upgrade from 10.5.8

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upgrade from 10.5.8

My laptop is 10.9.2 (I have no idea what cat that's named after or if it's Maverick--so if you know that, it would help me as well 🙂). My desktop is still 10.5.8. I know I have to go through a few steps and unfortunately purchase more than one of them, but I honestly don't know what those steps are. I don't want to waste money bypassing mid-way OS updates, but know I'll probably need to. I'd just like to keep it as simple as I can.

So question is: how do I upgrade my desktop from 10.5.8 to meet my laptop

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Feb 28, 2014 1:22 PM

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Answer 1

petermac87

Level 5

7,453 points

Feb 28, 2014 1:24 PM in response to ginafromapo

Go to Apple Menu (Top left) About this Mac > More Info > System Report and copy and paste the Hardware Overview back here to see if the iMac is compatable first.

Thanks

Pete

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Answer 2

Feb 28, 2014 1:26 PM in response to ginafromapo

To upgrade beyond 10.5.8, you need to purchase the Snow Leopard install DVD

After you upgrade to 10.6.3, you update to 10.6.8

10.9 is Mavericks

Allan

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Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Feb 28, 2014 1:50 PM in response to ginafromapo

Read the hardware requirements.

Snow Leopard Purchase

Check that your computer is compatible with Mountain Lion/Mavericks.

To check the model number hold down the option/alt key, go to the Apple menu and select System Information.

iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) model number 7,1 or higher

Check to make sure your applications are compatible. PowerPC applications are no longer supported after 10.6.

Application Compatibility

Applications Compatibility (2)

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Answer 4

petermac87

Level 5

7,453 points

Feb 28, 2014 2:08 PM in response to Eric Root

Eric Root wrote:

To check the model number hold down the option/alt key, go to the Apple menu and select System Information.

Neat trick! Haven't seen that one before. Much easier. Thanks

Pete

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Answer 5

ginafromapo Author

Level 1

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Feb 28, 2014 10:11 PM in response to petermac87

Thanks, everyone!

I checked & it says iMac 8,1. So I'm good to go ahead with an upgrade? If so, I'm all ears for all of the needed steps.

Thanks again!

G

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Answer 6

sberman

Level 10

273,240 points

Feb 28, 2014 10:18 PM in response to ginafromapo

Your iMac is from mid-2008 and therefore could potentially run Mavericks. See:

https://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-lookup/?search_keywords=iMac8,1

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5842

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Answer 7

Eric Root

Level 10

685,293 points

Mar 1, 2014 7:43 AM in response to ginafromapo

Buy the Snow Leopard OS (link in post above). Before doing anything to upgrade make a backup. After booting from the Snow Leopard DVD, I would run Disk Utility Repair Permissions and Repair Disk. Then as Allan posted, install Snow Leopard and update it to 10.6.8. Make sure the computer is working properly, then do another backup. Go to the App Store, download Mavericks 10.9.2, and install it. Note - the installer will self destruct after the installation, so if you want to keep a spare copy, duplicate it and move it out of the Applications folder. Run Software Update to make sure everything is up-to-date.

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Answer 8

Eric Root

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685,293 points

Mar 1, 2014 7:43 AM in response to petermac87

You are welcome.

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Answer 9

ginafromapo Author

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Mar 2, 2014 1:47 PM in response to ginafromapo

Thank you, everybody.

I think I'm reading this right, but this means I don't also have to purchase mountain lion or lion to get between snow leopard and mavericks, yes? Just double checking.

I appreciate everyone's time & help.

Gina

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