Walter Lieberman
Level 1 (15 points)

Q: How new a machine do I need?

Dear Friends,

I am thinking about getting a new/old computer. I dropped mine a couple of days ago and it survived( with a crack in the case), That made me think that it might be best to retire this computer in working condition so I have a back-up and I have a working machine suited to running  old programs. My current machine is 8 years old and has an Intel chip. How new a machine would I need to get to be relatively current.? By that I mean so that the hardware would not be incompatible with current software too soon. Do you have any suggestions?

My main activities are Word , Powerpoint ,Photoshop, browsing the internet,  no video editing or gaming.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), connected to a 250G external firewire drive

Posted on Feb 4, 2016 10:52 AM

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Walter Lieberman

Q: How new a machine do I need?

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  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Feb 4, 2016 2:39 PM in response to TonyLid
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Feb 4, 2016 2:39 PM in response to TonyLid

    This is Lion.  http://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion  Have you upgraded the 10.6.8 with all updates? There many be some print software update that will let you use the printer. Most likely gutenprint. Snow Leopard print driver updates stop at 2013. Lion has it from 2015 and current.  https://support.apple.com/kb/DL907?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US Go to the apple /about this mac/more info/hardware overview. If model identifier  is 2,1 or higher then you can run lion. If not you can't.

  • by my ginger,

    my ginger my ginger Feb 4, 2016 2:50 PM in response to TonyLid
    Level 4 (2,472 points)
    Feb 4, 2016 2:50 PM in response to TonyLid

    With the printer connected software update will download anything it has for that printer. if it does not, with printer connected and on try using software update manually. Other wise you may need to go to gutenprint website and see if you can find something. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201961

  • by TonyLid,

    TonyLid TonyLid Feb 5, 2016 4:09 AM in response to my ginger
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 5, 2016 4:09 AM in response to my ginger

    Hi Ginger,

    thank you & all the others that have posted.  Although the Lion thing didn't work it did get me thinking.  Even though this Envy printer was demanding at least Mountain Lion, the bottom line is thats its a HP printer.  So I wondered if an older print driver might work, given that they are all (?) generic.  So I opened up 'printer/fax' in system preferences,  opened 'options & supplies'  clicked on 'Drivers'.  Then click on 'Print using' which gives a long list of printers, I went down to HP, couldn't find the Envy at all so chose HP Photosmart C4200 series.  I did this just as a stab in the dark.  Pressed ok.

     

    Then opened up an email, pressed print ........ guess what?  it printed.  So the answer is that sometimes it pays to lie!  Ha Ha.

     

    Thanks everyone.

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