Q: I keep getting a msg " file could not be verified or is not signed" each time i try to upgrade to mavericks. any suggestions?

Have you tried downloading the Mavericks installation file each time that you tried to upgrade or are you using the same file? If the latter, I would try downloading the file again, being certaiin to Trash the 'old' file.

If that doesn't work then there may be some file that should be resident on your current system that the mavericks installer needs and cannot find. The only way that I can think you could fix that problem would be to install Lion anew annd then try the Mavericks installer again.

Clinton

Dealing with corrupted downloaded files in OS X