Issues with Mac 27' running Mac OS X

What is the exact model of this iMac? You can get this information by clicking the Apple menu and selecting "About This Mac". Once we have that information, then we will know which versions of macOS it can run.

Nnamdi909 wrote:

I have a Mac 27in running Mac OS X Version 10.6.8. Safari is not working, am unable to update software or reach Apple Store. Pls help. I suspect I need to reinstall a new OS but have no discs. What do I do?

The original protocol used to secure https connections was found to be insecure, and there was a major push to upgrade Web sites and browsers to use a more secure protocol. Snow Leopard is far too old to have gotten the upgrade, and so most https Web sites will reject connection attempts from Snow Leopard's version(s) of Safari.

Even if there had been no security changes, Snow Leopard's versions of Safari (and of other browsers) are so old that sites are unlikely to render properly, if at all.

If you have a 27" iMac that is running Snow Leopard, that means that it is a Late 2009, Mid 2010, or Mid 2011 one for which macOS 10.13.6 (High Sierra) is the end of the line. Getting to High Sierra will take a couple of steps, as Snow Leopard is too old to download the High Sierra installer directly.

High Sierra is eight major versions behind the current version of macOS (Tahoe). When Golden Gate comes out, this fall, High Sierra will be nine major versions behind.

Once you are on High Sierra, you could install Firefox 115 ESR - an older version of Firefox that is still on the list to receive "critical security updates" from Mozilla, after receiving many "stays of execution". But you will find it very difficult to find much in the way of productivity software for High Sierra; much of what once existed has now been pulled from the market. Also, it seems entirely possible that after next January, High Sierra's version of Messages and FaceTime will break. There's a security certificate that expired then, and Apple has issued patches all the way back to iOS 12 and macOS 10.15 Catalina, but so far, I see no signs that they've issued any patch for High Sierra.

I'm sorry, but since you are running 10.6.8, it is no wonder that safari is misbehaving. it is a VERY outdated version of safari. normally I would recommend trying Firefox. but even with Firefox, any version that would run on OS X 10.6 would also be very outdated. the Mac is asking you to retire it. and my recommendation is to do just that.

I had that same thought. but AFAIK, a Mac that can run snow leopard can only run, at best, high Sierra. and any browsers for that macOS would not behave very well anyways. no?