I'm running 10.6.8 on an older MacBook Pro (about 6-7 years old)... should I upgrade to the newest OS? Will it run adequately on the older hardware? Has anyone had issues with a similar upgrade? Or should I just wait and buy a new Mac? Thanks!
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
It very much depends on your exact MBP variant. The very first ones cannot run any OS higher than 10.6.8; others are limited to 10.7.5.
Please do this:
1) Click and hold your Apple menu.
2) While holding, press the OPTION key on your keyboard.
3) The top item, normally "ABout this Mac," will change to "System Profiler." Launch it.
In Profiler's main screen you will find this:
Note that I have indicated a code with the red arrow. Please post what code your computer reports in teh same location.
Also please tell us what that screen shows for "Memory" (in the example above it is 2GB, between "L2 Cache" and "Bus Speed'). Newer OS versions can require more RAM (memory) for proper performance.
With those two pieces of information we can advise you on potential upgrade paths.
If you upgrade the OS X version then consider maximizing the RAM and replacing your HDD with a SSD. These hardware improvements will assure you of the best performance. You can peruse the links below to get an idea of the cost involved which may or may not be a factor.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Apple_MacBook_MacBook_Pro/Upgrade
If you install Lion or later, some of your third party applications may no longer work. PPC applications are nor supported on the newer OSXs. Unless you need Lion or later for some specific reason, remaining with Snow Leopard probably is a good option. It still is the most efficient OSX from Apple.
Ciao.
Hey Allan,
Thank you!!!! The model identifier is MacBookPro 5,2. Memory is 4 GB.
Some context may help here too... I'm writing my dissertation (wish me luck) and my beloved Mac has been running slow and, literally, hot! It's also been loud. I'm a bit freaked out because while I could probably afford to get a new computer, I don't have time for the disruption nor do I have the cognitive energies to figure it out right now. I need to hammer out three more chapters between now and April. I've run a diagnostic and the disk is running fine (so says Disk Utility), but I suspect there's something wrong given the speed issues and frequent crashes (oh, and my optic drive died a few months back too). I know Word uses a lot of memory, but so much that the computer actually runs hot? I even considered the possibility that I might have a virus (long shot), but Norton isn't available for my OS (it's too old), which is what prompted my upgrade query. Oh, and I'm backing up often (using Time Machine), so my work is saved if something bad should happen.
Given these considerations, can I upgrade with minimal disruptions? Will things like Word/Office 2011 work okay? Assuming my hardware can handle the upgrade, of course. Or should I press on, as is with 10.6.8, finish the dissertation, and reward myself at graduation with a new computer?
I really appreciate your comments and suggestions! Thank you!!!!!! 🙂
Checking links now... It's good to know that I have some options! Thanks!
WHOA!!! If you are writing your dissertation, I wouldn't change anything right now, and I'd be hyper-zealous about making backups!! 😮
Your report of heat concerns me a bit. I use Office 2008 (runs fine under Yosemite) and I do not see temp increases. I have two temp monitoring systems: software and direct measurement of exhaust air, so I am very aware of what activities heat up my computer. Upgrading the OS will not eliminate overheating issues caused by hardware problems or incompatible software, and could make it worse!
There is a good chance we can find a known heat producer from something you can easily do at your end. Please download and install this free utility:
http://www.etresoft.com/etrecheck
It is secure and written by one of our most valued members to allow users to show details of their computer's configuration in Apple Support Communities without revealing any sensitive personal data.
Run the program and click the "Copy report to clipboard" button when it displays the results. Then return here and paste the report into a response to your initial post. It can often show if any harmful files/programs are dragging down your performance or creating heat.
Also see this Apple article on diagnosing short battery life and overheating:
Anti-virus and third-party "maintenance" software can run up the temps, as can the basically useless software that comes with many external hard drives. The Etrecheck utility will flag those for us.
I am a magazine writer and need my files backed up plus available from different devices. My local backup is an external hard drive controlled by Time Machine. For online backup, I use Dropbox; unlike many such schemes (Carbonite; Google Drive: MS OneDrive) it does not tax your system resources. With DropBox I can access docs started on my iMac from my MacBook Pro and even my iPad as long as I am somewhere with internet access.
