- Upgrading to Sierra 6 days ago
Refer to Upgrade to macOS Sierra. For hardware requirements, read http://www.apple.com/macos/how-to-upgrade/
Apple designs its operating system upgrades to be a hassle-free experience. Most people won't have any trouble upgrading whatsoever. Soon after it's installed they're enjoying a faster, more secure Mac with better battery life and a bunch of new features, all for the princely sum of $0.
... but you're not "most people" are you?
Being cautious about upgrading your reliable Mac workhorse to a brand new operating system is prudent, but there is no reason to fear an upgrade. You can install macOS Sierra on an external hard disk drive or other suitable storage device without altering your existing Mac in any way at all. If it turns out that you don't like it, or if something unexpected happens, all you need to do is to shut down your Mac, disconnect the external drive, and start your Mac again. It's that simple.
Assuming that you are already in the habit of routinely backing up your system with Apple's Time Machine, you can install Sierra at no risk and at no cost. If you do not routinely back up your system though, you should. As Apple says: Making a backup is simple and important. We recommend it for everyone. So do I — even if you were not contemplating an upgrade just yet.
If you have not been doing that, obtain an external USB, FireWire, or Thunderbolt hard disk drive, whichever is appropriate for your model Mac. Connect it to your Mac and erase it using Disk Utility. Download Sierra from the Mac App Store, and then install Sierra on that device instead of your usual startup disk. Just be sure to designate the proper installation location for Sierra when you get to that installation step.
When it finishes installing, you can choose to start your Mac from that disk or the internal one using Startup Manager (hold an option key while you start your Mac), and evaluate Sierra at no risk whatsoever to your existing installation.
Apple provides most of the above instructions here:
How to install OS X macOS Sierra on an external drive connected to your Mac
and
Starting from an external USB storage device (Intel-based Macs)
Running Sierra from an external USB hard disk drive won't be as fast as the Mac's internal one, but it will be sufficient to draw conclusions regarding its suitability for your needs.
An external hard disk drive of adequate capacity can be purchased for well under $100 — much less than the cost of some previous OS X upgrades themselves. When you satisfy yourself that Sierra works for you, then install it on your Mac's internal storage, and designate the external hard disk for backup purposes — which you ought to be doing anyway.
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