Q: Snowleopard 10.6.8 needs to be updated to 10.7.3 or later.

Open the Mac App Store and try downloading Mavericks. If you get told it's incompatible, choose About this Mac from the Apple menu, check if the computer has at least a Xeon or Core 2 Duo(not Core Duo) CPU and 2GB of RAM, and if it does, click here and order a download code for Lion 10.7.

Back up your data before upgrading. Mac OS X 10.7 and newer don't support PowerPC programs such as versions of Microsoft Office prior to 2008.

(107182)

Upgrading to Lion

If your computer does not meet the requirements to install Mavericks, it may still meet the requirements to install Lion.

You can purchase Lion at the Online Apple Store. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before) plus tax.  It's a download. You will get an email containing a redemption code that you then use at the Mac App Store to download Lion. Save a copy of that installer to your Downloads folder because the installer deletes itself at the end of the installation.

     Lion System Requirements

       1. Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7,

           or Xeon processor

       2. 2GB of memory

       3. OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)

       4. 7GB of available space

       5. Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

Upgrading to Mavericks

You can upgrade to Mavericks from Lion or directly from Snow Leopard. Mavericks can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for FREE.

Upgrading to Mavericks

To upgrade to Mavericks you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.8 or Lion installed. Download Mavericks from the App Store. Sign in using your Apple ID. Mavericks is free. The file is quite large, over 5 GBs, so allow some time to download. It would be preferable to use Ethernet because it is nearly four times faster than wireless.

    OS X Mavericks- System Requirements

      Macs that can be upgraded to OS X Mavericks

         1. iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 7,1 or later

         2. MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 5,1 or later

         3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later

         4. MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 2,1 or later

         5. Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later

         6. Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later

         7. Xserve (Early 2009) - Model Identifier 3,1 or later

To find the model identifier open System Profiler in the Utilities folder. It's displayed in the panel on the right.

     Are my applications compatible?

         See App Compatibility Table - RoaringApps.

BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT TO UPGRADE:

Backup or clone first.

Partition your hard drive or add an external hard drive and install Lion (or Mavericks) there.  DO NOT attempt to install Lion over Snow Leopard, as that will destroy your Snow Leopard environment.

Then use the "dual-boot" method (System Preferences:Startup DIsk) to determine which flavor of OS X (Snow Leopard or Lion) you will boot and run.

As you experiment with Lion, you will have immediate reboot access to Snow Leopard as needed.

SABERS MASTER,

why do you need to update your Snow Leopard 10.6.8 installation to Lion 10.7.3 or later?

If you have an Early 2006 MacBook Pro, then note that it  does not support running Lion or newer. Any other MacBook Pro which can run Snow Leopard can also run Lion, as long as Lion’s RAM and disk space requirements are met.

Note that Lion has to be purchased, and then downloaded through the Mac App Store. My guess is that you might have downloaded the 10.7.4 point update, which only updates 10.7.3. (Note also that the latest version of Lion is 10.7.5.)

Mavericks (OS X 10.9) does not need to be purchased, but neither Early 2006 nor Late 2006 MacBook Pros can run Mavericks; other MacBook Pros can, as long as Mavericks’ requirements are met.