So, you’ve decided to download an older version of Mac OS X. There are many reasons that could point you to this radical decision. To begin with, some of your apps may not be working properly (or simply crash) on newer operating systems. Also, you may have noticed your Mac’s performance went down right after the last update. Finally, if you want to run a parallel copy of Mac OS X on a virtual machine, you too will need a working installation file of an older Mac OS X. Further down we’ll explain where to get one and what problems you may face down the road.
For newer Intel based Macs, download this disk image; For older PowerPC based Macs, download this disk image (no longer updated/supported) You can run the application directly from the disk image or copy it to your hard disk. Note: this is a work in progress and may not be quite as stable as the other platforms. Unless otherwise stated, all the operating systems listed here support all versions of xpra. The only architectures officially tested and supported are i686 and x8664, but xpra is also known to work on ARM and other CPU architectures. Most importantly, even if the internet connection is interrupted, the remote apps will keep running, Xpra effectively behaving like the UNIX utility screen, only for GUI based applications. Moreover, Xpra is both multi-language and cross-platform, which means that it can be used on a OS X, Windows. R14154 + r14155 adds hooks to do the signing as part of the app / dmg / pkg scripts. So until I move to a newer build host, the process is: build the app (currently on a 10.5.8 VM):./make-app.sh copy the 'Xpra.app' over to the machine doing the signing, ie.
A list of all Mac OS X versions
We’ll be repeatedly referring to these Apple OS versions below, so it’s good to know the basic macOS timeline.
Cheetah 10.0 | Puma 10.1 | Jaguar 10.2 |
Panther 10.3 | Tiger 10.4 | Leopard 10.5 |
Snow Leopard 10.6 | Lion 10.7 | Mountain Lion 10.8 |
Mavericks 10.9 | Yosemite 10.10 | El Capitan 10.11 |
Sierra 10.12 | High Sierra 10.13 | Mojave 10.14 |
Catalina 10.15 |
STEP 1. Prepare your Mac for installation
Given your Mac isn’t new and is filled with data, you will probably need enough free space on your Mac. This includes not just space for the OS itself but also space for other applications and your user data. One more argument is that the free space on your disk translates into virtual memory so your apps have “fuel” to operate on. The chart below tells you how much free space is needed.
Note, that it is recommended that you install OS on a clean drive. Next, you will need enough disk space available, for example, to create Recovery Partition. Here are some ideas to free up space on your drive:
![For For](/uploads/1/2/6/6/126689536/591202689.png)
- Uninstall large unused apps
- Empty Trash Bin and Downloads
- Locate the biggest files on your computer:
Go to Finder > All My Files > Arrange by size
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Then you can move your space hoggers onto an external drive or a cloud storage.
If you aren’t comfortable with cleaning the Mac manually, there are some nice automatic “room cleaners”. Our favorite is CleanMyMac as it’s most simple to use of all. It deletes system junk, old broken apps, and the rest of hidden junk on your drive.
Free Mac Os X Download Software
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.4 - 10.8 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.9 (free version)
Download CleanMyMac for OS 10.10 - 10.14 (free version)
STEP 2. Get a copy of Mac OS X download
Normally, it is assumed that updating OS is a one-way road. That’s why going back to a past Apple OS version is problematic. The main challenge is to download the OS installation file itself, because your Mac may already be running a newer version. If you succeed in downloading the OS installation, your next step is to create a bootable USB or DVD and then reinstall the OS on your computer.
How to download older Mac OS X versions via the App Store
If you once had purchased an old version of Mac OS X from the App Store, open it and go to the Purchased tab. There you’ll find all the installers you can download. However, it doesn’t always work that way. The purchased section lists only those operating systems that you had downloaded in the past. But here is the path to check it:
- Click the App Store icon.
- Click Purchases in the top menu.
- Scroll down to find the preferred OS X version.
- Click Download.
This method allows you to download Mavericks and Yosemite by logging with your Apple ID — only if you previously downloaded them from the Mac App Store.
