Apple updating some packaging after OS X Lion release
Apple has updated the packaging on several Macs after the debut of OS X Lion, according to MacTrast. The site's managing editor compared a Lion-running MacBook Pro and a Snow Leopard-running model he purchased earlier this year; other than the new machine running Lion, the two Macs had identical specs.
The most obvious change to the packaging is that rather than featuring Snow Leopard's aurora desktop background, images have been updated with the Andromeda Galaxy wallpaper that comes standard with OS X Lion. It turns out that part numbers and SKUs differ from the pre-Lion MacBook Pro as well, with the updated numbers likely reflecting the changes in OS, keyboard differences, and included supplemental material.
MacTrast also found that the build number of OS X Lion preinstalled on the MacBook Pro differs slightly from the version downloaded from the Mac App Store -- 10A511a rather than 10A511. The new machines also have the keyboard changes that were initially discovered a few days ago.
The biggest change? New Macs are shipping without restore media of any kind. Before Lion, Macs shipped with two packages: "Everything Mac," and "Everything Else." These two packages included all the hardware-specific restore discs (including Snow Leopard and iLife), warranty information, Apple stickers, and the tiny pamphlet that gives users the bare-bones info they need to get started on their Mac. Those restore discs are nowhere to be found in post-Lion Macs.
This turns out to be problematic, as according to MacTrast's investigations these newly-shipping Macs don't have the ability to restore Lion to a bare hard drive over the internet. Installing a blank hard disk in the new MacBook Pro showed the dreaded flashing question mark folder with no options for Internet Restore, and without any restore media it was impossible to get Lion running on the new drive.
We've covered a couple methods for creating your own Lion recovery disk here at TUAW, so there are workarounds for this issue. MacTrast ran into a problem attempting to download the Lion installer from the Mac App Store, but even if the Store is telling you the software is already installed, you should be able to download it anyway by holding down the Option key and clicking "Installed." From there, it's a matter of following online instructions (either here or elsewhere) to create a functional install disc of your own.
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Apple has updated the packaging on several Macs after the debut of OS X Lion, according to MacTrast. The site's managing editor...
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So mad! i just got my macbook pro 3 days ago from apple store, it came with snow leopard..... ohhh well
July 29 2011 at 3:24 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWhy are you "so mad"? You can upgrade to Lion for free, and you have original restore media available for Snow Leopard. If anything, you have the upper hand. LOL.
July 29 2011 at 10:31 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Foren Sicpics
Hopefully the new packaging lists the shitload of bugs you don't need to bother reporting:
1. Key repeat doesn't work.
2. Applications don't show up in Launchpad after you install them.
3. Scrolling is, by default, backward.
4. Finder is still an offensive, embarrassing piece of ****.
5. There's still no real Delete key on these computers.
6. Can't see what the screen is displaying because of the moronic glossy sheen.
Umad?
I think u mad.
I ordered a 13" MacBook Pro the afternoon Lion was launched and it came yesterday, in a Lion-y box with Lion preinstalled. The buttons for the F3 and F4 are even updated with the shapes for Mission Control and Launchpad, respectively.
July 28 2011 at 11:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyWe got new mac mini with thunderbolt 2 days ago.
I erase and partition the HDD in the mini using target disk mode so it looks like new drive and when I boot with command-R it boots to recovery partition and allow you to install LION which require internet connection so I don't think it is true what Mac Trast stated in the quoted article above.
The new Mac mini and MacBook Air have the Internet-recovery capability built into the firmware. The other computers, like the MacBook Pro's, do not.
July 29 2011 at 10:33 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyYou can not redownload Lion from the app store if it is already installed. I tried the option click as you described and no dice.
July 28 2011 at 6:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySoftware Mac OS X Lion 10.7 (11A511)
Which version is this I'm running?
My question is, following the methods laid out, will the homemade Lion restore disc reinstall the iLife suite that came with the Mac or not?
July 28 2011 at 5:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThe recovery partition created by Lion does not actually have the Lion installer in it. This partition is around 600MB in size. When installing Lion from the recovery partition, it will ask for you Apple ID and then proceed to download the installer from Apple's servers. The entire process took me about an hour and half to do a clean install.
July 28 2011 at 5:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI thought Lion created a small hidden partition where you could boot up into recovery mode and install Lion from scratch? It doesn't help if you have a hardware hard drive failure but it does help if you have to recover from a software level disaster.
For the tech heads amongst us, there have been several articles circulating on how to extract the Lion installer from things like the Mac store download, and how to install onto a DVD or USB stick. Perhaps that's the next step, for people to figure out how to get the installer out of the recovery drive? Or has that already been tackled?
The Lion installer isn't in the recovery drive. This drive is around 600 MB in size. Right after I purchased Lion and it did the upgrade, I decided to back up all of my files and then install Lion from scratch. I booted into the recovery drive, wiped my OSX partition using Disk Utility and then proceeded to install Lion. It actually asked for my Apple ID in the process and then downloaded Lion from Apple's servers. The overall process took about an hour and a half to do the clean install.
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