In buildingSnow Leopard , the a la mode rendering ofMac OS X(version 10.6 ) , Apple focused more onunder - the - hood improvementsto rise speedand stabilitythan on supply novel features . That contrast with its precursor , Leopard ( Mac OS X 10.5 ) , whichadded more than 300 unexampled featureswhen it was released two years ago .
In Snow Leopard , Apple focalize on making the oculus sinister run quicker using technologies like Grand Central Dispatch ( which allow a Mac with a multi - core CPU to more effectively distribute study among CORE ) and OpenCL ( which allows a Mac ’s nontextual matter central processing unit to be used for general computing chore whenever possible ) , and making all the heart and soul system applications and most center components 64 - bit .
But before you’re able to appreciate Snow Leopard ’s execution , user interface finish , and technology tweaks , you have to get it installed . Here ’s what you need to know about the raise cognitive operation — which in itself illustrates both UI betterment and under - the - hood advance over retiring versions of Mac OS X.
Can You Run Snow Leopard?
The most important inquiry to answer before upgrading to Snow Leopard is whether your Mac can handle it . First , you ’ll demand an Intel - based Mac . ( Not trusted what you have ? Click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac . If your CPU is a PowerPC , you ’re out of luck ; if it ’s from Intel , you ’re good to go . )
Any Intel Mac will run Snow Leopard , provide it has at least 1 GB of RAM ( though 2 gibibyte or more will deliver well performance ) and 5 GB of arduous driving force space . You ’ll also need a DVD parkway for installation . ( MacBook Air owners can utilise a DVD private road in another estimator , provided they release on CD / DVD sharing . )
It ’s deserving note that not all Intel Macs can make use of 64 - snatch processing . That ’s because not all Intel Macs have 64 - piece processors .
The first Intel Macs shipped with either an Intel Core Duo or Core Solo chip , both of them 32 - bit mainframe . Apple switched to the Core 2 Duo CPU , which is 64 - bit , across most of its product lines pretty apace . you’re able to check your processor theoretical account using About This Mac .
With an Intel Core 2 duet processor and 2 GB of RAM , this iMac — still campaign Mac OS X 10.4 “ Tiger ” — can take vantage of Snow Leopard ’s 64 - bit processing .
This does n’t intend that former Intel Macs wo n’t see improvements with Snow Leopard — they will — but they may not see as heavy a carrying out cost increase as newer Macs .
Any Mac users still running Tiger ( Mac OS X 10.4 ) can upgrade directly to Snow Leopard , bound off its predecessor , by purchasing Apple’sMac Box Set , which admit Snow Leopard and the latest version of iLife and iWork for $ 169 . This ascertain that your Mac will be able to run all the Apple prick as well as Snow Leopard .
Important: Before You Upgrade, Back Up
Before you even think about installing the unexampled operating organization , be sure to perform a full backup of your system of rules .
With Snow Leopard , Apple has made the instalment outgrowth cleaner and more reliable than ever ; the installer can even land up an installation properly if your Mac is unexpectedly powered off during the process . Nevertheless , a good backup is always prudent . If you ’ve been using Time Machine in Leopard , you ’ve likely got one already .
In-place Upgrade vs. Clean Install
With a major OS spill , there ’s always the interrogation of whether to do a simple upgrade ( where your files , lotion , and arrangement configuration files are left in place ) or a fresh install ( where the fair game drive is backed up and erased before installation ) .
In the past , I , like many power user , advocated for a unclouded install — it can help keep off conflict between older applications and the new OS or any damaged configuration data file . It can be a respectable troubleshooting step if you ca n’t find the source of ongoing job or if you have damaged system file . But the snazzy new installer for Snow Leopard ( more on that in a minute ) find potential proceeds , realize a round-eyed in - place upgrade not only sufficient , but the better and easy way to go .
The primary advantage to a clean install is from a personal housekeeping perspective . Since most computer over prison term collect files that are no longer needed — anything from previous to - do list to applications you set up but never expend — a clean install forces you to take a flavor at what ’s on your computer and do some springiness cleaning . render that it means simulate Indian file , wipe out the phonograph recording , restoring and organize your file , and resetting all of your preferences and system setting , a full - fledge clean instalment it is n’t deserving the trouble . Just find some metre to go through your intemperate driving and clean it out .
If you do perform a clean install , you ’ll need to reboot your computer using the Install DVD by restarting the computer while holding down the C paint . Then use Disk Utility ( located in the Utilities carte du jour in the menu bar after you ’ve booted from the Install DVD ) to select your operose drive and erase it . Quit Disk Utility to return to the installer and proceed with your installation as outline below . Be forewarned : jump up from the installation phonograph recording and erase your concentrated ride for a light install will make the entire installing process take longer .
Longtime Mac users are probably conversant with the former “ Erase and Install ” ( which erase the subject matter of the hard drive before installing the new OS ) and “ Archive and Install ” ( which retained a transcript of all system data file for ulterior recovery ) options for establish Mac OS X. Although you may still erase your hard driveway for a clean install using the pace outlined above , these two options are no longer part of the literal installation process .
Meet the Mac’s New Installer
When you put the Snow Leopard set up videodisk in your Mac , the Finder window that open looks somewhat much like that of any Mac OS X facility disc ( the obvious exclusion being the Snow Leopard icon ) .
But the second you double - click the installer , you ’ll comment something ’s unlike . rather of being inquire to reset your Mac and boot from the Install disc , you ’ll see a sieve with two options : Utilities and Continue . That ’s because you do n’t need to boot from the DVD to instal Snow Leopard ( though you may do so afterward down the road if your Mac has problem or if you want to erase your surd drive before deal your computer , for instance ) .
