R @ B

Q: Upgrade from OS X 10.7.5 Lion to 10.8.5 Mountain Lion

Want to upgrade from OS X 10.7.5 Lion to 10.8.5 Mountain Lion (not a clean install).

 

Can I make a copy of the downloaded Installer Package or will it automatically start installing as soon as it is downloaded? 

 

Should Time Machine be turned Off while the installation is running?

 

Really appreciate your help and any tips you have to offer. Thanks!

MacBook Pro (15-inch Late 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.5)

Posted on Sep 29, 2016 4:08 PM

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Q: Upgrade from OS X 10.7.5 Lion to 10.8.5 Mountain Lion

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  • by Allan Eckert,

    Allan Eckert Allan Eckert Sep 29, 2016 4:10 PM in response to R @ B
    Level 9 (54,085 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 29, 2016 4:10 PM in response to R @ B

    With the release of Sierra, Mountain Loin is no longer available.

     

    Why do you want to upgrade to Mountain Lion? It is very old now.

  • by BobHarris,Helpful

    BobHarris BobHarris Sep 29, 2016 4:22 PM in response to R @ B
    Level 6 (19,672 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 29, 2016 4:22 PM in response to R @ B

    If you can download it, it will start the installer app, but it will asking you questions before doing anything.  You just select "Quit" from the menus.  It will be in Applications -> Install OS X Mountain Lion.app

     

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

    $20 US

     

    You will sent a redemption coupon via the email address associated with your Apple ID

    Take the redemption code and in Applications -> App Store -> Features tab -> Quick Links -> Redeem you enter the code to start the download.

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 29, 2016 4:20 PM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 29, 2016 4:20 PM in response to Allan Eckert

    Thanks for your response.

    I like the look & feel of Lion and Mountain Lion. That is as far as I will go with this MacBook Pro.

    The next MacBook Pro will be purchased when macOS Sierra is a few points past 10.12.1

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 29, 2016 5:11 PM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 29, 2016 5:11 PM in response to BobHarris

    Thanks Bob. I just ordered OS X 10.8.5 Lion from Apple. Hopefully the code will come via e-mail and not be "shipped" to the shipping address I had to give to place the order!

     

    Any advice as to whether Time Machine should be On or Off during the installation?

     

    Thanks for your help!

  • by BobHarris,Helpful

    BobHarris BobHarris Sep 30, 2016 1:30 AM in response to R @ B
    Level 6 (19,672 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 1:30 AM in response to R @ B

    Just have a backup before, so you can get stuff back if anything goes wrong.

    The installation will shutdown all other activity while it is doing its thing

     

    And yes, the redemption code should arrive to the email address associated with your Apple ID

  • by MichelPM,

    MichelPM MichelPM Sep 29, 2016 8:31 PM in response to R @ B
    Level 6 (14,260 points)
    iPad
    Sep 29, 2016 8:31 PM in response to R @ B

    There are a few things you need to know about OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion as this has become my new working OS X version, on my aging 27 inch screen 2009 iMac, since this past January.

     

    Apple has no longer supported any security updates for OS X Mountain Lion or the version of the Safari web browser for well over a year, now.

    So you wiill not be able to use Safari for web browsing as that version of Safari is no longer secure.

    Also, the most recent version of iTunes (ver. 12.5) is not available for OS X Mountain Lion and the last version of iTunes for OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion is ver 12.4.3.1.

    So, if you have any new iDevices that have been upgraded to the latest iOS 10, this version of iTunes will no longer recognise these upgraded iDevices.

    Old iDevices that cannot be updated past iOS 9.3.5 should be fine to use this older version of iTunes.

    Next,

    Mozilla Firefox web broswer development has halted new feature updates for its popular web browser for users running OS X 10.6.8- 10.8.5, as well as slowly phasing out complete support for these OS X versions by April 2017.

    The last fully updated version of Mozilla Firefox for these OS X versions ( vers. 48.0.2) was issued this past August.

    You can decide to keep using this version for awhile

    OR

    go onto Mozilla's Firefox ESR (Extended Security Release ) web browser which is a slightly older version of Firefox(vers.45.x) which will still be active and receiving security updates ONLY until April 2017.

    Mozilla is giving Firefox user until the end of this year, 2016, to make the switch to the ESR web browser program.

     

    https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/organizations/faq/

     

    The only other web browser still, currently, supporting OS X 10.6-10.8 is the SeaMonkey web browser.

     

    http://www.seamonkey-project.org/


    Good Luck with OS X Mountain Lion!

  • by anneo_bettyb,

    anneo_bettyb anneo_bettyb Sep 30, 2016 12:49 AM in response to Allan Eckert
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 12:49 AM in response to Allan Eckert

    I currently have LION 10.7.5 on both LATE 2008 Macbook pro and MID 2010 iMac.  I thought I'd need to step through the OS's to get to Mavericks (for instance) so I can eventually update both the iMac and macBook pro to a later version of the OS.  Principally because I need a later version of Safari (currently at 6.1.6) because several banking sites have stopped supporting users with out of date version of Safari. Thus I am now unable to do my online banking via Safari (V6.1.6) on my iMac or macBook pro. This is very frustrating. any suggestions as to how I can advance my iMac and MacBook Pro to a operating system that will provide me with a more current version of Safar would be much appreciated. Otherwise I close my banking accounts and move my money elsewhere  so that I DO have access to online banking facilities.

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 30, 2016 1:35 AM in response to MichelPM
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 30, 2016 1:35 AM in response to MichelPM

    Hi MichelPM

    Thanks for your advice!

