Need advice upgrading from OS X Mavericks

The other thing to keep in mind, the iOS version will likely update once Apple’s new operating system comes out this fall. I would get your phone before it does, because once it does, that is when it may not be compatible with El Capitan. There is a small window of opportunity. Nobody knows if the new iOS system requirements will need Sierra for syncing or not. I am hopeful not.

iTunes/Mac OS/iOS compatibility

You can upgrade to El Capitan. See below to see if you can go higher.

To check the model number hold down the option/alt key, go to the Apple menu and select System Information.

macOS 10.12/10.13 (Sierra/High Sierra) requires one of the following Macs:

iMac (Late 2009 or later) Model 10.1 and higher

Check to make sure your applications are compatible.

Application Compatibility

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.

How to get macOS High Sierra

Sierra download

You can try to download it at the link below. If it won't let you, then your only options are to upgrade to Sierra/High Sierra or find an older computer where you can download it using your Apple ID.

El Capitan

If you are low on disk space, here are some suggestions.

Disk Space - Free Up

Disk Space – Free Up (2)

Disk Space – Free Up (3)

Disk Space - Free Up - Mavericks

Disk Space Filling Up – OmniDiskSweeper 10.8+

Disk Space Filling Up - WhatSize

10.11 is compatible. It may not support all the features but at least the iTunes that will sync with it presently works in 10.11.6. You aren’t going to get Airdrop and other features simply because you don’t have a modern enough Mac.

Go ahead and get 10.11. Backup your data first before proceeding. And make sure you have at least 15% free space after installation.

I think they have terminology misunderstood.

CPU = Central Processor Unit. The computer chip that acts as the brain of the machine. Some people who build computers like to call the box that contains everything except the keyboard, mouse and monitor the CPU, but this is a misnomer.

HD, HDD= Hard drive, Hard disk drive

SSD = A style of hard drive that is called Solid State. Unlike drives of previous generations there is no spinning platter.

RAM = Random Access Memory. Typically refers to the memory used for multitasking capability found either on a chip on the board, or a board that is usually DRAM or SIMM. Confusing matters is that hard drives also use random access memory and DVD-RAM is a read and writable optical disk media.

Chances are you are low on hard disk drive space. When hard drives are over 85% full generally you need to clear it of information that needs to be archived away to two distinct locations before installing anything new. These can be to external hard disk drives or USB memory sticks or the Cloud. Wherever you store your information, if it has any value, always make sure it is stored in two distinct places before erasing its third location.

What does “low on cpu space” mean?