The ground your Mac does n’t need to boot from the Install DVD is because one of the first things the installer does is copy all the files you ’ll need for installation to your punishing driving force . This has a few important benefit . First , it keep you clock time because you do n’t have to wait for your Mac to boot from the videodisc ( which often take a few minutes or longer ) , and the instalment itself goes more quick because the files are being install from your hard drive .
It also means that when the Mac checks the integrity of the files to be installed ( which used to signify verifying the integrity of the DVD , a process that take so long most people choose to cancel it ) , it does so after the filing cabinet have been copied to your backbreaking drive , speeding up the process but also make integrity check a built - in part of the induction ( since you ca n’t vamoose them ) .
The Snow Leopard installer has a duo of other tricks up its sleeve . Before facility , it scans your Mac for any applications or other prick that extend Mac OS X ( like third - political party System Preferences battery-acid or gimmick driver ) that are known to cause problem with Snow Leopard . The installer does n’t delete them , but it does move them out of any organisation pamphlet or directories to ensure a suave installation .
The installer also has a safe redo feature . If something interrupts the process ( say you disconnect your iMac by misunderstanding ) , that ’s not a trouble for Snow Leopard . With the installation file actually on your Mac ’s hard drive and the fact that every part of the install is written to a log file , the installer can simply pluck up where it left off when your Mac is restarted .
Now , back to that initial installation screen : The Utilities option let you restart and reboot the data processor from the Install DVD ( the same as if you held down the C key during a restart ) in case you need to score out or repair your hard drive , or restore it from a Time Machine backup . If you ’re doing a mere ascent to Snow Leopard , click the Continue push .
Streamlined Installation
In gain to skipping the initial restart used in earlier installations , Apple has pared down the number of click it takes to install Snow Leopard . After you sink in Continue , the installer mechanically take your startup thrust ( the one that your Mac boot from ) . Many people only have one intragroup punishing drive or partition , but if you have multiple drives or partitions , you could prefer another drive ; just snap the Show All Disks button and make your selection .
Unless you require to customize the installation ( more on that in a moment ) , snap the Install button now . You ’ll be ask to confirm that you want to carry on and asked to provide your admin username and parole . After that , take a break ; there ’s no more user fundamental interaction required . ( The data processor will re-start itself during the installation operation without any stimulant from you . )
The whole installation appendage typically takes 30 to 40 minutes , although it varies depending on your ironware and your installation choices — I ’ve find out some installing eat up in notably shorter and long time duet .
When you come back , your Mac will be turn tail Snow Leopard . When you first lumber in using the fresh O , the Setup Assistant act the received Mac OS tenner welcome telecasting . If you ’ve done an upgrade rather than a sporty install , there is nothing to localise up and you’re able to shut the Setup Assistant window after the movie play . If you did a uninfected install , you ’ll need to render readjustment details , and then the Setup Assistant will guide you through the introductory setup and contour step . You ’re on your way .
Customizing the Installation
Of course , you’re able to customize the installation if you want to . Before clicking the Install push button , click the Customize button to see the screen shown far down the page .
As with premature Mac OS X installers , you’re able to prefer out of language rendering ingroup and extra fonts for languages that do n’t apply the Roman Catholic alphabet ( like Cyrillic , Chinese , or Arabic ) to save a bit of hard - drive space .
you’re able to also take which printer drivers to install , though this really is n’t needed : The installer mechanically looks for printer connect to your Mac or on your local internet and installs only the drivers for those printers , saving a lot of space in the cognitive process . If you afterwards connect a dissimilar printer , Snow Leopard will automatically download the appropriate driver when it ’s connected without any action on your part — the complete plug away - and - play dream , at long last realized .
If you want to run applications that habituate the Unix X11 user interface , you may pick out to set up X11 . It ’s choose by default ; if you do n’t want , deselect it .
Another alternative is to instal Rosetta , the software program emulator that Apple created so Intel Macs could draw software package designed to work on PowerPC - based Macs . For most people , leaving Rosetta out ( that ’s the default ) should be fine . Apple start the conversion to Intel processor more than three and one-half long time ago , so unless you have an app that has n’t been update since sometime in 2006 you really do n’t need Rosetta .
You also have the choice of installing QuickTime 7 . Snow Leopard features a new version of QuickTime ( the system file and practical program that suffer multimedia playback ) call QuickTime X. QuickTime X offers much improved performance , a very clean , minimalist interface , and new video streaming capabilities . Some older media format might still require the older reading of QuickTime , which is why Apple offers it , but most people wo n’t need it .
Once you ’ve made all your customization selections , fall into place the Install button and go forward as outlined above .
After the Installation
After finishing the facility , you ’re ready to start exploring Snow Leopard . A few of the things you ’ll find immediately :
Better overall operation , even in basic tasks like navigating the Finder , which has been rewritten
An improved implementation of Stacks that allows you to browse hierarchies of folders from within a stack
Preview image in the Finder that actually do springy prevue , mean you could click through pages of a document or represent a video file in its icon
QuickTime X ’s port and ability to record and trim TV using your iSight television camera
chic text excerpt and notation feature in Preview , Apple ’s creature for reckon and work with PDFs , which also now romp the ability to instantly scan documents and create PDFs of them
Over the next few twenty-four hours , Computerworld will have more on Snow Leopard , including item about the differences between 64 - bit and 32 - bit computing and our performance tests comparing Leopard to Snow Leopard on various Mac models .
Ryan Faasis a frequent Computerworld contributor specializing in Mac and multiplatform internet issues . His newest leger , iPhone for workplace : increase Productivity for Busy professional , will be available from Apress this descent .
