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What's the highest version of OSX for an iMac6,1

I have an iMac6,1 and I tried to put Mavericks on it, but it said it can't be installed on this computer. Reading online, it looks like Mavericks will only go on iMac7,1 and higher. But I'm having trouble finding out what the highest version of OSX is that I can actually install on this iMac6,1. Can anyone point me to an article that shows this?

Posted on Jun 19, 2014 6:14 AM

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17 replies

Oct 18, 2017 10:56 AM in response to Jim40

Here's my extensive list of tips to maintain hard drive health of your Mac.


If you iMac is running low on storage, makes sure it isn't low because of it has a lot of data detritus on it.


Here are some general tips to keep your Mac's hard drive trim and slim as possible


You should never, EVER let a computer hard drive get completely full, EVER!


With Macs and OS X, you shouldn't let the hard drive get below 15 GBs or less of free data space.

If it does, it's time for some serious hard drive housecleaning.



Follow some of my tips for cleaning out, deleting and archiving data from your Mac's internal hard drive.



Have you emptied your Mac's Trash icon in the Dock?

If you still use iPhoto or Aperture, both have its own trash that needs to be emptied, also.

I don't use the new Photos App, so check to see if there is a trash icon or trash inside of the Photos App that you may need to empty.

If you store images in other locations other than iPhoto, then you will have to weed through these to determine what to archive and what to delete.

If you are an iMovie/ Final Cut user, both apps have their own individual Trash location that needs to be emptied, too!

If you use Apple Mail app, Apple Mail also has its own trash area that needs to be emptied, too!

Delete any old or no longer needed emails and/or archive to disc, flash drives or external hard drive, older emails you want to save.

Look through your other Mailboxes and other Mail categories to see If there is other mail you can archive and/or delete.

STAY AWAY FROM DELETING ANY FILES FROM OS X SYSTEM FOLDER!

Look through your Documents folder and delete any type of old useless type files like "Read Me" type files.

Again, archive to disc, flash drives, ext. hard drives or delete any old documents you no longer use or immediately need.

Look in your Applications folder, if you have applications you haven't used in a long time, if the app doesn't have a dedicated uninstaller, then you can simply drag it into the OS X Trash icon. IF the application has an uninstaller app, then use it to completely delete the app from your Mac.

To find other large files, download an app called Omni Disk Sweeper.


http://www.omnigroup.com/more


Also, Find Any File


http://apps.tempel.org/FindAnyFile/



If you are using OS X Time Machine for backups, make sure these backups are being stored to an externally connected hard drive for backing up data and NOT being stored on the iMac's internal hard drive.



Typically, iTunes and iPhoto/Photos app/Aperture libraries are the biggest users of HD space.

move these files/data off of your internal drive to the external hard drive and deleted off of the internal hard drive.

If you have any other large folders of personal data or projects, these should be archived or moved, also, to the optical discs, flash drives or external hard drive and then either archived to disc and/or deleted off your internal hard drive.



Moving iTunes library


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1449



Moving iPhoto/Photos/Aperture library


http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2506



Moving iMovie projects folder


http://support.apple.com/kb/ph2289




A disclaimer,

Things to consider before moving your iPhoto/Photos Library Folder to a new or external location like an external hard drive.

If you make movies on any iDevices using iMovie for iOS,, then transfer the video footage, the IOS version of iMovie saves the footage as a movie file in IPhoto/Photos for IOS and will automatically get transferred to iPhoto/Photos for the Mac when you upload the video from your iDevice.

Newer versions of iMovie will work and link those video files found in your iPhoto/Photos Library on your Mac, but those links can be lost if you move your iPhoto/Photos library and you will not be able to relink that video afterwards as the current versions of iMovie seem to not have a relink option for the video portion of the files (ironically, current versions of iMovie HAVE the ability to re-link the audio files from the video footage, though (The inability to re-link the video files could be a possible bug or oversight in current versions iMovie).

The lost video links show up as "blacked-out" video blocks with no content.



Before moving the iPhoto/Photos Library


If you make movies with iMovie using iPad or iPhone video then 'Consolidate' the files before you finish. This will gather (albeit by duplicating) all the relevant files in the project in one place. After consolidating/duplicating all of the audio and video footage to a seperate, independent location,it should be safe to move your iPhoto/Photos library.



The potential way to circumvent this issues maybe to try and import iPad and iPhoto/Photos video directly into iMovie which would be another solution.



Good Luck!