Without App Store: Download Mac OS version as Apple Developer
If you are signed with an Apple Developer account, you can get access to products that are no longer listed on the App Store. If you desperately need a lower OS X version build, consider creating a new Developer account among other options. The membership cost is $99/year and provides a bunch of perks unavailable to ordinary users.
Nevertheless, keep in mind that if you visit developer.apple.com/downloads, you can only find 10.3-10.6 OS X operating systems there. Newer versions are not available because starting Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.7, the App Store has become the only source of updating Apple OS versions.
Purchase an older version of Mac operating system
You can purchase a boxed or email version of past Mac OS X directly from Apple. Both will cost you around $20. For the reason of being rather antiquated, Snow Leopard and earlier Apple versions can only be installed from DVD.
Buy a boxed edition of Snow Leopard 10.6
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
Get an email copy of Lion 10.7
Get an email copy of Mountain Lion 10.8
The email edition comes with a special download code you can use for the Mac App Store. Note, that to install the Lion or Mountain Lion, your Mac needs to be running Snow Leopard so you can install the newer OS on top of it.
How to get macOS El Capitan download
If you are wondering if you can run El Capitan on an older Mac, rejoice as it’s possible too. But before your Mac can run El Capitan it has to be updated to OS X 10.6.8. So, here are main steps you should take:
1. Install Snow Leopard from install DVD.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
2. Update to 10.6.8 using Software Update.
3. Download El Capitan here.
“I can’t download an old version of Mac OS X”
If you have a newer Mac, there is no physical option to install Mac OS versions older than your current Mac model. For instance, if your MacBook was released in 2014, don’t expect it to run any OS released prior of that time, because older Apple OS versions simply do not include hardware drivers for your Mac.
But as it often happens, workarounds are possible. There is still a chance to download the installation file if you have an access to a Mac (or virtual machine) running that operating system. For example, to get an installer for Lion, you may ask a friend who has Lion-operated Mac or, once again, set up a virtual machine running Lion. Then you will need to prepare an external drive to download the installation file using OS X Utilities.
After you’ve completed the download, the installer should launch automatically, but you can click Cancel and copy the file you need. Below is the detailed instruction how to do it.
STEP 3. Install older OS X onto an external drive
The following method allows you to download Mac OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks.
- Start your Mac holding down Command + R.
- Prepare a clean external drive (at least 10 GB of storage).
- Within OS X Utilities, choose Reinstall OS X.
- Select external drive as a source.
- Enter your Apple ID.
Now the OS should start downloading automatically onto the external drive. After the download is complete, your Mac will prompt you to do a restart, but at this point, you should completely shut it down. Now that the installation file is “captured” onto your external drive, you can reinstall the OS, this time running the file on your Mac.
- Boot your Mac from your standard drive.
- Connect the external drive.
- Go to external drive > OS X Install Data.
Locate InstallESD.dmg disk image file — this is the file you need to reinstall Lion OS X. The same steps are valid for Mountain Lion and Mavericks.
How to downgrade a Mac running later macOS versions
If your Mac runs macOS Sierra 10.12 or macOS High Sierra 10.13, it is possible to revert it to the previous system if you are not satisfied with the experience. You can do it either with Time Machine or by creating a bootable USB or external drive.
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS High Sierra
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Mojave
Instruction to downgrade from macOS Catalina
Before you do it, the best advice is to back your Mac up so your most important files stay intact. In addition to that, it makes sense to clean up your Mac from old system junk files and application leftovers. The easiest way to do it is to run CleanMyMac X on your machine (download it for free here).
Visit your local Apple Store to download older OS X version
If none of the options to get older OS X worked, pay a visit to nearest local Apple Store. They should have image installations going back to OS Leopard and earlier. You can also ask their assistance to create a bootable USB drive with the installation file. So here you are. We hope this article has helped you to download an old version of Mac OS X. Below are a few more links you may find interesting.
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You can connect to an existing desktop session on your linux workstation with Xpra
Prerequisites
You will need Xpra installed on both the local workstation you are using (the client) and the remote Linux workstation you wish to access (the server). As the registered workstation user of the latter (the remote Linux workstation server), you should do the following.