Hey Allan,
Thanks, again, for your help! Here's the report:
EtreCheck version: 2.1.8 (121)
Report generated February 21, 2015 1:06:45 PM CST
Download EtreCheck from http://etresoft.com/etrecheck
Hardware Information: ℹ️
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Mid 2009) (Technical Specifications)
MacBook Pro - model: MacBookPro5,2
1 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU: 2-core
4 GB RAM
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1067 MHz ok
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: en1: 802.11 a/b/g/n
Battery Health: Check Battery - Cycle count 50
Video Information: ℹ️
NVIDIA GeForce 9600M GT - VRAM: 512 MB
spdisplays_display_connector
spdisplays_display_connector
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M - VRAM: 256 MB
Color LCD 1920 x 1200
spdisplays_display_connector
System Software: ℹ️
Mac OS X 10.6.8 (10K549) - Time since boot: 23:45:51
Disk Information: ℹ️
ST9500420ASG disk0 : (465.76 GB)
- (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
BCO Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.76 GB (181.21 GB free)
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GS21N
USB Information: ℹ️
Apple Inc. Built-in iSight
TEAM USB_DRIVE 1.9 GB
BCO 2 FLASH (disk2s1) /Volumes/BCO 2 FLASH : 2.04 GB (1.46 GB free)
EPSON USB2.0 MFP(Hi-Speed)
Canon,Inc. D1300 Series
LaCie Porsche Desktop for Mac 3.64 TB
- (disk1s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
LaCie 4T Drive (disk1s2) /Volumes/LaCie 4T Drive : 4.00 TB (3.30 TB free)
Apple, Inc. Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
PixArt USB Optical Mouse
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Kernel Extensions: ℹ️
/Applications/LaCie Desktop Manager.app
[not loaded] com.LaCie.ScsiType00 (1.2.13 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.jmicron.driver.jmPeripheralDevice (2.0.4) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.lacie.driver.LaCie_RemoteComms (1.0.1 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.oxsemi.driver.OxsemiDeviceType00 (1.28.13 - SDK 10.5) [Click for support]
/Applications/Shhh, don't tell The Man/Toast 9 Titanium/Toast Titanium.app
[not loaded] com.elgato.driver.Pluto2 (1.1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.roxio.BluRaySupport (1.1.6) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.roxio.TDIXController (1.7) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions
[not loaded] com.Belcarra.iokit.USBLAN_netpart (2.0.2) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.Belcarra.iokit.USBLAN_usbpart (2.0.2) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.RemoteControl.USBLAN.usbpart (2.0.6) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.avid.driver.Avid_SCSI (1.2.0) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.avid.driver.Avid_SCSI_RBC (1.2.0) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.fwfamily.driver (8.0.0d1) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.digidesign.iokit.DigiDal (8.0.0d1) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.digidesign.iokit.DigiIO (8.0.0d1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.mbox2.boot.driver (8.0.0d1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.digidesign.mbox2.driver (8.0.0d1) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.macally.driver.iMediaKey (2.0) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.olympus.DSSBlockCommandsDevice (1.3.0) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.master (5.7) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.kext.prl_hid_hook (6.0 12106.692267) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.kext.prl_hypervisor (6.0 12106.692267) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.kext.prl_netbridge (6.0 12106.692267) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.kext.prl_usb_connect (6.0 12106.692267) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.kext.prl_vnic (6.0 12106.692267) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.sophos.kext.sav (9.0.11 - SDK 10.7) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.sophos.nke.swi (9.0.3 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.techsmith.TACC (1.0.2 - SDK 10.8) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.tomtom.driver.UsbEthernetGadget (1.0.0d1) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions/Belcarra.USBLAN_netpart.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[not loaded] com.belcarra.iokit.netpart.panther (1.6.1) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions/Belcarra.USBLAN_usbpart.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[not loaded] com.belcarra.iokit.usbpart.panther (1.6.1) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions/PACESupportFamily.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.leopard (5.7) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.panther (5.7) [Click for support]
[loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.snowleopard (5.7) [Click for support]