Oct 17, 2017 1:34 PM in response to rjo98

Others have replied to this post, despite it being 3.5 years old.


I have the chance of buying a 20" Intel iMac with only 1 GB RAM for £50 pounds. I have an older Power PC iMac with 4 GB RAM,the RAM is compatible with an Intel Mac.


Jim

MacBook Pro 13" Retina, MacBook Pro 15" both with 8 GB Ram. Also have 2 years old mini iPad, and am a former beta tester for Mac, and several other Mac Apps including CleanMyMac.


I used to be an Apple Authorised Technician, but the company I worked for went into liquidation, but at 76 years old

I still try to help those with Mac problems as I've been using Mac since 1992 when it was System 7.


You need to be a tad more polite.

Oct 17, 2017 2:02 PM in response to Jim40

I am an over 20 year Mac veteran.

You are clearly wrong and trying to propogate misinformation or erroneous information, at best!


I have a G4 NOT a G5 or Intel Mac and runs OS X 10.5.8 Leopard!

No problem. No hacks or tricks.

OS X 10.5 Leopard was THE last “universal” OS X version to work on both PowerPC AND Intel CPU Macs.


RAM from a PowerPC Mac is NOT compatible with Intel Macs, either!


AND CleanMyMac is considered in these forums, by more experienced Mac users than I, to be total garbage software!

Never, EVER to be installed and used on a Mac!



You MUST use THE EXACT RAM that your model iMac is spec'd for.

and reliable Mac RAM can ONLY be purchased from online Mac RAM sources Crucial memory (crucial .com) or OWC, aka, Other World Computing (macsales.com).

When buying RAM for Macs from Crucial memory, purchase ONLY directly from the Crucial memory website. NOT from some other online source.


What is the year of this 20 inch screen Intel iMac?

Oct 18, 2017 4:48 AM in response to MichelPM

Hello Michael,


You are trying to teach your granny to suck eggs ! Apple Support advised me that my old 1999 iMac with Power PC would only run on OS X 10.4.11. I tried upgrading it to OS X 5.xx, but the installer wouldn't allow me to do so. As it was

knackered any way, won't boot from internal drive nor a cloned copy, using Carbon Copy Cloner.


The memory in my old Mac is the same as that in the iMac Intel. In the UK, Apple use either Amsys or Group 8 for

Applecare repairs. They fitted the last memory on this MacBookPro when it was in for an AppleCare.


Question: Each time you try a new app, then decide you don't need it. Dragging the app to the trash doesn't get rid of the DNS cache, run maintenance scripts, rebuild launch scripts or plists. Over time not running CleanMyMac would soon take valuable disk space as my MacBookPro Retina only has a 256 GB SSD. Perhaps you're confusing this with Mac Keeper, to be avoided at all costs, as it puts malware on your system. I have always bought my RAM in the past from Crucial Online store with no problems. Despite Macs not having a virus yet, except for a Trojan Horse. one day. some sicko will crack the code and Mac will get a virus. Believing in the adage "better to be safe than sorry" I use Norton Internet Security, works on Mac or PC running Windows. Where I live my broadband is on about 14-15 MB. Close to us is large caravan site with restaurant, bar, swimming pool, ten pin bowling etc, The site owner is a friend of mine, so if there is a major download, it s usually boy 4-5 GB. The site has fast broadband around 55 GB, but is an insecure site so I use a VPN called Norton Wi-Fi Privacy. Norton/ Symantec has been producing software for Mac, so is reliable. It changes randomly my IP address, so can't be traced. I also have my Mac Firewall on, and set to stealth mode.


The 20" Mac is 4-5 years old. I need to check it's age with MachineProfile which lists all Macs since the first one. A neighbour of mine lost her husband recently, and his wife has no idea about computers. She advertised it in our communal lounge notice board at £50.00, so told her to hold it for me, whilst I check it out


I don't intend to continue into protracted discussion on this matter, will accept one further reply, which I may or may not answer.


Have a nice day, the hurricane missed us, thanks to Ireland and today is warm and sunny.


JimA1

Oct 18, 2017 11:04 AM in response to Jim40

If you had a 1999 PowerMac (probably a G3 model) that could run up to OS X 10.4.11 Tiger, you were lucky.

Most of the PowerMacs from th1990's could only go up to OS X 10.3.9 Panther.

I still have a heavily modified beige PowerMac G3 with a third party 1.0 Ghz CPU installed (I STILL have this) and it and added GPU and ports cards that could only manage to run decent on OS X 10.3.9 Panther.