For a local Linux client, the command above (or an equivalent) should be run (by you or by local system administrators).
For local Windows or MacOS clients choose the correct Xpra client package from here e.g. windows/Xpra-Client-x86_64_Setup.exe or MacOS/Xpra.dmg. In addition to installing Xpra you will need X11 server and terminal software. On Windows MobaXterm includes both X11 server and terminal functionality, on MacOS use XQuartz or an equivalent.
Linux step-by-step
Perhaps the simplest test of Xpra is to open an X-terminal on the remote server and display this on your local client. You can test this first at the console of the workstation you wish to access remotely with the following command.
xpra start --start=xterm
This will start an Xpra server and open an xterm window on the local machine. To detach from the xterm, use <Control-C> in the window in which the command above was typed. The command xpra list will list the Xpra servers running and their display numbers.
For the following you will need to substitute CRSID for your own CRSID. You will also need to substitiute myworkmachine.ch.private.cam.ac.uk for the fully qualified hostname of the remote workstation. You can obtain this by typing 'hostname -f' in a terminal window on the remote machine.
For a local Linux machine you can start a remote Xpra server and connect to it in one step. Enter the following command.
You will be prompted for your password on myworkmachine.
Enter commands in the xterm which has opened. Any new windows launched by those commands will open on your local display.
Further examples of Xpra usage can be found on the Xpra wiki pages.
Remote connection through a bastion host
If you regularly access particular machines by SSH (remote1, remote2, etc.) place the following lines in your SSH config file (~/.ssh/config) on the local Linux machine from which you connect. Repeat the lines (edited appropriately) for each remote machine to which you connect. This configuration tells ssh when connecting to 'remote1' to first open an ssh connection to citadel.ch.cam.ac.uk and route the connection to myworkmachine over the connection to citadel.
If the lines above are added to your local ~/.ssh/config, starting the X-terminal simplifies to
To avoid repeating your password at each step, generate your ssh key on the local machine (ssh-keygen) then copy it to citadel (ssh-copy-id [email protected]) and to the remote workstation (ssh-copy-id [email protected]). This process is explained here.
Xpra Windows
You might wish to start an X-terminal on the remote Linux server machine:
then detach from it:
and reattach it later:
Windows step-by-step
In the Windows program PuTTY, make a connection from your local Windows machine to citadel.ch.cam.ac.uk in the top of the PuTTY Session screen.
In the Connection - Data screen set your username (on citadel) to avoid having to enter it. In the Connection - SSH - Tunnels screen add a new forwarded port, for example
Click Add then the following line will appear in the white box above the fields you completed.
![Torrents Torrents](/uploads/1/2/6/6/126689536/141591738.png)
You may save the configuration settings of this connection in the Session screen (the first one you edited).
Click the Open button to connect to citadel from this Putty session. A window will appear in which to enter your username (if required) and password. Keep this connection to citadel open all the while you need the tunnel open from your local Windows machine to the remote workstation.
Start the Windows Xpra client with C:Program Files (x86)XpraXpra-Launcher.exe or by clicking the Xpra screen icon. In the pop-up window choose Mode: SSH, enter your username @ localhost, then enter the number of the local port you forwarded in the PuTTY configuration (e.g. 2022) and the DISPLAY number you wish to connect to on the remote Xpra server (e.g. 100). Click the Connect button and the X-terminal window started on the remote Linux workstation should appear on your Windows desktop.
You may wish to save these setting to a file 'name.xpra' (only files with the .xpra suffix are displayed by [Load]). Connection with Xpra can also be accomplished in a Windows command window with:
To avoid entering your passwords for citadel and the remote workstation follow steps to generate private & public ssh keys for use with Putty & Xpra. Tell PuTTY where to find your Private key file with the Browse... button in the Connection - SSH - Auth screen.
MacOS step-by-step
Xpra Download
Once the Xpra client has been added to Applications, open it. The launcher pop-up is basically the same as for starting the Windows client described above.
Further information
Xpra For Mac Osx Downloads
Many other options are available. Please see the Xpra Getting Started, manual pages ('man xpra') on your local workstation or on the internet man pages.