Can I still download Mavericks?

If you bought a used Mac and the seller updated it by installing an OS from the app store, he should have wiped the disk and reinstalled the original OS. Why? Because the license is for the Apple ID used to obtain it only - it is not transferable and is tied to the original Apple ID.

So, unless yours came with Mavericks, you will need the install disks to wipe the drive and reinstall that first. Contact the seller - he is also supposed to give you the disks. If it came with Mavericks, you can use internet recovery (hold Command + Option + R keys at boot up; when connected to Apple's servers which can take quite a while, use Disk utility to erase the hard drive and then reinstall). Then you can update using your own Apple ID at the app store.

how do I buy a new mavericks copy

I want to start fresh. The seller was on Craigslist and the number is disconnected

Mavericks is not available for sale; the only way to get it is if you downloaded it before - then it will be listed in your Purchases at the app store. Or, if it was the original OS on the computer.

So, exactly what model/year is your machine (so we can figure out which OS it came with originally)?

you mean to tell me, apple, the company that sent me a $800 dollar power supply unit FOR FREE on my g4 when it had the wind tunnel problem doesnt have the mavericks operating system for me to download?

This defies logic. things break, I need to be able to fix things when they break

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Yes, if you had installed Mavericks or were the original owner, you would be able to "fix things" - as it is, according to the licensing agreement, you are, through no fault of your own, running an OS version which is not licensed to you. And that is why you can't just download it easily - unfortunately, that is how the download only OS licensing works.

So, what year/model machine is it?

what a nightmare. I have a macbookpro 2007, that needs a new OS, that I cant get because apple wont let me.

to bad they dont mention this when apples are sold second hand...

BUYERS BEWARE!!!!

Buyers beware of what? That the seller didn't tell you everything a buyer should know, and apparently didn't include the original disks? That's hardly Apple's fault. Unless you think there's some magical way Apple can tell a particular Mac is about to be sold?

A 2007 MacBook Pro is compatible with all versions of OS X up to El Capitan, though you can no longer get Mavericks or Yosemite.

Your Mac originally came with Leopard, 10.4.x. If the seller no longer has the original disks, the good news is you don't need them. It's cheaper to purchase a retail copy of Snow Leopard. The only difference there is the retail disk will not include the bundled iLife software that would be on the original gray disks the MacBook Pro came with.

Once you have the Snow Leopard disk, boot to the DVD and wipe the drive. Then install Snow Leopard. Once that's installed, download and install the 10.6.8 Combo Updater. That will get the App Store on your drive. Login to your App Store account if you have one, or create one if you don't.

From there, you can purchase Lion 10.7.x, or Mountain Lion 10.8.x. Or, jump all the way to El Capitan 10.11.x for free.

Check to see how much RAM is installed. The default configuration was 2 GB, which is the absolute bare minimum to run El Capitan, and will run very slow on that. You will want to upgrade the RAM to that Mac's maximum of 6 GB. Crucial or Other World Computing are reliable places to get RAM.

Your comments were already addressed, but just want to reinforce:

It is the seller's obligation to ready the Mac in order to sell it; as for the buyers: they need to be aware of the licensing terms and laws as well and ask the seller specific questions; the software developer has nothing to do with it at that point. In fact, before installing any software including an OS, everyone is asked to agree to the terms - that is where all this stuff is and it's very beneficial to actually read them before agreeing to them.

Buyer beware and user beware. I say user because i have used logic and final cut for over a decade and just finding a stable o.s to use and being able to redownload has become a huge issue.

I always thought there was a department in apple whos job it would be to find creative ways to ruin creativity

No apple products are not marketed towards professional people because we have been left out in the cold

Windows is no different. You can't expect an app written for XP to run well, or at all in Windows 10. Apple has always pushed forward to improve the hardware and the OS to be what they believe is the best they can offer. It is, as it always has been (again, both Mac and Windows), for vendors to use the beta period to test their software and make sure it's compatible with the official release. Either by way of a free update, or if there's too much work involved to give that development time away for free, charge for an upgrade. OS X is Apple's software and they can do whatever they darn well want with it. Developer's have almost a full year of pre-release versions to work with. If their software is still incompatible upon the actual release of a new OS, that's their fault, not Apple's.

No Apple products for professionals? Then please explain how I'm getting all of my professional work done in the Adobe CC suite, Quark XPress, Office 2016, and over a dozen other apps we use for our small business.

Humberto Fernandez wrote:

Buyer beware and user beware. I say user because i have used logic and final cut for over a decade and just finding a stable o.s to use and being able to redownload has become a huge issue.

I always thought there was a department in apple whos job it would be to find creative ways to ruin creativity

No apple products are not marketed towards professional people because we have been left out in the cold

Buyer & user are both you in this case - will you accept any responsibility for your own actions?

Apple are not the seller in this case - they have nothing to do with the Craigslist user who appears to have taken your money & run.

'Buyer beware' is your responsibility. You have my sympathy but you appear to be laying the blame on everyone else whilst failing to acknowledge that youdecided to purchase this Mac. You also failed or overlooked the fact that it had no original install disks & didn't investigate how to download or purchase Mac OS's prior to making this transaction.

I'm willing to agree that Apple often makes choices that cause us all problems. Bear in mind you purchased a Mac that is around 8 years old - why on earth would Apple want to support that (the warranty ran out years ago)? They do still allow you to download the older software updates for the original OS so it is not completely abandoned. For what it is worth I have older Macs still running OS X fine, you just need some knowledge & the correct software to make them work (assuming there are no hardware issues).

