Can't install Snow Leopard on 2010 MBP new ssd

[jtstp17]

I have a 2010 macbook pro. I installed new memory 4gb and 4gb. It works fine. I switched out the hard drive with a SSD.

I did CCC the old hard drive but want to start fresh OS and then migrate assistant my data over.
Every time I try to install snow leopard on the SSD, it either gives me an error of restarting the computer or saying it cannot be installed on this computer.

The hard drive has been formatted to journaled and guid partition.


Any ideas?

 

[DeltaMac]

The 2010 MBPro is tricky to reinstall Snow Leopard, if you don't have its original installer DVD.
The reason I say that is that all 2010s shipped with a special build of Snow Leopard, making it a challenge to boot and install from Apple's commercial Snow Leopard installer.
So, if you have the ORIGINAL Snow Leopard DVD, the one that shipped in the box with the new 2010 MBPro, then that should be the good one to use. If you have Apple's commercial DVD for SL, that won't install. It won't even boot your MBPro.
You can do a target disk install, connecting with an older Mac that WILL boot to the Snow Leopard installer. Update the Snow Leopard install while it is still booted through the older Mac. Then, you can restart from your 2010 MBPro, to the updated Snow Leopard install. This adds a few extra steps to a normal install, but it's one method when you can't install directly from the 2010 MBPro.
Or, just forget Snow Leopard, and go straight to any newer OS X version. No need for any special prep for that.

 

[jtstp17]

The 2010 MBPro is tricky to reinstall Snow Leopard, if you don't have its original installer DVD.
The reason I say that is that all 2010s shipped with a special build of Snow Leopard, making it a challenge to boot and install from Apple's commercial Snow Leopard installer.
So, if you have the ORIGINAL Snow Leopard DVD, the one that shipped in the box with the new 2010 MBPro, then that should be the good one to use. If you have Apple's commercial DVD for SL, that won't install. It won't even boot your MBPro.
You can do a target disk install, connecting with an older Mac that WILL boot to the Snow Leopard installer. Update the Snow Leopard install while it is still booted through the older Mac. Then, you can restart from your 2010 MBPro, to the updated Snow Leopard install. This adds a few extra steps to a normal install, but it's one method when you can't install directly from the 2010 MBPro.
Or, just forget Snow Leopard, and go straight to any newer OS X version. No need for any special prep for that.

Thank you for your response.

I cannot for the life of me find the original installer DVD. it is driving me nuts. So I got a retail version.

If I don't go with a clean install, will it work if I use CCC to clone the backup to the new SSD? Or will it have problems with snow leopard?

And if I wanted to do a clean install and go with a newer OS X version. Would migrate assistant copy data from an older OS X hard drive to a newer version?

Thanks

 

[DeltaMac]

Thank you for your response.

I cannot for the life of me find the original installer DVD. it is driving me nuts. So I got a retail version.

If I don't go with a clean install, will it work if I use CCC to clone the backup to the new SSD? Or will it have problems with snow leopard?

And if I wanted to do a clean install and go with a newer OS X version. Would migrate assistant copy data from an older OS X hard drive to a newer version?

Thanks

Yes
You may be OK with CCC to Snow Leopard.
and, Yes. (10.11 El Capitan from Snow Leopard should be OK, too.

 

[jtstp17]

Yes
You may be OK with CCC to Snow Leopard.
and, Yes. (10.11 El Capitan from Snow Leopard should be OK, too.

thank you.

i installed el capitan via usb on the new SSD. then plugged in my older hard drive and did a migrate assistant. it worked just great. thanks again for your help.