Q: upgrade from 10.6.8 to OSX 10.12 Sierra
I have a MacMini mid-2010 Core2Duo running 10.6.8. Only 2gb RAM, but I bought more (went wild and bought 2 4gb 'cards' to replace the two 1gb original things) and will install it after I do the upgrade (or am I missing something about the order of things....since I don't believe that new RAM is recognizable to OS 10.6.8....seems I read that somewhere, maybe at OWC in the chips' descriptions?)
I'm trying to follow the steps in discussion 6271, Upgrading to 10.7 and above. I'm finding it's a bit too thorough and covers way too much ground that may not be relevant to my situation. I need to do this because 10.6.8 browsers are supported by fewer and fewer of my online services (bank account, doctor, etc)....and of course, I need at minimum 10.10 to download, install and use Google Chrome if I want to access those accounts, for example.
I'm hung up at the point of installing 10.7 Lion---I paid for and downloaded the installer, so I'm ready to push the button to install. I have two independent complete backups on external drives, as recommended (disconnected).
1. What happens next? Is the installer going to erase my hard drive to install the new OS? (There seems to be an indication that may occur--in that article--but it's not clear to me.)
a. If so, I guess I will have to use one of those backups to get all my data, files, everything back on the Mini?
2. After that, the discussion indicates I'll need to upgrade 10.7 to 10.7.5 before I can upgrade to Sierra; is that right? In the discussion 6271, there's this:
"Note, as of last writing of this tip, the only available upgrades to 10.6.6 are 10.6.7, 10.6.8, 10.7, and you can take 10.7 up to 10.7.5 Combo, Supplemental update, and 10.7.5 Security Update 2014-004 followed by 10.7.5 Bash update. The only available upgrades to 10.6.8 are 10.7, 10.8."
3. Does the above quote mean I MUST have the "combo, Supplemental" AND ALL THE FOLLOWING before I can install Sierra? (In other words, 4 additional "installs" after installing 10.7, just to prep for taking the giant leap to Sierra?)
4. My understanding is that the only options available to me at this time are:
Upgrade to 10.7
Update that to 10.7.5
Upgrade to 10.12 (no intermediate OS is available any more forever?)
(Reason for asking is that the original discussion 6271 has several statements about being able to upgrade to 10.8 and higher from 10.7--see above #2, yet I thought Apple has stopped supporting 10.8, 10.9, 10.10, and 10.11 and won't allow anyone to install them that doesn't already have them.)
5. Another link/rabbit hole in article 6271 says I need to install a firmware update to 10.6.8 if I want to do "internet restore/command-R"* of 10.7 (should something go wrong, I guess, in all the steps above....). That document (article HT202313--"Computers that can be upgraded to use OSX Internet Recovery") provides links to the firmware update required. Do I need that, or will the installation of 10.7 and up to Sierra negate the need for such a step? (telling me I CAN do something without being clear if I REALLY NEED to do that step, confuses me.)
6. I have the original install discs for my MacMini, but I don't remember if it came with OSX 10.6.4 or already had 10.6.8 when I bought it. I can't find a 10.6.8 updater anywhere. Would lack of "internet restore" mean I'd be taken back to 10.6.x when I used the original discs; if so, would I be able to get back to 10.7 at all, or would that force me to buy a new computer?
In summary, it would be a great help to me if I had a simple list of the steps I really need to take to get my computer able to use the latest versions of Chrome, Safari, and Firefox, in the order that they must be performed, without all the non-applicable links and sidetrips that only apply to other versions of OSX or servers or people using Java for developing stuff.....
*(from question 5 above: this quote is from "Doc 2465#Eight"--
"
Q: I have an older than 2011 Mac, and command-R doesn't let me restore Mac OS X 10.7 or later from the internet. Is there a way to allow it to do so?
A: Yes. Upgrade the firmware as indicated by this article:Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery - Apple Support
To ensure you have the right firmware first, see this tip:
What should I do if I find a used machine without the original CDs?
Really sorry to be so needy, but this is a big leap and I need to be able to use a current internet browser and a better-protected Mac OSX than 10.6.8....and I want to get it right.
Thanks for what help you can provide!
Blick
Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8), core duo
Posted on Oct 1, 2016 6:23 PM