[not loaded] com.paceap.kext.pacesupport.tiger (5.7) [Click for support]
/System/Library/Extensions/RemoteControl.USBLAN_usbpart.kext/Contents/PlugIns
[not loaded] com.RemoteControl.USBLAN.panther (1.6.1) [Click for support]
Startup Items: ℹ️
Digidesign Mbox 2: Path: /Library/StartupItems/Digidesign Mbox 2
DigidesignLoader: Path: /Library/StartupItems/DigidesignLoader
PACESupport: Path: /Library/StartupItems/PACESupport
Qmaster: Path: /Library/StartupItems/Qmaster
WDBMService: Path: /Library/StartupItems/WDBMService
Startup items are obsolete in OS X Yosemite
Problem System Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[not loaded] org.samba.winbindd.plist [Click for support]
Launch Agents: ℹ️
[not loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.adobe.CS4ServiceManager.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[loaded] com.adobe.CS5ServiceManager.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.intego.backupassistant.agent.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.parallels.desktop.launch.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.parallels.vm.prl_pcproxy.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.uiserver.plist [Click for support]
[running] jp.co.canon.CUPSFAX.BG.plist [Click for support]
[running] jp.co.canon.CUPSPS2.BG.plist [Click for support]
[running] jp.co.canon.UFR2.BG.plist [Click for support]
Launch Daemons: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.SwitchBoard.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.versioncueCS4.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.digidesign.fwfamily.helper.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.intego.BackupAssistant.daemon.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.parallels.desktop.launchdaemon.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.autoupdate.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.configuration.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.intercheck.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.notification.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.scan.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.sxld.plist [Click for support]
[running] com.sophos.webd.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] PACESupport.plist [Click for support]
User Launch Agents: ℹ️
[loaded] com.adobe.AAM.Updater-1.0.plist [Click for support]
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.amazon.cloud-player.plist [Click for support] [Click for details]
[running] com.amazon.music.plist [Click for support]
[failed] com.apple.CSConfigDotMacCert-@me.com-SharedServices.Agent.plist [Click for details]
User Login Items: ℹ️
GetBackupAgent Application (/Applications/Shhh)
iTunesHelper UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)
Alert Application (/Library/Receipts/FinalCutPro.pkg/Contents/Resources/Alert.app)
Caffeine Application (/Applications/Caffeine.app)
EEventManager Application Hidden (/Applications/Epson Software/Event Manager.app/Contents/Resources/Assistants/Event Manager/EEventManager.app)
iMediaKeyHelper Application (/Applications/iMediaKey.app/Contents/Resources/iMediaKeyHelper.app)
Adobe Bridge CS5 UNKNOWN Hidden (missing value)
AdobeResourceSynchronizer UNKNOWN (missing value)
MyTomTomSA Application Hidden (/Applications/MyTomTomSA.app)
Device Detector Application Hidden (/Library/Application Support/OLYMPUS/DSSPlayer/Device Detector/Device Detector.app)
PrivateWiFi UNKNOWN (missing value)
Canon MF Network Scan Utility Application Hidden (/Library/Application Support/Canon/ScanGear MF/Utility/Canon MF Network Scan Utility.app)
Dropbox Application (/Applications/Dropbox.app)
EEventManager Application (/Applications/Epson Software/Event Manager.app/Contents/Resources/Assistants/Event Manager/EEventManager.app)
ConnectService Application (/Library/Application Support/ArcSoft/Connect Service/ConnectService.app)
Internet Plug-ins: ℹ️
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6
Flash Player: Version: 16.0.0.305 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 9.5.5 [Click for support]
OfficeLiveBrowserPlugin: Version: 12.3.6 [Click for support]
AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin101750: Version: AmazonMP3DownloaderPlugin 1.0.17 - SDK 10.4 [Click for support]
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.4.8 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.30514.0 - SDK 10.6 [Click for support]
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0
Audio Plug-ins: ℹ️
DVCPROHDAudio: Version: 1.3
iSightAudio: Version: 7.6.6
3rd Party Preference Panes: ℹ️
Device Detector [Click for support]
DigidesignMbox2 [Click for support]
Digidesign Mbox 2 Pro [Click for support]
Flash Player [Click for support]
FUSE for OS X (OSXFUSE) [Click for support]
Growl [Click for support]
Time Machine: ℹ️
Time Machine information requires OS X 10.7 "Lion" or later.
