Snow Leopard gone Gold Master!

Sad Professor

Mac4Ever has received [Google translation] multiple tips claiming that Mac OS X Snow Leopard has reached "Gold Master" status, meaning that it has been finalized and is ready to be released to manufacturing for the public launch. The build number of the Gold Master is reportedly 10A432, compared to the last known developer seed (Build 10A421a) released over two weeks ago.

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/11/mac-os-x-snow-leopard-build-10a432-designated-gold-master/

Not long now. Hopefully early September. I placed my order under the Up-to-Date program a month ago. If this is true Apple should start taking pre-orders for the retail version shortly.

Sad Professor

AI have some details on changes to the installation process:

- Although Rosetta and Quicktime 7 are both included on the Mac OS X 10.6 installation DVD, both are designated as optional installs by default. However, if Mac OS X 10.6 is being installed on a Mac that contains a registration a key for Quicktime 7 Pro, the installer will install Quicktime 7 automatically.

- Options to "Erase and Install" and "Archive and Install" are no longer present in the Mac OS X 10.6 installer. According to those familiar with the software, this was done for convenience, so that users do not accidentally erase and install their Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard partitions. However, "Erase and Install" remains available through Disk Utility, which is also included on the installation DVD.

- If you need to reinstall 10.6, it automatically archives and installs for you.

- A reinstallation will not affect your Mac OS X version number. In other words, reinstallation of Mac OS X 10.6 on a Mac that contains Mac OS X 10.6.1 (when it becomes available) will not overwrite any new components delivered by 10.6.1. So when the re-install is complete, you will still be running Mac OS X 10.6.1. This will save users considerable time.

- There is no "Previous System" folder at the root level after reinstalling.

- If a power outage occurs, installation will pick up from where it left off.

- To prevent the Blue Screen error that plagued some users when upgrading to Mac OS X 10.5, a software compatibility check is included that has a list of known "bad" apps, and disables them. Those programs are moved to an "Incompatible Software" folder.

- Unlike Mac OS X 10.5, you cannot install Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard on computers where the hard drive reports a S.M.A.R.T. failure.

- Installation initially triggers a large chunk of data to be copied from the installation DVD to the user's primary hard drive. The bulk of the installation is then managed from the hard drive, speeding up the installation process considerably. After a successful installation, that large chunk of data is automatically removed.

http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/08/12/sources_detail_changes_to_snow_leopard_installation_process.html

redenemyjoe

I'm so excited, I think I'll save for a pre order, any idea how much it's going to cost?

Jev/N

It's suggested it could be around $29?

edit: to upgrade from leopard that is

J-blk

Jev/N wrote: »

It's suggested it could be around $29?

edit: to upgrade from leopard that is

It is going to be $29 (so around €20 I would assume here). Amazon is already taking pre-orders:

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-version-10-6-Snow-Leopard/dp/B001AMHWP8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1250144817&sr=8-1

If you have Tiger though, you have to buy the $169 (~ €120) "box set" instead which includes Snow Leopard, Leopard (so you can upgrade to Snow Leopard), iLife '09, and iWork '09:

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Box-Set-Snow-Leopard/dp/B002I0JKE2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1250144817&sr=8-3

If you have a PPC Mac, you're out of luck - no support for it in Snow Leopard...

bluemachaveli

Does any one know if you will be able to do a fresh install with a 10.6 upgrade disc?
Or will you have to install 10.5 then update?

Sad Professor

bluemachavel wrote: »

Does any one know if you will be able to do a fresh install with a 10.6 upgrade disc?
Or will you have to install 10.5 then update?

Yeah, you can still do a clean install, see my post above. The option won't be in the installer as it has been moved to Disk Utility.

Sad Professor

More info here:

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/08/13/os-x-snow-leopard-10a432-installer-tweaks-public-launch-on-august-28th/

Including:

Notably, the source indicates several minor issues both in the installer and in the Snow Leopard build, leading MacMagazine.com.br to speculate that, contrary to numerous other reports, Build 10A432 may not in fact by the Golden Master version to be released to manufacturing.

Finally, both Daring Fireball's John Gruber and MacDailyNews have been hearing that Mac OS X Snow Leopard may be released on Friday, August 28th, ahead of Apple's previously-announced September launch window.

