I want to update my imac to Sierra but have read I need to upgrade to El Capitan first if I have Snow Leopard!
But none of the downloads work to upgrade to El Capitan or some of the other older OS - I've read that apple have taken them off the App store? So how can I upgrade to Sierra if I can't upgrade to El Capitan first?? Someone please help!!
(and I have an Imac bought 2010)
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
I've worked out what was wrong now anyways, just had to update a load of other programmes and upgrade to Yosemite first, imacs cant go straight from snow leopard to El Capitan (no one tells you that though!) and now I'm almost to Sierra! Thanks though
El Capitan 10.11 Compatibility information
macOS Sierra 10.12: Compatible Apps
Also check to make sure there is a compatible driver for your printer.
Do a backup before installing, preferable 2 backups on 2 different drives.
Siren666 wrote:
My imac is compatible for El Capitan and Sierra but says I need to go from Snow Leopard to El Capitan before i can upgrade to Sierra...
and I don't have a printer linked up to my imac at the moment - whats a printer got to do with it?
Snow Leopard cannot upgrade directly to Sierra. It needs the intermediate step of upgrading to El Capitan first.
As to the printer, Eric Root is just trying to cover all bases with advice and suggestions so that your upgrade does not provide unpleasant surprises. Not all printer manufactures have provided updated drivers, so Eric was suggesting if you have a printer, that you check that it will work with El Capitan and/or Sierra.
This is a link for El Capitan (and I just verified it works)
As K Shaffer suggests, maybe you do not have the little bit of extra Snow Leopard update that allows it to download and install El Capitan. Try the combo update:
<Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1>
You also might follow K Shaffer's suggestion to boot into Safe mode
<http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1564>
what operating system have you got?
I tested from a Mac mini with Snow Leopard 10.6.8, _AND_ the link I gave you works from my Mac mini. It opens the App Store on the El Capitan page.
If you are not succeeding, it is either because you need the Combo update I provided, or you have something installed on your Mac that is interfering, and Safe mode should address that.
dpixi wrote:
Hey- I am having the same problem. I am running snow leopard, trying to upgrade, but from the App store I can only access el capitan and sierra. Both of which i get the error code saying that my mac can't download. Can you tell me where you found Yosemite?
Make sure you have applied BOTH of these updates:
Snow Leopard 10.6.8 Combo Update v1.1
<https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US>
App Store update
<https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1860?locale=en_US>
This App Store update is essential for downloading El Capitan
As for getting Yosemite. If you have previously downloaded Yosemite, you can re-download it form the App Store -> Purchases tab.
If you have never downloaded Yosemite, then it is no longer available for new downloads. You can make a Genius Bar appointment at your local Apple store and see if they will install Yosemite for you (but if you are going to do that, you could ask them to install El Capitan).
I have backed up already and that link doesn't work - thats what i tried to say above - none of the apple store links to upgrade the OS dont work apart form Sierra. I'm in the UK be the way, don't know if that has anything to do with it.
Any other ideas?
My imac is compatible for El Capitan and Sierra but says I need to go from Snow Leopard to El Capitan before i can upgrade to Sierra...
and I don't have a printer linked up to my imac at the moment - whats a printer got to do with it?
Should there be any update step for Snow Leopard 10.6.8 that have not been
added to that system (see software update) then that older OS X may not allow
an upgrade to a fully newer OS X.
There was an update/patch to help Snow Leopard work, too, in the App Store.
But this should not affect the ability to get El Capitan from the iTunes download
direct link; that gets an installer for El Capitan, while not from App Store.
If there is a dialog box suggesting it cannot be installed, exactly what does it say?
The main link to get just El Capitan installer download has worked from many lands.
You may have to restart in Safe mode, repair disk permissions, and then test the link
once the Snow Leopard 10.6.8 is checked to see if any other old/new bits are installed.
Good luck! 🙂
To up grade to Sierra requires OS X 10.7.5 or later.
Once again the take home lesson is, it never pays to get too far behind in either the technology or the Operating System—as you are currently witnessing.
Yes I know it requirers OS X 10.7.5 or later hence why I was trying to upgrade to El Capitan from snow leopard first.
I've worked out what was wrong now anyways, just had to update a load of other programmes and upgrade to Yosemite first, imacs cant go straight from snow leopard to El Capitan (no one tells you that though!) and now I'm almost to Sierra! Thanks though
Hey- I am having the same problem. I am running snow leopard, trying to upgrade, but from the App store I can only access el capitan and sierra. Both of which i get the error code saying that my mac can't download. Can you tell me where you found Yosemite?
Back up your data,check your applications for compatibility, click here, and download it from the Mac App Store.
(148150)
That link does not work for me. The "get" button on the El Capitan page does not work for me. I've tried it in different browsers and still does not work.
what operating system have you got?
How do I upgrade to El Capitan from Snow Leopard??
