os x install media

[shanenin]

We have a decent computer repair/service business in the Rochester, MN area. We have never advertised Mac repair, but we do a Mac job every few months. We have done some mother board replacements and a few dc jack board replacements, and hard drive replacements(clients had discs). We are going to start advertising and try and get at the growing Mac business. We hope to go after the easier, more profitable hard drive and os reload jobs. I think all we need to buy are some universal install discs. opposed to some that are for example, only work on the "mac mini". This is where I could use some help. To cover the last 8 years of macs made, what kind of OS discs would we need on hand to cover ourselves. I am just looking for any insight into going into this venture. All comments are greatly appreciated.

[Besttechie]

You will want a copy of Snow Leopard (10.6): http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A

And you will also want a copy of Lion (10.7) which is also the latest release of OS X (came out this summer). It does not come in a DVD media. You must download it from the Mac App Store and burn it to a disk yourself.

However, I believe they are also offering a USB flash drive with OS X Lion on it for $69. You can find that at the Apple Store.

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[shanenin]

don't we need the older versions for older macs? I don't think apple will come after us like Microsoft would if we were putting an updated version of an OS on an older computer, but.... Will newer versions run on PPC ? I guess we have a lot of research to do

lots of good info I found here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X

it seems like I would need something as old as 10.4 (tiger) for older g4 and g3 computers. 10.5 (leopard) runs on both intel and powerpc all on the same dvd.

then maybe a copy of 10.7 for all the newest ones

[shanenin]

I wonder if apple cares if the same copy is installed on multiple computers?

I think I would feel ok reinstalling from the same retail disc on multiple computers so long as it was the same version that originally came with the mac. That seems honest enough for me and probably apple.

[Besttechie]

Yeah, with regard to older ones you will need a copy of Leopard. Anything that's running pre-Leopard should probably update. Leopard should work with PPC.

As for multiple computers.... there are no product keys with OS X (at least for Leopard and up), Apple trusts consumers to do the right thing. It is one license per computer according to the EULA, however, there will not be any issues if you install it on more (unlike with MS Windows).

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