Top Processes by CPU: ℹ️
7% firefox
2% activitymonitord
1% Microsoft Word
1% ConnectService
0% EPSON Scanner
Top Processes by Memory: ℹ️
584 MB firefox
163 MB SophosScanD
150 MB InterCheck
150 MB Microsoft Word
142 MB WindowServer
Virtual Memory Information: ℹ️
494 MB Free RAM
2.04 GB Active RAM
944 MB Inactive RAM
552 MB Wired RAM
1.01 GB Page-ins
38 MB Page-outs
Diagnostics Information: ℹ️
Feb 20, 2015, 01:17:25 PM Self test - passed
I also ran the activity monitor, as per the article you linked to, and nothing seemed out of whack. So, for the moment, it's fingers crossed that this MacBook doesn't fail me before I'm finished.
I like your idea about storing items on Dropbox. I'm really suspicious of putting my stuff "out there," especially my research (some contains protected data and my sources have to remain anonymous), but I should have another back-up besides Time Machine. In the past, I just haven't been willing to trust on-line back-up services, but I may revisit the issue with Dropbox. Thanks for the suggestion!
Good.
You have a lot of third-party stuff with which I am not familiar, but we can start with removing Intego from the system. That is a known stumpling block.
https://support.intego.com/entries/24937247-How-to-Uninstall-Intego-Products
Normally Sophos is one of two low-impact AV packages but I have seen reports of it slowing things. For now, leave it until you see if removing Intego helps with temps.
You have a lot of items launching when you start the computer. If you must have all of then, consider adding RAM; your model can handle up to 8GB RAM. If you can do without some, turn them off with System Preferences > User & Groups > [your username] > Login items tab. Considering your computer is so mission-critical right now, I'd prefer turning off some startup items rather than installing new RAM.
If the heat issues continue, make sure you are not blocking the area where the "lid" hinges to the bottom case. That is where the airflow occurs that cools the computer.
I have a too-busy day ahead so I probably won't be able to check back in unti ltomorrow morning.
Allan
Okay, I dumped Intego and scaled back the various launch items. No crashes today! I'm also making a point of running just a few apps at a time (I'm limiting myself to Firefox, Word, and Acrobat). It's certainly better, but my MacBook still runs a little hot (the vents are free and clear). I'm not going to sweat it too much because the thing is, after all, 7 years old. If it can just hang on for a few more months, I'll be free and clear!
Thank you, Allan, so much for your help. I really sincerely appreciate you and all of the Forum users who graciously share time, wisdom, and expertise to help strangers out. 🙂 You've certainly given me peace of mind. Maybe when I finish the diss, you can give me advice on which Mac to buy next? 😉
Thank you! Glad I could help.
In addition to the bit about not blocking the vent area, here are some other things to consider regarding heat:
1) Avoid running in "Clamshell mode." That is when you use an external monitor and close the lid of the laptop. Traps hot air.
2) Put some spacers under the computer when using it at a desk. I use some plastic building blocks left over from raising three kids. The air space beneath is not a big as deal with the UniBody MBPs like yours as it was with the early "silver key" MBPS, but it doesn't hurt.
Keep us posted and best wishes on becoming "Dr. Overton!"
You should stay on Mavericks on my opinion. Apple still have a long list of bugs to fix on Yosemite
The OP is at 10.6.8, not Mavericks 10.9, so that is not a possibility. You can't get Mavericks any more. And Yosemite is running fine on our computers.
Should I upgrade from 10.6.8?
