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Update Mac os x 10.6.8 to 10.9

Hi,


I want to update my iMac with 10.6.8 to Mavericks 10.9. Unfortunately Mavericks isn't available any more in the Mac App Store. Is there any possibility to update the iMac to MAvericks 10.9 without loosing any Data and without installing the complete System new ?


Thanks for your Help


Rottman57

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jan 3, 2015 9:32 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jan 3, 2015 9:35 AM

NO. OS X 10.9 is not available from Apple any longer.


I strongly suggest you NOT try to get it from non-Apple sources.


Barry

18 replies

Jan 3, 2015 9:35 AM in response to Rottman57

If you did not previously purchase Mavericks from the app store, then you can not upgrade to Mavericks at all any more. It's no longer available.


I don't see what "installing the complete System new" has to do with anything at all... As for losing data, you should be backing up on a regular basis... If you have a good backup, then data loss shouldn't be an issue. You can always restore the data if needed.

Jan 3, 2015 1:40 PM in response to Rottman57

Before embarking on a major OS upgrade, it would be wise, advisable and very prudent if you backup your current system to an external connected and Mac formatted Flash drive OR externally connected USB, Thunderbolt or FireWire 800, Mac formatted hard drive. Then, use either OS X Time Machine app to backup your entire system to the external drive OR purchase, install and use a data cloning app, like CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper, to make an exact and bootable copy (clone) of your entire Mac's internal hard drive. This step is really needed in case something goes wrong with the install of the new OS or you simply do not like the new OS, you have a very easy way/procedure to return your Mac to its former working state.

Then, determine if your Mac meets ALL minimum system install requirements.


OS X Lion system requirements

Purchased emailed download code here.


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

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

To install OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.9 Mavericks (currently unavailable) or OS X 10.10 Yosemite.you need one of these Macs:

OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion purchased emailed download code here.

http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion

iMac (Mid-2007 or later)

MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)

MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later),

MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later)

MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)

Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)

Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)

Xserve (Early 2009)

Your Mac also needs:

OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard v10.6.8 already installed

2 GB or more of memory (I strongly advise, at least, 4 GBs of RAM or more)

8 GB or more of available space

Next,

If you run any older Mac software from the earlier PowerPC Macs, then none of this software will work with the newer OS X versions (10.7 and onward). OS X Snow Leopard had a magical and invisible PowerPC emulation application, called Rosetta, that worked seamlessly in the background that still allowed older PowerPC coded software to still operate in a Intel CPU Mac.

The use of Rosetta ended with OS X Snow Leopard as the Rosetta application was licensed to Apple, from a software company called Transitive, which got bought out, I believe, by IBM and Appe could no longer secure their rights to continue to use Rosetta in later versions of OS X.


So, you would need to check to see if you have software on your Mac that maybe older than, say, 2006 or older.


Also, check for app compatibilty here.


http://roaringapps.com/

If you have any commercial antivirus installed and/or hard drive cleaning apps installed on your Mac, like MacKeeper, CleanMyMac, TuneUpMyMac, MacCleanse, etc. now would be a good time to completely uninstall this apps by doing a Google search to learn how to properly uninstall these types of apps.

These types of apps will only cause your Mac issues later after the install of the new OS X version and you will have to completely uninstall these types of apps later.

Once you have determined all of this, you should be able to find the latest versions of OS X by clicking on the Mac App Store icon in the OS X Dock and then login to the Mac App Store using your Apple ID and password and if you purchased a download code, input that code.

You can then begin the download and installation process of installing the newer versions of OS X from the Mac App Store.

Jul 11, 2015 1:58 PM in response to MichelPM

I have a question related to the first one.


I read in a previous thread that someone installed Yosemite and it copied her IPhoto pics but not their organization (in their case, by date), leaving a huge mess. If one had a good backup, which I think I do (Time Machine on an external drive), could one just re-install the backed-up I Photo library, but not everything else?


Also, I've looked but haven't ever found any kind of handbook or guide for using Time Machine. How does one learn about it? I just poke randomly at buttons and figure out the obvious stuff, every time I need something.

Jul 12, 2015 5:53 AM in response to BeaKaaye

You are incorrect in your information.

It is the NEW Photos app that destroys some of the iPhoto library data when converting the library to be compatible with the new Photos app.

If you previously downloaded the last iPhoto update (which is no longer available from the Mac App Store), then iPhoto continues to work with Yosemite and you can choose to continue to use iPhoto instead of the new Photos app.

If you don't have the last update of iPhoto, any other version of iPhoto will no longer work with Yosemite.

My advice would be to keep the current OS X version and iPhoto version you are using.

Make a duplicate version of your current iPhoto library as you will have another duplicate folder to use with the new Photos app in Yosemite and you won,t destroy the library you are currently using with iPhoto.

