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Old MAC Updates

Sister's MAC. She's not tech savvy, nor am I familiar with a MAC. Only enough to be "dangerous".

Can you update to latest software on an older MAC without having to install all previous software after the one currently installed on your MAC?

I would like to get her MAC updated as far as it will go even if updates are not supported for that OS. She just needs to get closer to latest OS update she can install as she will not be buying a new MAC. She uses her MAC mostly for emails, Skype, Antivirus software and stuff like that.

Any solutions/suggestions/questions asked may take some time to reply to. Sister is 20 miles away. I don't drive. She has NO idea how to find what I may have to ask.

Any help appreciated.

If it’s running 10.7.5 or newer, or 10.6.8 and incapable of Sierra, yes. Otherwise, upgrading it will require going through an intermediate OS.

(152822)

You don't have to move through incremental updates of software applications - the operating system is a bit different and in some cases there would be more than one step. However depending on the age of the Mac and what system you are running many current versions of applications won't work - if, to quote you, 'updates are not supported for that OS' then they won't work, period.

As to the OS itself, only certain upgrades are available, and there is likely to be a limit on how far you can upgrade. To get a more specific answer you need to post specific information about your Mac. The main question is exactly what model is it. Open Applications>Utilities>System Information. The second line down should read 'Model Identifier' and you need to post that. You should also open 'about this Mac' from the Apple menu (extreme top left of screen) and quote the OSX version given there.

Exactly, which computer model does she have? It would help to know its year. Open About This Mac from the Apple menu. The info should be in the display window. This information will determine what OS X upgrades can be installed. Since you've provided zero info about the hardware we cannot yet provide a full answer to your question.

Thank you for reply. I will check actual version she has on MAC.

Will the upgrades be able to be installed free if her OS is older than 10.75. There will probably be a few I imagine.

Snow Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion have to be purchased in the Apple Store. (At the last look Mountain Lion was only available in the USA.) Mavericks and Yosemite are no longer available, El Capitan is available under certain conditions (and is free), Sierra is the current version and is free. No earlier system than Snow Leopard is available from Apple.

Upgrades to applications usually have to be payed for.

Yes, unless it’s running an OS earlier than 10.6 or is running 10.6 and has Lion as its maximum OS.

The ones that might be required(not all of them will be) are:

Running the Software Update pane of System Preferences.

Checking for updates in the Mac App Store.

Buying a Snow Leopard DVD.

Buying a download code for Lion from the online Apple Store.

Getting El Capitan from the Mac App Store.

Getting Sierra from the Mac App Store.

Roger Wilmut1: No Mac model has Mountain Lion as its maximum OS. It should only be mentioned as part of the upgrade path if someone running Snow Leopard has already bought it and is in the process of upgrading to Sierra, or if they’re using software incompatible with newer OS versions.

(152823)

Niel wrote:

 

Roger Wilmut1: No Mac model has Mountain Lion as its maximum OS.

Given its reputation that's very wise of them

Thank you for your reply. I know I needed to provide more info on my sister's MAC, but I will have to wait until she is free and can come to get me.

I think her son looked for updates to the OS and saw that there too many she would have to have installed and he just didn't even try to get her MAC as updated as possible.

All I want to do is get the latest OS that can be installed on her MAC. So, I guess more info as I knew will be required before someone can give me a definitive answer. Everyone has been just terrific with the info they have imparted. Thank you all.

Thank you. Will check version and other info required and let you and everyone know whether I will be able to install only the FREE ones. I doubt she will spend any more money on her MAC.

FREE is NOT the issue. The ones she can install are all likely to be free.

The decision tree is complex, but in general, she would make at most one hop to get to the last supported for that Mac.

We're shooting in the dark as we haven't been told what the current operating system is, only that it's 'old'. If it's Leopard on Intel, then she will have to purchase Snow Leopard to proceed. If it's Snow Leopard then Lion is paid for but the next available steps, El Capitan and Sierra are indeed free. Of course if it's anything earlier than Leopard she is stuck.

I have to get my sister to pick me up and it may be days before I can get the right information.

I will, of course, only install what free (free IS an issue with my sister) operating systems I can.

I appreciate all the helpful information.

 menu > About this Mac

will have all the information about what model Mac and what version of MacOS is running now. She could retrieve that stuff and tell you over the phone. The screen looks like this:

or like this newer one:

.

Guess you missed the part where I mentioned my sister is not tech savvy. If she was even a bit knowledgeable, I would think you would know by now that I would have called her before I even posted the question. I could even send her your screenshots and it wouldn't help.

最后更新：2017-08-18 01:10:54

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