I'm trying to upgrade OS 10.6.8 to Anything higher, and keep being sent around in circles, literally. I'd be happy with Yosemite, but App store says no longer available. I'd be happy with El Capitan, but can't seem to get there. Is there a disk available?
iMac, Mac OS X (10.2.x)
There is no disc available, it is ONLY available via download. Perhaps if you provided a more complete description of what occurs when you attempt to download it that might help. Also, please be VERY VERY sure you computer meets the minimum system requirements for El Capitan which are:
General Requirements
Mac Hardware Requirements
For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, choose About This Mac, then choose More Info. These Mac models are compatible with OS X El Capitan:
There is no disc available, it is ONLY available via download. Perhaps if you provided a more complete description of what occurs when you attempt to download it that might help. Also, please be VERY VERY sure you computer meets the minimum system requirements for El Capitan which are:
General Requirements
Mac Hardware Requirements
For details about your Mac model, click the Apple icon at the top left of your screen, choose About This Mac, then choose More Info. These Mac models are compatible with OS X El Capitan:
My Mac has those system requirements, but I don't know about storage space.
Hardware Overview:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac12,1
Processor Name: Intel Core i5
Processor Speed: 2.5 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 4
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Boot ROM Version: IM121.0047.B1F
SMC Version (system): 1.71f21
Serial Number (system): C0**************HJF
Hardware UUID: 50F6CE3F-BD27-5B6A-9C7A-E2A055EF7F66
The "runaround" starts when I go to the App store, which wants an application to open, and I choose MS Word, and I get info about El Capitan, and it says go to App store, and I get the same page about the wonders of EC and reviews (which are kind of scary--I'm happy with 10.6.8, but I'm afraid I'll be left out of future upgrades if I don't upgrade soon) etc. I have DSL internet, which shuts down when not in use, and may interrupt a download, and possibly isn't fast enough--it seems to have slowed down lately. (?) Do you think I should leave well enough alone?
Thanks.
<Edited by Host>
10.6.8 is outdated and Apple no longer makes security updates for it. However if you don't mind that and are happy with it then continue using it. However you do have other problems based on your description. What I'd suggest doing is clicking EtreCheck and download the app, install it and post the report results into the reply to this message. We can then look for obvious issues. If you want to learn more about EtreCheck click the link and it will give you a description of the app.
Outdated?!!! If I keep it, what should I do about security? Here's the etre report.
EtreCheck version: 2.9.3 (253)
Report generated 2016-02-13 15:47:52
Download EtreCheck from http://etrecheck.com
Runtime 1:43
Performance: Excellent
Click the [Support] links for help with non-Apple products.
Click the [Details] links for more information about that line.
Problem: No problem - just checking
Hardware Information: ⓘ
iMac (21.5-inch, Mid 2011)
[Technical Specifications] - [User Guide] - [Warranty & Service]
iMac - model: iMac12,1
1 2.5 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU: 4-core
4 GB RAM
BANK 0/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 1/DIMM0
2 GB DDR3 1333 MHz ok
BANK 0/DIMM1
Empty
BANK 1/DIMM1
Empty
Bluetooth: Old - Handoff/Airdrop2 not supported
Wireless: Unknown
Video Information: ⓘ
AMD Radeon HD 6750M - VRAM: 512 MB
iMac 1920 x 1080
System Software: ⓘ
OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8 (10K549) - Time since boot: about 44 days
Disk Information: ⓘ
WDC WD5000AAKS-402AA0 disk0 : (465.76 GB) (Rotational)
- (disk0s1) <not mounted> : 210 MB
Macintosh HD (disk0s2) / : 499.76 GB (445.86 GB free)
OPTIARC DVD RW AD-5690H ()
USB Information: ⓘ
