from the Apple store. Sure enough, when the machine arrived, it was loaded with Lion.
I ran Software Update to make the OS current, backed it up via Time Machine, and then proceeded with the re-format/SL installation process. However, Snow Leopard would not install using any of the commonly described methods, and the symptoms were consistent with trying to load it onto a post-July 2011 machine.
After a couple of tries, I got a 'phone support agent on the line, who advised that when I ran Software Update, it loaded a recent firmware update that locks the machine down. He was evasive at first, but eventually confirmed that the machine was downgradeable when I received it, but was now effectively a Post-Lion machine, and could no longer be returned to it's as-shipped condition. He indicated that my only option was to return the machine for a refund.
I have a local independent repair facility looking into the situation at the moment, but they are pessimistic.
I was unable to find out when Apple first issued the new firmware load via Software Update, but I understand that people were still successfully downgrading to Snow Leopard as recently as December, 2011.
Assuming that the information I received from Apple is correct, they have closed the door on further Snow Leopard downgrades, at least on the MacBook Pro. Can anyone confirm if this is the case?

Answer 1

Apple is getting a lot of calls from people wanting to downgrade to Snow Leopard for several reasons, like that Lion is terrible and/or they need to run software that hasn't been updated or is avaialble on Lion.
Firmware updates apply to the machine itself, so it if's running Snow Leopard it gets the same firmware updates as a Lion machine.
I'm not ruling out the possibility that a change is preventing you from installing Snow Leopard on a compatible machine, however like to explore the possibility that you've used the wrong disk to do so.
You can't use the 10.6.3 white disk to install Snow Leopard. Early 2011 machines that came with Snow Leopard came with their own disks and hardware drivers that are not present on the 10.6.3 white disks.
Since your Mac is Snow Leopard capable, try calling Apple again and just say you need replacement Snow Leopard disks for your Early 2011 Mac.
If that isn't a option, you migh want to explore the "Procedure" of combining 10.6.3 with the 10.6.8 Combo Update, which when burned to disk, produces a bootable disk to install 10.6
Explore the links and info on this old thread written for the Early 2011-Mid 2011 period
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3264421?start=0&tstart=0
Another option is to get into contact with another Mac user who bought a Early 2011 Snow Leopard Mac of your exact make and model, get a copy of their disk.
http://www.walterjessen.com/make-a-bootable-backup-snow-leopard-install-disc/