That beige desktop Mac ran very well on OS X 10.2.8 Jaguar.

My 2003 silver “toy box-like designed” Power Mac G4 MDD (Mirror Drive Door Model) ran the max OS X for ANY later PowerPC model and that is OS X 10.5.8 Leopard.

That was my last PowerPC Mac. I modified that Power Mac with a 256 GBs GPU card upgrade, WiFi card upgrade and additional ports card upgrades and a slot cooling fan to keep this PowerMac running as cool as possible.

That was my main work PowerMac G4 until 2011.

Even later G5 models could not go beyond OS X 10.5.8 Leopard.


Again, Memory modules in older PowerPC Macs were NOT interchageable in Intel Macs and could not have been used, no matter what you remember.

Intel Macs used higher speed and frequency RAM than older PowerPC Macs. This simply isn't possible.



Totally get rid of and “properly” uninstall CleanMyMac per the developer's uninstall instructions!!!

It is just as bad, and in some cases, even WORSE than MacKeeper!


Apps like MacKeeper or any other maintenance apps like CleanMyMac 1 or 2, Dr. Clean, TuneUpMyMac, Mac Optimise, MacCleanse, Memory Clean, App Cleaner/Zapper, etc. or anything like these apps, installed on your Mac, while they appear to be helpful, can do too good a job of data "cleanup" causing the potential to do serious data corruption or data deletion and render a perfectly running OS completely dead and useless leaving you with a frozen, non-functional Mac.

Plus, these type of apps aren't really necessary.

They really aren't.

The are manual methods to clear off unnecessary data off of your Mac that are safer and you have complete control over your Mac and not just leave a piece of auto cleaning software in charge of clearing off data off of your Mac.

Their potential of causing OS X issues outweighs the implied good and benefits these types of hard drive or memory "cleaning" apps are written to do.

These types of "cleaning" Applications are useless and really scams to rob newbie and novice Mac users of their hard earned cash for a poorly coded/developed application that will cause a LOT more harm than the good the developer of these apps claim/portends the apps will do.

Plus, the software companies that write these apps make it hard to easily uninstall these apps if something DOES go wrong and these apps work in a way where you have no recovery or revert function to return your Mac back to its former, working state in the event something does go wrong.

It is best to never, EVER download and install these types of apps.

The risk to your system and data is too great a risk!



Also, if your Mac is running OS X and you are using AntiVirus software, get rid of it/properly uninstall per the software manufacturers instructions!

OS X doesn't need AntiVirus software and AND most of the commercially available Antivirus packages have a severe negative performance impact on the OS X/macOS system!

The ONLY minimally system invasive Antivirus software that I use and recommend is ClamXAV.


https://www.clamxav.com/


Good Luck to You.

Jun 19, 2014 6:26 AM in response to John Galt

You can upgrade your iMac to Lion.

US:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion

UK:

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/D6106ZM/A/os-x-lion


Mac OS X 10.7 "Lion" System Requirements


  • Mac with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon CPU

    Core Duo CPUs are not sufficient for Lion

  • 2GB of memory (RAM)
  • Mac OS X 10.6.8 "Snow Leopard" already installed (update any 10.6.x version to 10.6.8)

Jun 19, 2014 6:29 AM in response to rjo98

Can you post the exact specs of your 2006 iMac model?

The early 2006 models could only take 2.0 GBs of RAM.

Later 2006 model iMacs could take 4 GBs of RAM, but a little over 3 GBs of the 4 can only be recognized.

If your 2006 iMac has a Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, then you can purchase for $20 U.S.D. a install code for installing OS X 10.7 Lion.

If your 2006 only has a Core Duo CPU, then the highest OS X version is OS X 10,6.8 Snow Leopard.


OS X Lion system requirements

To use Lion, make sure your computer has the following:

  • An Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon processor
  • Mac OS X v10.6.6 or later to install via the Mac App Store (v10.6.8 recommended)
  • 7 GB of available disk space
  • 2 GB of RAM

Even if your iMac meets the minimum requirements for OS X 10.7 Lion, I would not advise updating as 3 GBs of RAM is really not sufficient RAM to run 10.7 with acceptable performance levels.

Your 2006 iMac is better off just staying on OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard.

If you want to run a more recent version of OS X, you are going to have to consider purchasing a new Mac or a "newer", used Mac that has better specs and more RAM capability to run the newer versions of OS X.

What's the highest version of OSX for an iMac6,1

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