Snow Leopard updates in the future ?

[gjarold]

I have physical (DVD) media for snow leopard, which means that anytime in the future (say, 20 years from now) I could pop it into my old mac pro and reinstall snow leopard from scratch.

However, it would be the unpatched, non-updated SL from 2009 when I bought the computer.

How could I apply the updates that apple published between 2009-2013 ?

Do the updates exist as files somewhere that I can download ? How can you apply OSX updates if they are not available from apple.com or through "software update" ?

Thanks.

 

[mikecwest]

There is this, its not ALL updates, but its a start.

10.6.8 combo update

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

and this:

Mac OS X 10.6.8 Security Update 2012-004

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1586


Java for OS X 2013-005 and Java for Mac OS X v10.6 Update 17

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5982

OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5 and Security Update 2013-004

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5880



There's more. I am not sure if the security updates are incremental or not....


http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1222

 

[gjarold]

Oh, I see - those are actual files I can download ? Great.

Do you anticipate there being a "final" set of combo updates once they end-of-life SL ?

 

[DeltaMac]

The updates for Snow Leopard should be available through Software Update. Not sure when Apple might pull them, but many updates, are available to install on Macs running quite old systems. I recently installed and updated Jaguar (Mac OSX 10.2.x), and those updaters for 10.2.8, etc, were all available through the Software Update app.
Even though the Snow Leopard installer DVD can still be purchased directly from the online Apple store, Apple stopped supplying security updates more than a year ago, so you should consider it end-of-life for full security, and use it if you must with that in mind

 

[Eithanius]

I have physical (DVD) media for snow leopard, which means that anytime in the future (say, 20 years from now) I could pop it into my old mac pro and reinstall snow leopard from scratch.

However, it would be the unpatched, non-updated SL from 2009 when I bought the computer.

How could I apply the updates that apple published between 2009-2013 ?

Do the updates exist as files somewhere that I can download ? How can you apply OSX updates if they are not available from apple.com or through "software update" ?

Thanks.

20 years...?

1. Will your computer still run after 20 years...?
2. Even if you download offline installers and updaters and keep them in your external drive, how are you gonna run them when they expires in 2019...?

 

[DeltaMac]

20 years...?

1. Will your computer still run after 20 years...?
2. Even if you download offline installers and updaters and keep them in your external drive, how are you gonna run them when they expires in 2019...?

I know a couple of folks that continue to use original Macs, including one who uses a Mac Plus in daily business use (at least he still was in May 2014, when I last helped him out.) - so, nearly 30 years now!
None are completely original, as parts fail, but some folks don't care to move to something newer, so parts get replaced. Of course, none use those for 'net/email/etc.
As long as you maintain the media in use, or have access to source, software installers don't "expire".
Whether they continue to be useful to you - that's a different discussion, I think!

 

[gjarold]

20 years...?

1. Will your computer still run after 20 years...?
2. Even if you download offline installers and updaters and keep them in your external drive, how are you gonna run them when they expires in 2019...?

I have an Indy on my desk that that is 20 years old. I have an Sun Sparcstation 20 that is 20 years old. They work fine.