Apple products are not marketed towards professionals, you are making that assumption, they are marketed towards everyone who will buy them (or show me the Apple advertising that is aimed at 'pros'). Apple do not support the second hand market - that means you are not in their target audience if you buy old Macs & run old software - sorry that is just how it is.

If you wan't help, just ask but blaming others for your own mistakes is not getting your problem fixed.

I bought an apple that was 8 years old, and apple has abandoned its own product. Thats just barberic and its not the same company that would bend over backwards to fix issues. that is what apple use to do, bend over backwards for its customers.

now they only care about selling iphones.

let me tell you something, anyone whos does any kind of proffesional work in audio or video and who has been using apple products for at least a decade will tell you if it aint broke, dont fix it. because apple updates break more things on the audio video side then they fix...

As a logic user who used logic on a PC I was forced to buy a mac if I wanted to keep using the program I had invest time and money in once apple bought logic.

apple then proceeded to destory logic and its userbase by stopping the support for VST pluggins in favor for its untested audio unit format

after 10 years I tell you there was no difference its just the same thing with a differnt extension, yet it ruined the user base.

so much no I tell people DO NOT INVEST TIME OR MONEY IN AN APPLE BRANDED PRODUCT.

honestly if it wasnt for logic I wouldnt even use or want an apple computer. I tell everyone to use adobe products for video because its a more professional program which works on windows and mac

so what plugins work where and in what operating system is IMPORTANT and if you cant get an operating system, from the richest company in the world, then that company doesnt honor its products. why invest time or money if your going to get left out in the cold?

I bought an apple that was 8 years old, and apple has abandoned its own product

Any computer or, for that matter, anything electronic, is outdated when you walk out the door of the place where you just bought it or, at the latest, within 6 months to a year. That is because all of them continuously come out with better, faster, whatever products. It's the economy - in the US it is consumer spending based, so things have a certain life expectancy and they want you to spend more money to buy a new one.

Personally, I would never buy any 8 year old computer as it is so outdated - slow, older processor, older graphics card, and so on and so forth - and there is no manufacturer who will support an 8 year old electronic device of any flavor. I have purchased computers that were 1 - 2 years old, but only as factory refurbished directly from Apple. They carry the same warranty as a new one and you can buy the extended Applecare plan. In fact, I bought a late 2012 top of the line iMac at the Apple refurb store and, with Applecare, I am covered until early 2018. That means they will either repair or replace until then; after that, I'd be on my own. However, I usually sell mine before the Applecare is up because you get a much better price for it as the buyer can get things fixed free of charge until it expires.

Ya' Know?

Get that chip off of your shoulder!

Why do you need OS X 10.9 Mavericks, so bad?

Does the Audio and video software you want to use or already own run on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion instead of OS X 10.9 Mavericks?

I am still using older versions of iMovie, Logic Express and Final Cut Express on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.

These all worked in 10.9 Mavericks, but iMovie '06 HD and Final Cut Express weren't as stable on OS X 10.9 Mavericks.

They all run fine on 10.8 Mountain Lion.

I do some "semi-professional" video work still using these older programs on a newer version of OS X.

OS X 10.8 is only $20 U.S.D...

What is the problem with using 10.8?

What is all your rant and raving really about here.

I used to be a full time professional designer and illustrator and I work with an iMac much newer than yours to do proefessional level work!

Apple caters to more potential consumer level Mac buyers, now, but they still produce Macs that you can get options that cater toward more of the professional, working user, too!

I don't feel like Apple has abandoned me, at all!

Another thing that was already mentioned,

If you are a professional as you claim to be why oh why on planet Earth would you purchase a nearly 9 year old MacBook Pro?

You could've purchase any more recent Mac with a LOT more CPU, GPU and RAM power/resources for doing professional audio/video work than something 9 years old.

Anything from late 2009 on would have much more computing power and resources needed for the professional level work you do.

Why would you purchase a Mac that would kinda of cripple your professional work efforts and work flow?

since buying my 1st apple, which was a power mac g4, because I had no choice if I wanted to keep using logic, I had already invested THOUSANDS of dollars in VST plugins, its been a nightmare of an experience with apple,from the VST to AU switch, which took years, ruined my experience...apple buys logic, stops supporting VST, makes to be able to use them...

, my g4 had a sound problem, the power supply fans where to load, people complained, and steve jobs, god rest his soul, sent every person who had a problem with the apple a new $600 power supply...free....this was when steve jobs was alive,

now, you cant even get on old operating system...this company has deteriorated from its former self. it now only cares about selling iphones is my point

why are you investing time in apple branded software, when you could use a more professional version of a program like adobe, where even someone with a PC could start working cutting or color grading film

audio and video systems have ALWAYS been very fragile. and being able to get an older operating system, from the richest company in the world, should not be a problem. This is why I post a BUYER, and USER BEWARE...

and if you dont know how important getting an old operating system is, then you dont know how major studios run in the world. they dont stay on the bleeding edge, if everything works they wont update....

and all this about old macs, I been using macs for 3 decades and I can tell you even macs 8 years old are powerful enough to run today and tomorrows operating system. I dont want a new mac and I refuse to buy a new mac, because you cant put OLD operating systems on NEW macs...very very unprofessional and also a BUYER BEWARE for that

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