Hi, Just been passed a handmedown iMAC from my son. It's on Snow Leopard (10.6.5).
Do I have to do anything special to upgrade to the latest OSX? The IMAC I'm replacing it with is on 10.9.3.
Thanks,
Steve
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.5), Upgrade from 10.6.5. to 10.9.3
Back up your data, run the 10.6.8 combo updater, check your applications for compatibility, and download Mavericks from the Mac App Store; the Mac App Store will check the hardware for compatibility before allowing the download.
Thanks Neil I thought I remembered sometimes having to do step by step upgrades in the past. or am I imagining that.
Steve
The only step you need to go through is 10.6.8. Mac OS X 10.7 and 10.8 aren't needed.
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So I should first upgrade to 10.6.8, I see that's what the combo updater you refered to is.
Then I can go straight from there to 10.9.3.
Have I understood correctly?. Sorry fro the dumb questions I'm a recent convert from the "other side" so I'm not very knowledable on the MAC.
Steve
Yes.
(107971)
Thanks again Neil. If I want to be super cautious and keep a backup of before I start this whole process do I need to do something in time machine or can I just let time machine take care of it and backup at every stage?
Steve
Back up at each stage. You may also want to use a program such as the Disk Utility, Carbon Copy Cloner, or SuperDuper to put a bootable clone on a second external drive.
(107972)
WHY do you want to upgrade away from Snow Leopard?
Is this your first Mac or are you using Mavericks on another Mac? What do you primarily want to do with your Mac; which applications do you want to use?
How experienced are you at restoring backups?
These are IMPORTANT considerations before you upgrade to Mavericks.
Maybe no good reason, just keep my other MACs up to date and just got this one from my son who doesn't. Will use this one mainly for office apps, but it has adobe master suite on it, so I will use photoshop and premiere. Also has final cut pro on it.
I haven't done anything but the upgrade to Snow leopard like Niel told me to do first.
Please tell me why I shouldn't?
Steve
Steve:
You do not mention the version numbers of the apps you use, nor the flavor of OS X you use on your other Macs.
The greatest challenge when upgrading from Snow Leopard to Mavericks is the lack of Rosetta in Mavericks. This change will dramatically eliminate your ability to use PowerPC apps natively in Mavericks; which you may not even realize you are using.
Perhaps you use Final Cut Pro X and the latest versions of Creative Suite and so the transition to Mavericks will go smoothly.
But in general, I advise:
Of course, backup or clone first.
Partition your hard drive or add an external drive and install Mavericks there. DO NOT install Mavericks over Snow Leopard, as it will destroy the Snow Leopard environment.
Dual-boot (System Preferences:Startup Disk) to determine which flavor of OS X you are using. Experiment with Mavericks, but have the instant ability to use Snow Leopard if needed.
Unless you have prior experience restoring backups (and enjoy that experience), discovering that you have an important PowerPC app or two when you realize you cannot access important data until you restore is not an enviable position to be in. Why not have the best of both world at your fingertips?
sdjordan wrote:
So I should first upgrade to 10.6.8, I see that's what the combo updater you refered to is.
Then I can go straight from there to 10.9.3.
Have I understood correctly?. Sorry fro the dumb questions I'm a recent convert from the "other side" so I'm not very knowledable on the MAC.
Steve
Hi Steve,
it is well worth keeping a copy of the downloaded Mavericks installer on your external drive or on a USB stick, as OSX download installers have the strangest nature of 'self-destructing' after install. So it will save you time and bandwidth if you wish to install Mavericks on any other machine or for a reinstall if you do have any issues, which hopefully you should not.
Cheers and good luck
Pete
So am I better just staying with Snow Leopard, I have two other MACs and a MAC mini all with Mavericks, but I wouldn't want to loose final cut pro or the Adobe suite on this machine.
Is there any advantage to changing?
I'm just used to keeping everything up to date.
Thanks,
Steve
If it ain't broke, don't fix it!
If Snow Leopard is working 100% for your needs on this Mac, just keep it on Snow Leopard.
Do you have a need for this computer to be on Mavericks? Some other software? iCloud?
I don't know if I need mavericks So I'll take your advice and stick to snow leopard. Thanks for the help. You may have saved me from a disaster.
I don't know how many times I've used the "if it ain't broke" expression with other people but I was being blinkered by a habit I got from the Microsoft world to keep up to date.
Thanks again.
Steve
Some issues going forward:
Some day you will have to upgrade, so plan for the eventuality.
Some people believe that Apple has stopped releasing security upgrades for Snow Leopard; but I am not one of them.
However, use proper prudence: to the extent that you need to use the Internet, it would probably be best to do so on your Maverick Macs. If you must read email on this Mac, do not download any attachments on this Mac.
There are others here with more information or by a search, you can read more information about safety practices on a Mac in general and on a Snow Leopard Mac in particular.
I also used to be the first on the block to upgrade to the "latest and greatest!" Now: not so much!
I am still using Lion, forced upon me when my iMac G5 failed and I purchased a 2011 Mac Mini. Since that day, I continue to use Lion and have found no reason to upgrade.
I have installed Mavericks on an external hard drive and occasionally dual-boot to it for experimentation and experience for that day when I need to use an app (or otherwise) that will require Mavericks.
I still use Snow Leopard installed in Parallels for the occasion (growing more rare) that I must run a PowerPC app.
Good luck!
Upgrade from snow leopard to mavericks
