I hace the Mac OS X 10.4.11 and I want to update it. What do I have to do?, I hace the Mac OS X 10.4.11 and I want to update it. What do I have to do?

Upgrading to Snow Leopard

You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.

After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mountain Lion if your computer meets the requirements.

Snow Leopard General Requirements

1. Mac computer with an Intel processor

2. 1GB of memory

3. 5GB of available disk space

4. DVD drive for installation

5. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider;

fees may apply.

6. Some features require Apple’s iCloud services; fees and

terms apply.

Backup your data to an external hard drive.

Clean Install of Snow Leopard

Be sure to make a backup first because the following procedure will erase

the drive and everything on it.

1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came

with your computer. Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.

After the chime press and hold down the "C" key. Release the key when you see

a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.

2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue

button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive

size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of

partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button

and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended

(Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.

3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed

with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.

4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup

Assistant. Be sure you configure your initial admin account with the exact same

username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup

Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh

install of OS X. You can now begin the update process by opening Software

Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your installation current.

Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

If your computer does not meet the Snow Leopard requirements set out in Kappy's excellent response--in other words it does NOT have an Intel processor (from "About this Mac" under your Apple menu)---we can use some additiional info to see if you can upgrade at all. Pre-Intel iMacs (made before 2006) have these OS limitations:

G3 iMacs (CRT display--the original triangular case design):

if 350mHz or slower: OS 10.3.9

if 400mHz or faster: OS 10.4.11

G4 iMac (flat-panel display on an articulated metal arm sprouting from a white half-dome base):

If 700 or 800mHz: OS 10.4.11

if 1gHz or 1.25 gHz: OS 10.5.8

G5 iMac (case and display in one unit supported by a hinged metal foot):

all: 10.5.8

Again you can quickly see your processor type and speed by choosing "About ths Mac" from your Apple menu to get this window:

It is the line indicated by the lower of the two red arrows. Please tell us what that line says on your iMac.