     

    Security issues are precisely why I developed a new strategy for protecting my files (separate Macs for online & offline use) and having access to online banking (that now requires a browser with TLS 1.2  support):

     

    The current MacBook Pro will be upgraded to OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion and used with FireFox 45.4 ESR, that supports TLS 1.2, until January 2017. Then it will be taken offline and used only for “internal tasks”. I really like the look & feel of Lion & Mountain Lion and have had only 2 small issues (with Permissions) in almost 5 years of intensive everyday use with Lion. That says a lot about OS X 10.7 !

     

    A new MacBook Pro will be added in January 2017. macOS 10.12.x Sierra should be up to a good revision level by then, so I am confident it could be used both online & offline.

     

    Since I have never done a complete OS X upgrade before, only revision updates (my PowerBook G4 still runs OS X 10.3.9 and my MacBook Pro still runs OS X 10.7.5) I was asking for tips and precautions so that the upgrade would be trouble-free and that all of my set-ups and preferences would be automatically included in the installation.

     

    As soon as the Code arrives (tomorrow?) from the Apple Store, Mountain Lion will be downloaded from the App Store (hopefully it will be OS X 10.8.5 and not  just 10.8.0 which will need updates).

     

    Any last tips or precautions? … and thanks for everyone’s help!

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 30, 2016 1:48 AM in response to anneo_bettyb
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 30, 2016 1:48 AM in response to anneo_bettyb

    Hello anneo

     

    FireFox 45.4 ESR supports security level TSL 1.2 (now required by most online banking websites) and will work with OS X 10.7.5 Lion.

     

    However, Mozilla will only support 45.4 ESR until April 2017 and the online banking websites may upgrade to security level TSL 1.3 before then - so you need to plan for this (as an example, see my strategy posted above).

     

    Hope this helps!

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 30, 2016 3:02 AM in response to BobHarris
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 30, 2016 3:02 AM in response to BobHarris

    Hi Bob

    Thanks for your help!

     

    I was just asking for tips and precautions so that the upgrade would be trouble-free and that all of my set-ups and preferences would be automatically included in the installation.

     

    Hopefully the Lion upgrade will arrive as OS X 10.8.5 and not just 10.8.0 - which will need updates. If so, I have heard that the 10.8.5 Combo upgrade is a better way to go.

     

    Also, see my Reply to MichelPM (Sep 30, 2016 1:35 AM).

     

    Thanks again!

  • by anneo_bettyb,

    anneo_bettyb anneo_bettyb Sep 30, 2016 3:10 AM in response to R @ B
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 30, 2016 3:10 AM in response to R @ B

    Thanks R@B - so it looks like I'm going to have to soon replace my iMac and my MacBook pro for newer models. As it doesn't seem worth going to Mozilla if it's only going to last at 45.4ESR version till around April 2017.

     

    It's a real bugger having to dump perfectly operational machines just because they can't be updated. I'll have to think long and hard and check the bank balance before I go out and buy new equipment.  I'll also be thinking soon about changing my banking behaviour - maybe even go back to old fashioned banking if the online community is now being so damned restrictive about access to their banking sites - even though it is user name and password protected.

     

    Thanks for all your advice - i'm now completely stumped till I can get updates or alternative banking facilities. 

  • by MichelPM,

    MichelPM MichelPM Sep 30, 2016 3:31 AM in response to anneo_bettyb
    Level 6 (14,260 points)
    iPad
    Sep 30, 2016 3:31 AM in response to anneo_bettyb

    As a pointed out to R@B earlier,

    Look at SeaMonkey web browser.

    It is still being supported across the board for All OS X versions.

     

    http://www.seamonkey-project.org/

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 30, 2016 5:04 AM in response to anneo_bettyb
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 30, 2016 5:04 AM in response to anneo_bettyb

    Hi anneo

     

    The best solution for online use (not just banking) is a browser and operating system that are very secure / i.e. meet or exceed the security requirements for the websites that you visit.

     

    I just went through the same scenario as you and came up with the strategy that I outlined in my Reply to MichelPM (Sep 30, 2016 1:35 AM).

     

    Safari 7.9 (or higher) supports security level TSL 1.2, but Safari 7.9 needs OS X 10.9 Mavericks (or higher) to operate. Older MacBook Pros or iMacs may meet the System Requirements for OS X 10.9 (or higher), but I do not see where downloads from Apple for anything higher than 10.8.5 Lion are available.

     

    That’s why I am upgrading my MacBook Pro “only” to OS X 10.8.5 Lion (so it will be the best operating system I can download from Apple) before retiring it from online use and getting a new MacBook Pro for online use. Note: I feel it’s too early for Sierra and there are some issues with Outlook for Mac 2011 running on Sierra.

     

    Online banking is the way of the future (I work for a bank that will be closing 25% of its branches within the coming 12 months and other banks will follow) - changing banks is only a temporary solution. So get your sneakers on because it will be a long walk to find a bank – or use SneakerNet to transfer files (via USB flash drive) between a new Mac and your perfectly operational 2008 MacBook Pro or 2010 iMac.

     

    My perfectly operational “older” Mac is now used as a music system (running only iTunes) with the complete HDD available for the iTunes library. Maybe you could use yours as a music Mac and a video Mac.

     

    Just some ideas.

  • by R @ B,

    R @ B R @ B Sep 30, 2016 5:28 AM in response to MichelPM
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac App Store
    Sep 30, 2016 5:28 AM in response to MichelPM

    Hi MichelPM

     

    Thanks for the tip and the link! I am not familiar with SeaMonkey so I will have to do some research.

     

    If FireFox 45.4 ESR is secure enough for the websites I visit (until January 2017) then I may stay with it because it's a browser I know.

     

    (Note: I tried to give you a Helpful (1) rating but the forum button didn't respond)

     

    Thanks again!

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