Should I upgrade from OS X 10.9.5 (13F1911) on my iMac 21.5 inch, late 2013?

I asked this question previously and Allen Jones responded to me. I wanted to ask him another question about his response, but I was unable to. He answered 3 days ago (3/21/18), but when I click on reply, nothing happens.


This is my first Apple computer and I have questions about whether I should upgrade the operating system and if so, what should I do. The Processor is 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5, and memory is 8 GB 1600 MHz DDR3. I think this is the operating system my iMac came with. I remember seeing notices about upgrading when I would go into the App Store, but I was unsure whether it was a good thing to upgrade or not.


I had other questions too, but I don't need to know about those now.


Allen's response was:

We have a 2011 21.5-inch iMac with the 2.5Ghz i5 processor and 8GB RAM and it runs as well with the current OS, 10.12.6, as it did with 10.8 with which it shipped. You have more that enough hardware power to nicely run the most current OS version.

Allen Jones answered on 03/21/18 10:39 AM

I find the best way to do a major OS upgrade is:


1) Use Disk Utility from the recovery partition to verify that your hard drive is working properly (no reported errors).

2) Manually start a Time Machine backup.

3) Eject and disconnect the backup drive when the backup is done.

4) Go to the MAIN PAGE of the App Strore, not the "Updates" tab.I find the opportunity for install errors is greater when using the OS upgrade option from the "Update" tab.

5) From the right side of the main page select "macOS Sierra" (see below):

User uploaded file


6 ) from there follow the on-screen prompts and instructions.

7) Once the upgrade is complete and you are satisfied everything is running fine, reconnect the backup drive and make a new backup.



My new question about this:


1) Use Disk Utility from the recovery partition to verify that your hard drive is working properly (no reported errors).


I'm not sure how to find the recovery partition. Could you please guide me.


Thank you very much for your help. I really appreciate all the help and good advice you gave me and hope that you can see my question again.


Linda

iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.5), Processor is 2.7 GHz Intel Core

Posted on Mar 25, 2018 12:24 AM

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Posted on Mar 25, 2018 2:01 PM

The Recovery Partition is found by holding down the Command and R keys on startup.

from there you can launch Disk Utility.


once you have verified the drive is okay then restart the computer normally and back it up using Time Machine and then you are ready to upgrade to High Sierra which is the most current version of Mac OS. Update from the Mac App Store.

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Mar 25, 2018 2:01 PM in response to Candelsong84

The Recovery Partition is found by holding down the Command and R keys on startup.

from there you can launch Disk Utility.


once you have verified the drive is okay then restart the computer normally and back it up using Time Machine and then you are ready to upgrade to High Sierra which is the most current version of Mac OS. Update from the Mac App Store.

Mar 31, 2018 10:41 PM in response to Candelsong84

Candelsong84 wrote:... I think this is the operating system my iMac came with. I remember seeing notices about upgrading when I would go into the App Store, but I was unsure whether it was a good thing to upgrade or not....

sounds like you are well on your way to discovering the issues with upgrading the OS as it relates to the hardware drivers of all other devices you use, i.e printer, camera, etc... you may find that upgrading the OS requires you to upgrade other devices you have as well to restore the functionality you had before the upgrade.


One reason to keep your machine current is to get the Security updates. When a vulnerability is discovered, it will be exploited, the older OS versions may never get updates to the latest security threats out there, while the Mac is not a common target it is not totally immune to spreading a virus to other vulnerable machines. Apple may still be releasing security updates to 10.13, 10.12, and 10.11, but I don't think you will get updates to 10.10 or 10.9 anymore, so if you are not connected to the internet then who cares?


Another idea, is to get an entirely new hard drive, backup your entire internal drive, using Carbon Copy Cloner, or Disc Utility, Super Duper, Deja Vu. Now, you can have the old OS available to boot from the external drive, and as a bootable backup in the event the upgrade does not go smoothly. Upgrade the internal drive OS after you have made the backup clone on the external drive. You can still boot from the old OS to print things with your old printer. Boot from the new OS to try things out and find out what else might work or not work, and get that new printer when you are ready, unless you can find new drivers. If you have a backup, then you can use both 10.9 and 10.13, just decide at boot time by pressing the "option" key to pick which one.

