Trying to Download Mavericks

[zeech]

I had horrible trouble with Mavericks. Eventually I had to do an erase and clean install and then a MANUAL migration of all files from the backup drive. Get someone from Apple to walk you through it over the phone. Works pretty well now. And trust me I had a bazillion problems.

 

[chas_m]

For me, Mavericks has been FANTASTIC. I gained an extra HOUR of battery life from it, and it is actually running FASTER (that's right, you heard me) than it did when I bought the machine two years ago. Sorry you guys are having trouble, but Mavericks isn't the problem.

 

[Marrk]

For me, Mavericks has been FANTASTIC. I gained an extra HOUR of battery life from it, and it is actually running FASTER (that's right, you heard me) than it did when I bought the machine two years ago. Sorry you guys are having trouble, but Mavericks isn't the problem.

Thanks for that feedback. I was beginning to wonder whether Mavericks was working for anyone or not.

 

[harryb2448]

Agree chas m. Think most of the problems folk are getting with Mavericks were on their machines prior to running a simple upgrade of Mavericks. I always recommend an erase, install and Migration Assistant from latest back up.

This applies in particular to MacBooks, MacBooks Pros and Minis for some reason.

 

[Marrk]

Good note, Harry. If I were not so mindless at the moment, I would have thought of that.

Maybe I'll sort out my backup drive issues and then start from the beginning with a clean erase and Mavericks upload. I probably ought to go to Apple Support and review this Migration Assistant thing, too.

 

[harryb2448]

The problem with using any backup Marrk is it ill carry over any software problems you are currently experiencing.

 

[MacInWin]

+1 for Maverics making things much better. Better battery life, faster operations. Overall, a good update from Apple.

 

[Marrk]

The problem with using any backup Marrk is it ill carry over any software problems you are currently experiencing.

Will Migration Assistant allow me to restore select document files?

 

[harryb2448]

Yes. Be aware larger suites such as Office and Adobe may well require activation with the key code. Using Migration Assistant you choose what you wish to bring over from the external hard drive backup. Have a read of this Marrk:-


http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5872

 

[Marrk]

Thanks, Harry.

I'm bookmarking that link.

 

[TattooedMac]

I would avoid Mavericks - it has slowed my computer down significantly - wish I never installed it.

I downloaded Mavericks last week...it did nothing but slow my computer down. I wasn't even able to play video files anymore..it is awful..finally I got disgusted and restored my computer to the day before the Mavericks download via Time Machine....everything is GREAT now...back to normal.....AVOID MAVERICKS

I had horrible trouble with Mavericks. Eventually I had to do an erase and clean install and then a MANUAL migration of all files from the backup drive. Get someone from Apple to walk you through it over the phone. Works pretty well now. And trust me I had a bazillion problems.

What Harry has said below. IMO, if 1 you have a clean OS before the upgrade (you should always repair permissions before ANY upgrade anyway) you will 99% of the time have a great transition and the Newer OS will be great.
Frot the other 1% of people, don't sit there complaining about it, and how its all Apples fault, but instead make a bootable USB, wipe your HD **After a Backup** and start from new.

Apple don't go out of their way, to spend Millions of $ to make a OS that will be worse than the other and make their Hardware slow. That is why they ALWAYS have a cut off date of what Macs can and can't have the Latest OS installed, because they code the OS too be optimal on what they determine to be the best Hardware for the OSX you are going to install.

In a .0001% of the time, you might get a Slow Mac, BUT that could factor on a lot of things, how hard the Mac has been pushed over the years, and if the HD/Motherboard is on the way out.
So stop the BLAME game, and do something for yourself and trouble shoot the entire problem, then come and tell us it has slowed the Mac down /rant

The problem with using any backup Marrk is it ill carry over any software problems you are currently experiencing.

 

[Marrk]

What does it mean if Disk Utility won't allow me to erase?

View attachment Erase 1.pdf

You can't see it in this image, but this one let's me Erase Free Space. Other buttons are grey-ed out.

View attachment Erase 2.pdf

 

[harryb2448]

You cannot erase a drive you are booted from. Mavericks has a Recovery partition. To boot from that reboot and hold Command +R after the chime. From there you can go to Disk Utility, erase and format there. Then connect the Mavericks USB thumb drive, reboot, hold down 'C' after the chime, and Install.

Then update to OS X.9.2.

 

[Marrk]

Okay, I think I got that.

About making a Mavericks thumb drive: I download the Mavericks Installer. Then, look in my download folder for the Installer Disk icon. Drag that to the thumb drive. Is that it?

Thanks (for the millionth time), but thanks, really.

 

[harryb2448]

It will be in the Applications folder and follow the steps set out in my thread #6. It is more involved than simply dragging to the thumb drive.

 

[TattooedMac]

Download DiskMakerX and follow your nose, unless you know Terminal , there is a way to do it via that as well, but follow Harrys advice Re: #6

 

[Marrk]

This has been utter ****, but I think I have everything working except that my Canon MP620 will not print or scan wirelessly. Works fine with the cable plugged in. Any help with that would be appreciated.

BTW, you guys are the best. Thank you for your help and your patience!

 

[chscag]

I just threw away a Canon MP 620 after the print head went south. What a piece of junk that printer was. Sorry about my description of it but it was the worst printer that I ever owned and I've bought plenty of printers all throughout the years.

It was a real pain to get it to print wirelessly and I never really got it to scan wirelessly for any length of time. What I had to do was completely uninstall the printer software, then download the latest from Canon and start over. I finally got it to print wirelessly that way and didn't try using it for scanning again. The print head went out about 6 months later.

 

[TattooedMac]

I just threw away a Canon MP 620 after the print head went south. What a piece of junk that printer was. Sorry about my description of it but it was the worst printer that I ever owned and I've bought plenty of printers all throughout the years.

I haven't had a Canon Printer in like . . . . Forever.

I love my Epson WF-7510 series and has never ever given me pain, and even when I changed my network from my Netgear Router to my TimeCapsule, it didn't miss a beat, and wirelessly prints at good speed. 10 page document had 3 pages to go, by the time I got up in the lounge room and went to the Kids lounge and grabbed the Doc.

 

[Marrk]

The MP620 has been alright with me. It's cheaply made, but so is everything else. Besides, I don't recall paying that much for it. In fact, it might have been free with the laptop purchase.

I would delete the drivers and start again as you suggest, but the Canon downloads site is frustrating.