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User profile for user: GirSaysDoom13
GirSaysDoom13 Author
User level: Level 1
5 points

I have an iMac

I have an iMac "Core i7" 3.4 27-Inch (Late 2012) running MacOS Sierra 10.12.6. I have tried upgrading to High Sierra but my Mac gets stuck on a black screen after I click Restart. The App Store does not list any available upgrades. Can I upgrade or am I stuck with Sierra?


iMac 27″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Sep 7, 2020 11:40 AM

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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,855 points

Posted on Sep 7, 2020 11:43 AM

All 2012 Macs can upgrade to Catalina and later. See How to upgrade to macOS Catalina. Before you actually upgrade, I suggest that you do the following:


Repair the Drive for El Capitan or Later


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the Command and R keys until the Apple logo and progress bar appear. Wait until the Utility Menu appears.
  2. Select Disk Utility and press the Continue button.
  3. Then select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. 
  4. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar and wait for the Done button to activate. Click on it, then quit Disk Utility.
  5. Select Restart from the Apple menu.


Before You Upgrade macOS


  1. Fix any problems before upgrading.
  2. Run First Aid in Disk Utility while booted from your Recovery HD.
  3. Backup. Make a bootable clone using CarbonCopy Cloner or use TimeMachine.
  4. Be sure your startup disk has 18-20GB of free space during the installation.
  5. Upgrade third-party software for compatibility. See App Compatibility Table - RoaringApps. If you have mission critical software, then DO NOT upgrade until you know that software is compatible with the version of macOS you are about to install.
  6. Disconnect all third-party peripherals.
  7. Download the installer which will be in the Applications folder. Quit the installer after it opens, then make a copy of the installer and save it in the Downloads folder. The one in the Applications folder will be deleted after a successful installation.
  8. The download is large, anywhere between 5 and 9GBs. It takes time to complete. Be patient.
  9. Double-click on the installer in the Applications folder. Click on the start button to begin the installation.


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User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,855 points

Sep 7, 2020 11:43 AM in response to GirSaysDoom13

All 2012 Macs can upgrade to Catalina and later. See How to upgrade to macOS Catalina. Before you actually upgrade, I suggest that you do the following:


Repair the Drive for El Capitan or Later


  1. Restart the computer. Immediately, at or before the chime, hold down the Command and R keys until the Apple logo and progress bar appear. Wait until the Utility Menu appears.
  2. Select Disk Utility and press the Continue button.
  3. Then select the indented (usually, Macintosh HD) volume entry from the side list. 
  4. Click on the First Aid button in the toolbar and wait for the Done button to activate. Click on it, then quit Disk Utility.
  5. Select Restart from the Apple menu.


Before You Upgrade macOS


  1. Fix any problems before upgrading.
  2. Run First Aid in Disk Utility while booted from your Recovery HD.
  3. Backup. Make a bootable clone using CarbonCopy Cloner or use TimeMachine.
  4. Be sure your startup disk has 18-20GB of free space during the installation.
  5. Upgrade third-party software for compatibility. See App Compatibility Table - RoaringApps. If you have mission critical software, then DO NOT upgrade until you know that software is compatible with the version of macOS you are about to install.
  6. Disconnect all third-party peripherals.
  7. Download the installer which will be in the Applications folder. Quit the installer after it opens, then make a copy of the installer and save it in the Downloads folder. The one in the Applications folder will be deleted after a successful installation.
  8. The download is large, anywhere between 5 and 9GBs. It takes time to complete. Be patient.
  9. Double-click on the installer in the Applications folder. Click on the start button to begin the installation.


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I have an iMac

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