how can i update os x from version 10.5.8?? it not an option in my software update... or on the app store..? i am happy to pay for the latest lion but it wont let me purchase it anywhere in the store.
from Australia.
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
You'll need to upgrade to OS X 10.6 before you can update to either Lion or Mountain Lion. Call your online Apple store at 133-622 to order it. You'll need at least 1GB of memory to install it.
After you install it and do Software Updates, you'll be at OS X 10.6.8. If you want to upgrade to OS X 10.7 Lion, a call to your online Apple store is in order again, and they'll send you a code to download Lion from the App store.
If you want to install the current OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, you can do that directly from the App store. You can upgrade from OS X 10.6 directly to OS X 10.8, you don't need to install OS X 10.7 in that case.
Either Lion or Mountain Lion have a minimum memory requirement of 2GB, with 4GB recommended. Your MacBook needs to be a late 2008 aluminum or 2009 or newer model to run Mountain Lion.
Start by checking if you can run Snow Leopard:
Requirements for OS X 10.6 'Snow Leopard'
http://support.apple.com/kb/SP575
OS 10.6 Snow Leopard is once again available from the Apple Store:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
and in the UK:
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
but nobody knows for how long it will be available.
To use iCloud you have to upgrade at least to Lion, but some functions are only available in Mountain Lion:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4759
You can also purchase the code to use to download Lion (Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM, running the latest version of Snow Leopard), or you can purchase Mountain Lion from the App Store - if you can run that:
http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/
When you have installed it, run Software Update to download and install the latest updates for Snow Leopard.
Mac os x upgrades