Your only other option would be to install either Yosemite to another location like another external hard drive OR clone (copy) your entire, current system and data to another external hard drive using my previously mention techniques using my stated options for data cloning software.

Nov 12, 2015 6:54 PM in response to MichelPM

Outstanding MichelPM!!! I copied and saved your info. You're just the kind of guy/gal I could learn a great deal from, I'm entirely new to Apple. ****, I don't even know what it means to backup. Would you answer just one Q? I purchased an older MacBook. Does that mean I can't run OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion? I currently run 10.7.5 Lion. Not sure what specs are relevant but it's a white, early 2008, MacBook 4.1, model MB402LL/A. I did upgrade to 4GB of RAM. The reason I ask is, it's running poorly, VERY poorly. It's very slow and it crashes. And I just can't afford a new one or an expensive tech 'overhaul'. I did have someone do a quick eval and was told I have excessive malware/virus problem. And I've found (from malwarebytes.org) a free malware and virus removal software that I really want to try because this runs THAT bad and it may die completely soon. But it requires that I have 10.8 or newer. I'll have to take a chance when I upgrade to 10.8 without backing up because…well to be honest, I have no idea the steps to take to accomplish a back up. But I think this will just stop running completely soon if I don't get it "cleaned up" at least a little. So again, my machine (as it stands) really won't run 10.8? I don't want to waste $20.00.


Thank you in advance for any help you would offer,

Scott

Nov 12, 2015 8:03 PM in response to scotti203

I think I did a very good job explaining how to do a backup and you REALLY should have/NEED a backup of your computer if you have important data that you can't afford to lose.

Did you fully read me previous post?

The first paragraph covers the backup options and details pretty well.

Your computer NEEDS to have a backup!!!

Computers and hard drives CAN and DO fail at ANY TIME and at the worst possible time!

Without it, you WILL lose ALL your precious and important data.

GET A BACKUP STRATEGY ASAP! The sooner the better!


Your year and model MacBook is runnng the latest OS X version it can, 10.7.5 Lion.

Your MacBook is NOT capable of going any farther with OS X updates.

Your MacBook CAN take more than 4 GBs of RAM. The max. is 6 GBs.

Found here.


http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/5300DDR2S6GP/


You replace one of the 2 GB RAM modules with a 4 GB one for a total of 6 GBs of RAM.


If your MacBook is running slow, run etrecheck diagnostic app and paste its output here in another new thread.

Do this before running the malware removal tool from malwarebytes.


http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck

Apr 28, 2016 7:52 PM in response to Rottman57

Why is Mavericks no longer available for download? when I try to install it says to get a new copy from the App store, but cant find it.

I have a variety of macs and MUST use Mavericks to be able to to access my drives with elCapitan. El cappitan does not work with my professioanl software. I need mavericks. If I use Snow Leopard , I cannot access my El capitan drives.

Why is Mavericks not available anymore????

Apr 29, 2016 12:11 AM in response to Pierre Godin

Because Apple decided to no longer make it available, that's why.

Some regular contributors here have suggested you go to a local Apple Store and ask the Geniuses there if they have access to copies of OS X10.9 Mavericks that can be install on customers' computers if they need that version.

So, you could try that option.

Make sure you have a proper backup of your computer and data before doing this, if this turns out to be possible.


Can any or all of your older software run on OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

Apple still has OS X 10.8 available for download from the Mac App Store using a special pay download code you input into the store to get to the Mountain Lion download/ install in the store.

You purchase the special download code for OS X 10.8 from here.


http://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion


Good Luck!

Apr 29, 2016 1:08 AM in response to Pierre Godin

I have another question for you, also.

I still use Snow Leopard and I have El Capitán on an external FireWire hard drive and I can see that drive, as well as as all of the data on that drive for El Capitán.

What exactly can't your Mac see of your El Cap install from OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard?

In OS X Snow Leopard, If you go into the Finder Preferences, and make sure in the Devces list, make sure hard disks, Extenal disks and CD/DVDs are all checked, you should be able to see your El Cap partition or drive and access it from OS X Snow Leopard.

Apr 29, 2016 5:47 AM in response to Pierre Godin

Pierre Godin wrote:

Why is Mavericks no longer available for download? when I try to install it says to get a new copy from the App store, but cant find it.

Based on your wording, it sounds like you had previously downloaded Mavericks. If that is the case, then you should be able to re-download a copy from your App Store -> Purchased tab.

User uploaded file

Using the same Apple ID that was originally used to download Mavericks.


If your Mac was manufactured with Mavericks, you should be able to re-install via Network Recovery

<OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support>


After that you can ask a Apple Store Genius Bar if they will install Mavericks (this is NOT a sure thing, but it is possible).

Update Mac os x 10.6.8 to 10.9

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