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As the title says - I'm trying to determine what version hardware to get.

I have some old DP5 files (haven't used DP since) and I can't get into the program on my 2019 IMac (Mojave)

I only want to open them to convert them into Logic or something else. I can grab the audio as is without even touching DP5 - but the MIDI (in sync) is the thing I'd like to recover. I have to admit to being stupid way back in the day and not laying down audio tracks for each MIDI part. Now all I have are partial recordings - missing tracks!

So - I'm going to buy an old iMac like maybe a 2009 - but how far forward can I go before DP5 no longer works?

I’m not sure but it might not run on an Intel machine. You might have to look around for a G5. I never ran DP5 on an Intel machine but I had it on my G5. DP7 runs on the G5 and the MacPro

Supposedly DP10.13 will open old files better than prior versions. I tried one DP5 file and it seemed to work. But if it doesn't work for you, I have a Mac G5 Quad with the last version of DP5 installed. If you need help, feel free to PM me here or email me via my website https://rbohemia.com

I don't think DP5 will run on an Intel CPU machine.

I have an older Intel iMac and DP5 works with Snow Leopard. If I'm not mistaken it requires Rosetta.

I know this one. I kept it on my 2010 iMac and used to test it after every MacOS upgrade just to see.

DP 5.13 will run on an Intel Mac. I had it running over El Capitán (it's possible I had it over Sierra but no longer remember). It cannot be made to run over High Sierra — the CD cannot be authorized (same as DP 6.x–7.24).

Getting it installed is another story. If your CD is DP 5.0x, it will install over OS 10.6 with Rosetta enabled. Next download and run the updaters that get it to 5.13. 2011 was the last year that OS 10.6.4* will run. Now you can update the MacOS.

A 5.1x CD might install without Rosetta. If something happens and you need to reinstall, you would have to revert back to OS 10.6 and start again. A Time Machine restore will only require re-insertion of the CD to authorize and a 5.x CD works for that.

I don't remember when the installers for DP 5.1x, 6.03 and 7.24 stopped working. I know it was before El Cap (Yosemite? Mavericks?) even if the apps would run over later OS.

*I have the Apple 10.6.4 DVD restore image for the 2011 iMac. The retail 10.6 DVD does not work for these. Neither does Internet Recovery which requires 10.7 and a 2012.

Ads long as we're going down memory lane, there's this—still an issue through 7.24
https://motu.com/techsupport/technotes/ ... ix-Leopard

Also, it's a really good idea to reboot, Repair Permissions and reboot again after an installation. This was still true with DP 8 over Yosemite (and went away with El Cap). Many old threads about ignoring the armchair experts on the internet who preached that Repair Permissions was never necessary. Often, it was the only way to make things work. This is also described in the above Tech Note.

Great info MIke.

In my case, since I still have ye old G5, that's the route I took.

Thanks everyone, especially Mike! Great info.

Looks like a 2009-2010 iMac will do just fine - I have a variety of bootable OSX installers available but pretty much any version to limp through this would be OK- such as the following base OSX versions - (without ramping up to higher OSX versions).
2009 - base - Snow 10.6.1
2010 - base - Snow 10.6.4

The installer CD version is 5.1** - as you noted it's only going to work in the right hardware+OXS combo! I don't recall if those old Macs had a recovery partition or even internet recovery but reinstalling from a bootable drive with the right OSX installer should still work regardless.

** I believe you're saying the 2010 iMac will support this - which would be perfect.

No Internet Recovery or Repair Partition prior to Lion. IR to the default OS requires a 2012 or later Mac with a base OS of 10.7 or later. Otherwise, it only works on earlier Macs to reinstall a later OS if there’s a Recovery Partition. One may have to set the clock to an earlier date in Terminal while booted into the RP first.

An OS 10.6.1 Restore DVD works on DUO Core 2009 iMacs but an I5 or I7 requires 10.6.2 or later. A 2010 requires 10.6.3 while a 2011 needs a minimum of 10.6.4. Beginning 2011, Apple sent out 10.6.4 as a replacement for lost disks for all 2009–11 21.5” and 27” iMacs under AppleCare.

I believe you're saying the 2010 iMac will support this - which would be perfect.

I ran it on mine till DP 7.24. I had DP 6 but reverted back to 5.13.

Didn’t take my 2010 out of service till 2019. I replaced the hard drive with an SSD and the NV RAM battery about 5 years ago. Still runs great for its current owner over High Sierra.

Thanks again Mike!

I have a Lion bootable thumb drive handy that might work on a 2009-10- otherwise I will have to search my storage for older (4x) CD installers.

The probably with most people selling this vintage Macs is they have newer OSX versions running to make them look "newer" - rather than doing clean installs of the original system. And not too many will have the original materials (box and CDs) - but I've been around Macs since the Apple IIe so I think I'll be able to manage!

HCMarkus wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:45 am Supposedly DP10.13 will open old files better than prior versions. I tried one DP5 file and it seemed to work. But if it doesn't work for you, I have a Mac G5 Quad with the last version of DP5 installed. If you need help, feel free to PM me here or email me via my website https://rbohemia.com

You can download and run the current DP demo version for 30 days with no financial commitment. It's fully functional so maybe worth a try before purchasing a machine.

iGirl wrote: ↑Sun Jan 24, 2021 6:38 am Thanks again Mike!

I have a Lion bootable thumb drive handy that might work on a 2009-10- otherwise I will have to search my storage for older (4x) CD installers.

The probably with most people selling this vintage Macs is they have newer OSX versions running to make them look "newer" - rather than doing clean installs of the original system. And not too many will have the original materials (box and CDs) - but I've been around Macs since the Apple IIe so I think I'll be able to manage!

Yea, I’d certainly try that first to see if the 5.1x CD will install. If not, then your 10.6.4 DVD is the ticket. If the internal SuperDrive no longer works (common), USB externals are $15 or so on Amazon.

My favorite among these old iMacs is the 2011. The NV RAM battery can be changed without pulling the motherboard, unlike the 2009–10 and it has a SATA III buss so that an internal SSD is 2x faster than a 2009–10. MacRumors is full of threads about these having GPU problems not knowing that a) it’s usually a bad NV RAM battery and b) when it isn’t, the problem is caused by the excessive heat from the HDD — replacing with an SSD and baking the GPU to re-flow the solder makes the problem go away forever.

CharlzS wrote: ↑Sun Jan 24, 2021 7:26 am

HCMarkus wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:45 am Supposedly DP10.13 will open old files better than prior versions. I tried one DP5 file and it seemed to work. But if it doesn't work for you, I have a Mac G5 Quad with the last version of DP5 installed. If you need help, feel free to PM me here or email me via my website https://rbohemia.com

You can download and run the current DP demo version for 30 days with no financial commitment. It's fully functional so maybe worth a try before purchasing a machine.

That's an excellent thought and maybe I'll give it a shot.

It would be a no brainer if I was current and proficient with DP10, but it's been many years since I've worked with DP and it's going to take me some time just to get it working - and become familiar with it again. A decade of revisions, newer UI and more features and complexity would likely bring more learning curve than I want to tackle for now.... hoping to keep it simple! After all these years away I'm tinkering with LPX now a bit instead. (which is my hopeful destination for the exports)

I saw a 2009 iMac 27" 8gb/1Tb on Facebook for $300. Not much at all and maybe fun to have around.