terydeb

Q: El Capitan on mid-2010 MacBook Pro?

I'm not usually a fan of installing anything right after it comes out. But I upgraded my mid-2010 MacBook Pro to Yosemite not long ago and have had serious problems ever since. There are days when the machine reboots itself and/or freezes a half dozen times. I know that if I bring it in to the Apple store (if they'll even look at it; I know it's old and I've heard they don't like to work on old machines) the first thing they'll do is clean off the hard drive and reinstall the operating system. I assume they'd install El Capitan, so I'm wondering if I should go ahead and install it myself, just in case it will solve the problems I've had since the Yosemite upgrade.

 

Has anyone else installed El Capitan on a mid-2010 MacBook Pro? Has anyone had problems similar to mine with Yosemite and used El Capitan to solve them?

 

Thanks for any information anyone has.


Tery

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Oct 8, 2015 7:03 PM

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Q: El Capitan on mid-2010 MacBook Pro?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by VistaNoGo,Helpful

    VistaNoGo VistaNoGo Oct 9, 2015 1:36 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 1:36 PM in response to terydeb

    El Capitan works just fine on my Late 2008 MBP although I have discovered software issues.  Upgrade to an SSD drive if you haven't already done so before you install it.  Also, if your having issues under Yosemite, then I would highly recommend that you do a clean install of El Capitan and start over.  I do this anyway every other upgrade.

  • by terydeb,

    terydeb terydeb Oct 9, 2015 1:47 PM in response to VistaNoGo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2015 1:47 PM in response to VistaNoGo

    Replace the current hard drive? That's not something I've done before and it looks to be expensive. I've added memory, but that's the only thing I've done to a MacBook. Replacing the drive sounds like something I might be better off letting the Apple store do.

  • by VistaNoGo,Helpful

    VistaNoGo VistaNoGo Oct 9, 2015 2:18 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 2:18 PM in response to terydeb

    If you can turn a screw driver you can do it yourself and save a lot of money but I understand if your not comfortable with it.  I was only suggesting that you should do it because the reality of it is that you will see a MUCH bigger speed improvement by updating your hard drive then you will by upgrading your memory. SSD drives are so cheap now that they should be standard in every computer.  Plus, El Capitan has trim support for 3rd party SSD Drives so there really isn't much to worry about.  Check out instructions on ifixit dot com first and see if you think you could handle it before you make any decision.  It was by far the single most important upgrade I have done to my MacBook.

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Oct 9, 2015 2:53 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 6 (19,575 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2015 2:53 PM in response to terydeb

    It could be old and moldy 3rd party kernel additions that has not been updated for El Capitan.

     

    Post the output from EtreCheck

    <https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6174>

     

    See you have have 'panic' logs for these restarts, and if so, post the most recent few

    <http://support.apple.com/kb/ht2546>

    <https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201753>

    NOTE:  Not 'crashes', but 'panics'

     

    You could also boot into "Safe" mode and see if the system is more stable, as Safe mode will not load the 3rd party kernel additions

    <http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1564>

     

    Adding an SSD is a wonderful idea (did it myself in my 2011 MBP, and there are videos and on-line instructions that can help make it easy), but, But, BUT if it is software that is causing the problems, an SSD will not address that.

  • by VistaNoGo,

    VistaNoGo VistaNoGo Oct 9, 2015 2:58 PM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 2:58 PM in response to BobHarris

    I agree with you BobHarris about the possibility of a software issue.  I have seen issues like this before on a 2012 MBP of my sister in-laws.  No matter how many upgrades she has tried, her problems were still present or even got worse.  Which is why I also suggested doing a fresh install.  Once she did that her problems went away. 

  • by terydeb,

    terydeb terydeb Oct 9, 2015 4:56 PM in response to VistaNoGo
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2015 4:56 PM in response to VistaNoGo

    One of the things I like about a hard drive update is that, with a new hard drive and a brand new operating system, I'm definitely getting a clean start. I think I should have done a clean install of Yosemite, but I did it the easy way. If Yosemite was still available, that's what I would do, but it looks like El Capitan is my only choice now.

     

    I looked at some of the instructions and videos and it really does not look that difficult to install a drive. No harder than installing memory.

  • by terydeb,

    terydeb terydeb Oct 9, 2015 5:33 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2015 5:33 PM in response to terydeb

    This drive looks blazingly fast and commenters say it will work in the mid-2010 MacBook Pro. The price isn't bad. I'll think overnight about whether I want to try this myself.

  • by BobHarris,

    BobHarris BobHarris Oct 9, 2015 5:52 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 6 (19,575 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 9, 2015 5:52 PM in response to terydeb

    Since you downloaded Yosemite once, it is still available to you via your Purchases

     

    App Store -> Purchases -> Yosemite

     

    As for installing the disk yourself, first go to iFixIt.com and chances are they have step by step instructions.

     

    Then do some YouTube.com searches and chances are you will find several videos showing how to replace a disk in your model Mac.

     

    If that has not given you all you need, then Google and you will find something I'm sure.

  • by VistaNoGo,

    VistaNoGo VistaNoGo Oct 9, 2015 7:24 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (10 points)
    Oct 9, 2015 7:24 PM in response to terydeb

    It's easier then you think to replace the HD and honestly, you will feel that you just bought a brand new computer once you do it.  Like I said before, mine is a late 15" 2008 MBP and I have ZERO intentions on replacing it as my production computer.  I actually have a 13" 2015 MBP as well but I use it as a backup laptop because I prefer the 15" over the 13" for my business.  Unless I'm doing something extremely CPU intensive, I can't tell the difference between the two on day to day tasks.  Good luck and I'm confident that you will find it extremely easy after watching a couple of videos.

  • by terydeb,

    terydeb terydeb Oct 12, 2015 5:13 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Oct 12, 2015 5:13 PM in response to terydeb

    Thanks for the help, everyone. Since I was able to download Yosemite and I knew some of the apps I use regularly are not as El Capitan compatible as I would like, I installed an SSD drive and put a fresh install of Yosemite on that. Used Migration Assistant to copy over apps and data . . . I seem to be in business. And wow, this SSD drive is fast. Someone said it would be like a new computer, and it is.

     

    Tery

  • by gregtx2,

    gregtx2 gregtx2 Oct 12, 2015 5:21 PM in response to terydeb
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Oct 12, 2015 5:21 PM in response to terydeb

    I installed El Capitan on my mid-2010 MacBook Pro, 8 GB of RAM, and so far no issues.

  • by RBriscoe1,

    RBriscoe1 RBriscoe1 Apr 5, 2016 11:55 AM in response to gregtx2
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Apr 5, 2016 11:55 AM in response to gregtx2

    Hello gregtx2,

     

    I have a 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo mid-2010 13" MBP that currently runs Yosemite just fine. It has an OWC SSD and 16 GB RAM installed.

     

    I spoke with one of the people at the Apple Store and they indicated they had a performance hit on their one, but it had minimal RAM and the factory spinning HDD (5,200 RPM?).

     

    Did you run Yosemite on your MBP before installing El Capitan and have you noticed any performance "hit"?

     

    Thanks in Advance.