J-blk

betafrog wrote: »

$29 will mean €29... When Leopard came out we were paying the same figures as the US.. ie $129 meant €129

Yep, you're right - I forgot that they still keep the "magic" Apple exchange rate for software... They have started adjusting prices for hardware, though for software it's still a currency symbol exchange from $ to €...

babypink

think i'll have to celebrate with some kind of hardware upgrade....ram maybe :P

Mike...

'Gold Master' sounds like a toy company's slang.
I really cannot believe that attitude of Mac Fanboys, Microsoft is an Evil money grabbing Corporation, yet the minute Apple announce their lastest Gold Master Super Dee Dooper Nitro Power Ranger Upgrade all Fanboys drop everything and grab their Credit Cards for immediate surrendering of funds to CrApple

J-blk

Mike... wrote: »

'Gold Master' sounds like a toy company's slang.

"Gold Master" is a standard term for the RTM build of any software application - it's not unique to Apple, nor is it fanboyism FFS...

Sad Professor

Mike... wrote: »

'Gold Master' sounds like a toy company's slang.
I really cannot believe that attitude of Mac Fanboys, Microsoft is an Evil money grabbing Corporation, yet the minute Apple announce their lastest Gold Master Super Dee Dooper Nitro Power Ranger Upgrade all Fanboys drop everything and grab their Credit Cards for immediate surrendering of funds to CrApple

What are you on about? Like J-bik said, GM is a standard term. I've heard it used many times in reference to Windows. There are plenty of places to bash Macs. Spout your crap elsewhere please.

babypink

Mike... - if you're looking for an argument you've come to the wrong place!

SP - be cool!! (though i share your sentiment)

Cabaal

Mike... wrote: »

'Gold Master' sounds like a toy company's slang.
I really cannot believe that attitude of Mac Fanboys, Microsoft is an Evil money grabbing Corporation, yet the minute Apple announce their lastest Gold Master Super Dee Dooper Nitro Power Ranger Upgrade all Fanboys drop everything and grab their Credit Cards for immediate surrendering of funds to CrApple

Apple charge a very reasonable price for each OS release....Windows 7 has been the only reasonably priced OS Microsoft released so far and is likely the only Windows OS that can be as stable as OSX is

I'm saying this as a long time Windows user and a Mac user for two years now, OSX is really streets ahead

Plus your posting anti-apple stuff in a mac forum, your smart!

hideous ape

Mike... wrote: »

'Gold Master' sounds like a toy company's slang.
I really cannot believe that attitude of Mac Fanboys, Microsoft is an Evil money grabbing Corporation, yet the minute Apple announce their lastest Gold Master Super Dee Dooper Nitro Power Ranger Upgrade all Fanboys drop everything and grab their Credit Cards for immediate surrendering of funds to CrApple

Eh...Gold Master or GM is an industry standard name for the final version after Betas that becomes the product mastered and released to the public. Not something invented by Apple marketing.

Vista was cack, even Microsoft admit that. Windows 7 would want to be good its been more or less beta tested for 3 years. This fanboy nonsense is like trying to settle an intellectual argument by calling someone poopyhead. Grow up.

P.s I should be the ultimate fanboy...an Apple Software Test Engineer but I don't own a Mac...yet:)

Zion21

Snow Leopard is getting some good reviews already. Might have to buy a copy for my macbook. Time to put that amazon prime membership to good use lol.:)

kevteljeur

I'll definitely get it, and in time-honoured tradition, I'll put it on the desk beside me and watch this forum for a couple of weeks before I install... If you install this on a system which you use for work (or, that you rely on, and is essential) without double-checking, then you might find it an unpleasant surprise (with this release I'll admit that it's unlikely). You would be mad to do it with a new OS release, because although it's been heavily tested, they can't cover all the bases and that's true of any OS. It's the price of being an 'early adopter'.

I've read that with this release it's extremely unlikely to happen, unlike with 10.5.0, which was a bit of a cold shower. It's supposedly designed to be conflict-free, and a much better experience as an upgrade. Even so, you would want to do a thorough back-up of the whole system (Time Machine, anyone?) and not be in the middle of your crucial, make-or-break, Recession-busting project...



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