MacOS 10.8 Mountain Lion can't connect to external services (App Store, iLok, Avid, etc)

Thank you, Grant. Your solution helped me after I erased/reset my mid-2013 MacBook Air to Mountain Lion and wasn't able to connect to the App Store to upgrade.

I cannot believe that i'm having a similar issue to this with Mountain Lion.

Mine is on a Mac Mini that bought for a specific task as my trusty old iMac 27 2011 failed fatally, but I cannot get beyond Mountain Lion for the same reason.

In a word or two, am I screwed. I can't even access the pages on Apple to get the security updates.

Am I wasting my time trying with this or could there be light at the end of the tunnel.

Thank you

A few years ago I bought an used MacBook Pro Late 2011 model, and switched HDD and upgraded to High Sierra. I didn't use that computer much, but since I got a Laser engraver and wanted to use a laptop instead of a desktop to control it then i decided to get my old mac and wipe it to get it as fresh as possible.... worst mistake ever !!

After installing MacOS Lion I couldn't go to any secure site, open APP store, or any other Apple cloud/web stuff (not even this apple support page - so i has a windows computer with me to research)

Long story short:

1.- I used Internet recovery to install the macOS that came with computer (Lion)

2.- Installed google chrome (old and only version available) - This let me go to the support.apple.com website and click on the MacOS Sierra download link

3.- Installed that Sierra

4.- FINALLY !!! Able to open APP Store and downloaded High Sierra.

So there you go, use google chrome to jump over secured websites that couldn't be open with safari because of TTL security

Regards

SSL to TLS:

In 2015, researchers discovered that Secure Socket Layer (SSL) Internet encryption was not nearly as secure as was thought, and needed to be replaced. Internet encryption quickly moved to Transport Layer Security (TLS) which was rapidly deployed across the Internet. Over time, sites tightened requirements for what was acceptable for encryption.

Apple issued Safari version 9 in 10.11 El Capitan version of MacOS, which included TLS encryption. It was later provided by retro-fit into the two previous versions of MacOS as a Security update. 10.10 Yosemite and 10.9 Mavericks, PROVIDED you applied all available software updates.

MacOS versions older than those can not make a lot of secure [httpS:] connections on the Internet, because by todays standard, your proffered SSL encryption is considered inadequate.

Mac Pro 4,1 42 lb silver tower is supported to run 10.11 El Capitan.

MacBook Ppro 4,1 from 2008 can run 10.11 El Capitan if it has at least 4 GB or RAM. 6GB is possible, but requires just the right chips.

if your time is correct, can you get access to this article?

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

If you can, it suggests you can use a web browser to click the links in the "use a web browser" section of the article for MacOS links and download a .dmg file on a Mac that could run MacOS 10.7, 10.8, 10.10, 10.11 or 10.12. [but not NOT 10.9]

the dmg file opens a pkg file. the pkg file runs and places the Installer image in the System Folder. Double-clicking the installer image in the System Folder will start the install.

But if you CAN'T read that article, post back and readers can post an immediate-download link for 10.11 El Capitan for you to use instead.

If your Main issue is once you have mountain lion you cannot use safari to access the App Store or even connect to support.apple to download the next versions on the list (I.e Yosemite, El Capitan, or sierra).

Just spent 4-5 hours on this project going between this forum and some other info kicking around. Basically the first few common steps are to:

1. get the mountain lion software installed

2 . You should be able to go on safari once that’s downloaded but you can’t access App Store or even the support.apple site to download the updates.

3 . You have to use an older browser and sometimes chrome does not work, however I was able to use the google search engine on safari. (Google search engine still did not allow me to get to apple support)

4 . download an old skool browser like Firefox legacy, when it goes to the site you have to click that little “lock” icon that’s in the search bar by the http.

5 . I typed in Firefox legacy and unlocked it with the lock icon that you’ll see by the http on the url and allowed the certificate (scroll thru this thread to see what grant was talking about)

6 . once I had downloaded Firefox I could get to support.apple or just type in the url to this forum on the Firefox engine and click on the next update on the list. (Either in this forum or on applesupport) (I went straight to sierra but you can start with the first 2 to make things easier)

I was able to get sierra and then gambled one more time by getting high sierra which I think is just barely the last one I can get on this old mac.

so download Firefox legacy from safari and unlocked Firefox by allowing the certificate (again steps are in the forum from one of these fine people ie.grant) then use Firefox to find this forum and click the links to the first software update you want(or use apple support site)

not a tech guy I just really went down the rabbit hole on this and it works fine now

Unless/Until you get 10.11 El Capitan installed, you will continue to get that 'can't make a secure connection' message. You need to say 'Show certificate', and use the very subtle Connect Anyway link shown to get an article on the Apple web site, this article:

http://support.apple.com/en-us/102662

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

if you click the link for Browser download of 10.11 El Capitan Install, you get a .dmg file.

when you open the .dmg, you get a .pkg file

When you open the pkg, the Installer will be PLACED in the /Applications folder

When you open that Installer item in the /Applications folder, it will launch the Installer.

I hope this helps others. The "installers" on this page are not OS upgrade/update/installers. They simply create an actual installer in the Applications folder. In there (for me) was a file named something like "install MAC X Yosemite ".

Unfortunetly the article(s)on the Apple site about upgrading don't mention that part.

<< Unfortunetly the article(s)on the Apple site about upgrading don't mention that part.

I disagree. The article is cluttered, but it does contain this procedure:

Use a web browser for older versions

1) Use these links to download a macOS disk image (.dmg) file. If these links don't work as expected, try again using Safari, which is in your Applications folder.

2) Double-click the .dmg file to open it and see the package (.pkg) file within.

3) Double-click the .pkg file, then follow the onscreen instructions to install the macOS installer into your Applications folder.

4) Open your Applications folder and double-click the macOS installer, named Install [Version Name]. Follow the onscreen installation instructions.

from:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

.

when I set up a 10.6.8 version of MacOS, I was able to use safari and navigate to this link:

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

if it says the connection is not secure, click on the lock and choose 'open anyway'.

Under the "Use a Browser" section, I was able to download MacOS 10.11 El Capitan. that link does not require encryption.

if You can’t open the App Store, then you can’t update anything. Even worse, if you can’t load the Apple webpage, you can’t download anything. So advising someone to update their machine is useless.

You may Not be 'stuck' at 10.8.5.

Make a full backup before you begin.

Your Mac has multiple drive bays. Install a very similar system on another drive. Then Upgrade the macOS on that drive (carrying pro tools along) to 10.9 Mavericks, then apply all software updates and you should get Safari 9.

If you have very old version of MacOS, the goal should be to update to a version that supports Safari 9, such as 10.11 El Capitan. Once you any version of MacOS installed and working, there are MULTIPLE ways of getting a newer version that gets you toward that same goal.

There are downloads from Apple servers that do NOT require an httpS: connection, HOWEVER -- they can only be unpacked, Placed in position, and Installed by having some version of MacOS already installed.

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Rather than throw rocks at those who are providing solutions for others, why not Speak for yourself. Are you stuck in an older version MacOS? do you need help getting modern Internet Access?