Apple Inc. FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
Apple Inc. BRCM2046 Hub
Apple Inc. Bluetooth USB Host Controller
Apple, Inc. Keyboard Hub
HP v100w 7.46 GB
HP V100WGBH (disk1s1) /Volumes/HP V100WGBH : 8.01 GB (7.77 GB free)
Apple, Inc Apple Keyboard
HP Deskjet 3050 J610 series
Apple Internal Memory Card Reader
Apple Computer, Inc. IR Receiver
Thunderbolt Information: ⓘ
Apple, Inc. iMac
Kernel Extensions: ⓘ
/System/Library/Extensions
[not loaded] com.sony.driver.prs (1.0.1d1) [Support]
System Launch Agents: ⓘ
[loaded] 67 Apple tasks
[running] 7 Apple tasks
System Launch Daemons: ⓘ
[loaded] 132 Apple tasks
[running] 33 Apple tasks
Launch Agents: ⓘ
[loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.hp.messagecenter.launcher.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.sony.ReaderLibrary.RunReaderLibrary.plist [Support]
Launch Daemons: ⓘ
[loaded] com.adobe.fpsaud.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist [Support]
[loaded] com.microsoft.office.licensing.helper.plist [Support]
User Launch Agents: ⓘ
[loaded] com.adobe.ARM.[...].plist [Support]
[loaded] 2 Apple tasks
[running] One Apple task
User Login Items: ⓘ
Garmin Express Service Application (/Applications/Garmin Express.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/Garmin Express Service.app)
GrowlHelperApp UNKNOWN (missing value)
GrowlHelperApp Application (/Library/PreferencePanes/Growl.prefPane/Contents/Resources/GrowlHelperApp.app)
Garmin Lifetime Map Updater UNKNOWN (missing value)
Fax Server Application (/Library/Application Support/SmithMicro/FAXstf X/Startup/Fax Server.app)
iTunesHelper UNKNOWN (missing value)
Reader Library Launcher Application (/Library/Reader Library/Reader Library Launcher.app)
AdobeResourceSynchronizer Application Hidden (/Applications/Adobe Reader.app/Contents/Support/AdobeResourceSynchronizer.app)
RealPlayer Downloader Agent Application (~/Library/Application Support/RealNetworks/RealPlayer Downloader Agent.app)
Other Apps: ⓘ
[running] [0x0-0x118a189].com.adobe.Reader
[running] [0x0-0x15ac5ab].com.microsoft.Excel
[running] [0x0-0x17017].Fax Assistant
[running] [0x0-0x1a3ca3b].com.microsoft.Word
[running] [0x0-0x1a54a53].com.microsoft.Office365Service
[running] [0x0-0x1a56a55].org.mozilla.firefox
[running] [0x0-0x1a5aa59].com.etresoft.EtreCheck
[running] [0x0-0x26f26f].com.hp.scanModule3
[running] [0x0-0xa00a].com.garmin.renu.service
[running] [0x0-0xb00b].com.Growl.GrowlHelperApp
[running] [0x0-0xb3fb3f].com.microsoft.autoupdate.fba
[running] [0x0-0xc00c].Fax Server
[running] [0x0-0xd00d].com.sony.ebook.readerlibrarylauncher
[running] [0x0-0xf00f].com.realnetworks.realplayerdownloaderagent
[running] [0x0-0xf78f78].com.realnetworks.realplayerdownloader
Internet Plug-ins: ⓘ
Google Earth Web Plug-in: Version: 7.1 [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV Plugin: Version: 2.4.4.2 [Support]
RealPlayer Plugin: Version: Unknown [Support]
AdobePDFViewerNPAPI: Version: 11.0.11 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
FlashPlayer-10.6: Version: 20.0.0.306 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Silverlight: Version: 5.1.40728.0 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Flash Player: Version: 20.0.0.306 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
QuickTime Plugin: Version: 7.6.6
iPhotoPhotocast: Version: 7.0 - SDK 10.7
SharePointBrowserPlugin: Version: 14.6.0 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
AdobePDFViewer: Version: 11.0.11 - SDK 10.6 [Support]
GarminGpsControl: Version: 4.0.2.6 Beta - SDK 10.6 [Support]
Scorch: Version: 5.0.2 [Support]
JavaAppletPlugin: Version: 13.9.8 - SDK 10.6 Check version
User internet Plug-ins: ⓘ
ContentManager: Version: Unknown [Support]
RocketEngine: Version: Unknown [Support]
UploadManager: Version: Unknown [Support]
Audio Plug-ins: ⓘ
iSightAudio: Version: 7.6.6
3rd Party Preference Panes: ⓘ
Flash Player [Support]
Flip4Mac WMV [Support]
Growl [Support]
Time Machine: ⓘ
Time Machine information requires OS X 10.8 "Moutain Lion" or later.