Mar 25, 2018 2:19 PM in response to seventy one

thank you seventy one for your help.


I tried to respond to Allen's last reply but I think because I asked the question back in August, I would no longer be able to reply to him even though he replied very recently. I thought I have accidentally replied to myself before which I deleted (in another case), but your probably correct. When I opened the question up there was the message on top, "looks like no one has responded in a while. To start the conversion again, simply ask a new question". I don't know how to have him see my question again, but another person (rkaufmann87) has answered the question I had. However, I haven't tried the solution yet.


Last night I was trying to upgrade to Sierra, but only high sierra shows up. Other posters say they have so much trouble with High Sierra.


In the post from MS1234 from:

Nov 7, 2017 12:15 PM Re: can i downgrade high sierra to sierra?in response to John Galt

I too want to downgrade to Sierra from High Sierra.
I have a Time Machine backup but it only goes back to June 2017. I can't find a Sierra download package in it, so I guess I must have deleted it some time earlier, not thinking I'd ever need it again.

It doesn't show in my App Store account, either - though El Capitaine, Mountain Lion and Lion do.

How can I get a Sierra download, so I can re-install it?

Or is there another way of doing this?



When I checked the App store, I could only find High Sierra, not El Capitan, Mountain Lion, etc. I'm kind of at a loss as to what to do.


Thank you, Linda

Mar 25, 2018 3:35 PM in response to Candelsong84

Yes, I see the problem now. I have direct contact with mnay members but not Allen. If i see him featured I will use the thread that he is in to draw his attention to you.


As far as High Sierra is concerned I would personally encourage you to stay with it. Not only is it the current System but in my view is a step up from Sierra.


I have a personal policy of not updating to a new operating system until it reaches the second update. High Sierra is now on its third and I followed my policy and updated in January. I have no regrets. Thank you for the star.

Mar 25, 2018 5:17 PM in response to seventy one

Thank you for your help seventy one. You are welcome for the star!! I appreciate that you will help to draw Allen's attention to me if you can.


I have one problem about upgrading. I have a Canon Pixma MP160 printer and there are no printer drivers for High Sierra OS. When I first got my iMac, I had a real problem attaching the printer and had to use a different driver. It worked OK, but I used the MP180 drivers I think. When I check the Cannon website, I get this message:


User uploaded file

I hope I don't lose access to the printer by upgrading.


Thank you again. Linda

Mar 27, 2018 7:36 PM in response to seventy one

Good evening seventy one, and thank you very much for your good advice! I will do that. It seems you are the only one responding to my questions now for the last 2 days!


I won't be able to work on this until tomorrow afternoon. If there is no driver for High Sierra, then they should be able to advise me as to a good printer to get.


Have a good evening, Linda

Mar 27, 2018 10:31 PM in response to Candelsong84

Good morning.


We are all volunteers here and our home obligations means we are not always available ... or there is no-one looking in who can answer your question.


Don't mention to them that you are prepared to buy another printer until you have exhausted their suggested remedies. They may see it as a discouragement to solving the problem!


Let us know the result.

Mar 31, 2018 11:21 AM in response to seventy one

Good morning seventy one.


Thank you for the good advice about my printer problem.


I know how everyone is busy, and in fact I haven't been able to log in and look for answers until now. I appreciate all the help from communities which is just great!! I have mentioned to some other volunteers I have replied to after asking my questions that I know they are busy and can't always answer right away. With so many people needing help, I am just grateful and pleased that we can correspond in this way. I will let you know when I speak with Canon as to what their response is.


Thanks again, and have a good weekend.


Linda

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Should I upgrade from OS X 10.9.5 (13F1911) on my iMac 21.5 inch, late 2013?

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