Top Processes by CPU: ⓘ
3% launchd(2)
2% WindowServer
1% firefox
1% RealPlayer Downloader
1% AdobeReader
Top Processes by Memory: ⓘ
1.30 GB RealPlayer Downloader
430 MB firefox
78 MB WindowServer
78 MB mds
66 MB AdobeReader
Virtual Memory Information: ⓘ
401 MB Free RAM
3.60 GB Used RAM
2.06 GB Swap Used
As a humorous aside, the title of your question put the song Long Distance Runaround by Yes in my head, so thank you for that. I hadn't heard the song in years until now. 🙂
You don't have a lot of RAM to work with, so if you don't absolutely need "RealPlayer Downloader," I'd uninstall it. It's using up over 1 GB of memory just by itself. Other than that, there's nothing suspect or unusual on your system. To answer your question about security when staying with 10.6.8, it's tricky. Without the ability to install the latest patches and bug fixes, you're opening your system up to trouble IF you don't practice safe computing tactics. You're using Firefox which is good, because it is independent of OS X and therefore can be updated separately. If I were you, I'd try to update to El Capitan, it's loads faster than Snow Leopard, and a lot safer. Have you attempted to download it via the App Store?
Yes, I've tried to download El Capitan, and THAT's where I get the circular runaround (reminds me of Runaround Sue by Dion and the Belmonts (clue as to my age!)), I can try again, but it's frustrating to get sent back to the same useless page! I will remove RealPlayer,
Thanks.
When you try to download El Capitan through the App Store do you get any error messages or the like? If so, what do they say?
Your computer has not been re-booted in 44 days. Please reboot and then try downloading El Capitan. If you have already downloaded it then and it won't automatically install then open the Applications Folder and look for the El Capitan installer and double click it and El Capitan should install.
Just tried app store and still getting the runaround. Says go to the app store page and press the download button. I've been to all the pages I can find, and there is no download button. And I've been to the pages several times. Opened the agreement pages, etc., and come back to the Mac App Preview page. No download button. Where is it?
Are you signed into the App Store? Look on the right side of the Featured tab. There are several places you can try to download from. Top Free for example.
Thanks, Eric. Firefox version did not show a sign-in, but Safari did. So, I have rebooted, signed in to the app store, pressed the download button, and El Capitan is now downloading. Thanks to allyall for yer help! I'll let you know if this works. BTW, Safari was very much slower in loading than Firefox, but I have found in the past that Safari shows more info (like a sign-in) than Firefox. Should have switched to Safari initially.
You are welcome.
Dear Mac Gurus,
SUCCESS! El Capitan downloaded, after a few "Unsuccessful, Retry" messages. I let it go all night and when I checked around 2:30 p.m. today, there was the big X, ready to install. It took a couple of hours to install, and some time to set up, but up it is. One weird thing I'll have to get used to - scrolling by running a finger down the mouse is the opposite -- the screen goes up while running a finger down. Some old apps are not compatible, according to X (Finale songwriter and Flip4Mac).
Thanks to all for helping me, first, to get to square 1, and then to square 2. Much appreciated.
--G
Georgette Healy wrote:
Dear Mac Gurus,
SUCCESS! El Capitan downloaded, after a few "Unsuccessful, Retry" messages. I let it go all night and when I checked around 2:30 p.m. today, there was the big X, ready to install. It took a couple of hours to install, and some time to set up, but up it is. One weird thing I'll have to get used to - scrolling by running a finger down the mouse is the opposite -- the screen goes up while running a finger down. Some old apps are not compatible, according to X (Finale songwriter and Flip4Mac).
Thanks to all for helping me, first, to get to square 1, and then to square 2. Much appreciated.
--G
To fix the problem with scrolling, go to System Preferences --> Trackpad --> Scroll & Zoom and uncheck "Scroll direction: natural." This will return it to how it's supposed to be, where you drag your fingers down to scroll down, and drag them up to scroll up.
Getting circular runaround trying to download El Capitan on older iMac 10.6.8. Is there a disk?
