Macbook air running out of space.

[krs]

krs, no Mojave on the app store. I'd been trying to get HS or Mojave and I've just tried again, but they just aren't there.

Not even when you use the iMac to log into the app store?

Did you ever have a different account?

I assume you downloaded Mojave from the app store at some point in time - where you in Australia then?

I have also seen links posted here in the forum when one can download Mojave from an Apple support site.

But before going down that road can you check if you are OK not being able to run any 32-bit applications?
If you don't need them, then you can go ahead with Catalina and do what Jake suggested.

Once you are on Catalina it's a pain to go back to Mojave - you basically have to wipe the drive with Catalina on it (after saving all the data), install Mojave and all the other apps and then migrate the data.
Assuming Migration Assistant even works in that case since you're migrating from a later release.
Maybe someone has tried that already and can comment - Apple likes you to move forward, not back.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

OK here's where I show my ignorance of these things. I don't know what a clean install is ...

There are two ways to install a new clean version of the Mac OS. You can use the Installer program to update what you have to a new version, or you can erase the version of the OS that you have, and have the Installer program install a pristine version of the Mac OS. The latter is preferable because doing it the former way often leaves bits of the old OS behind which turn out to be problematic.

I outline an easy way to do a clean install on this Web site:

Upgrading To The Latest Macintosh Operating System

Upgrading To The Very Latest Macintosh Operating System

Item #6

 

[krs]

I just checked my account in the App Store.

It doesn't show any of the macOSversions I have purchased.
Weird -it used to
Is that normal?
How would I go about downloading Mojave again?

 

[chscag]

My account likewise does not show any of my previous downloads of macOS. But there are other ways to download previous versions, you just have to search for them.

I frankly do not know why Apple is making it so difficult.

 

[hoody]

Aah, now you're seeing what I'm seeing and it's so frustrating, but I went to this site: https://www.techspot.com/downloads/7118-macos-mojave.html and downloaded the update for Mojave 10.14 or later. It doesn't sound right to me but I can always delete it... I haven't attempted to open it. I may as well stay with Catalina now though because I still have most stuff on the imac.
krs,

 

[krs]

Aah, now you're seeing what I'm seeing and it's so frustrating, but I went to this site: https://www.techspot.com/downloads/7118-macos-mojave.html and downloaded the update for Mojave 10.14 or later. It doesn't sound right to me but I can always delete it... I haven't attempted to open it. I may as well stay with Catalina now though because I still have most stuff on the imac.
krs,

I started the download from Techspot but cancelled it before it completed because the file seems to be only 2.4GB
The full Mojave .dmg file is just over 6GB

It's better to download any macOS from Apple directly - I'm sure there is an Apple support link, it's just a matter of finding it.

 

[hoody]

Yeah I thought it wasn't right. I just can't get any thing except Catalina from apple.

 

[Randy B. Singer]

How would I go about downloading Mojave again?

I *had* not one, but two links to download Mojave in the U.S. I just checked, and neither of them are currently working.

MacOS 10.14 - Mojave - FREE

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?ls=1&mt=12

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

 

[twizzard]

Hi all,
I've got a mid 2013 Macbook air with a 120 Gb hard drive and wondered if it's possible to replace it with a higher capacity one. I've only got about 20Gb left. If not, can I free up space by using Google drive or iCloud. I've never been able to get my head around whether or not I can delete stuff off my HD and use that stuff via the iCloud or Google drives.

I also have a mid 2013 Macbook Air, and replaced a 500 GB SSD with a 1 TB SSD from OWC. I also bought an enclosure for the old drive from OWC. Highly recommended - superb support and everything they sent worked perfectly. There are very specific warnings on which drive could be used in each device - for example the Apple drive could be used in the external enclosure but the new OWC drive could not. Pay attention to the details. Swapping the drives was easy, but the screws that hold on the back case are small. Use a magnet to hold the tiny screws so you don't lose them. Make sure you discharge static electricity before touching the SSD. Either always keep touching the Mac or (far better) get an anti-static strap. These have an elastic band that goes around one wrist and an alligator clip that you attach to the Mac's case. There is a resistor in the wire connecting the two that makes it safe for you and safe for the electronics. Very cheap and important investment. Carbon Copy Cloner is a superb product; I've used it for years, both to make external bootable drives (I always try a new OS on an external bootable drive first) and as a backup. I kept the old drive around; since I don't care about user data on that drive, 120 GB is plenty for the OS and utilities to fix things. If I ever have a problem with the Mac, I can boot to the old drive and work on the internal drive.

 

[hoody]

hich OS did you have. I was on Sierra. I bought my OWC SSD from Macfixit Australia where I was told I'd have to upgrade to at least High Sierra for it to work and that's where all the trouble started. Now that I'm on Catalina I've started working through some of the things I either have or have lost.
I'm OK with assembly and disassembly and my Torx drivers are magnetised. I still have a CCC back up, but it was done on Sierra. If you read through this lengthy thread you'll see what's been happening.

 

[Rod]

Are drives that expensive in AU?

Yes they are. I got a Samsung 1Tb T5 SSD earlier in the year, very happy with that but it cost AU$259.00 on Amazon Australia

 

[chscag]

Same drive (Samsung T5 1TB) is currently $139.99 on Amazon, US and many other on line US stores. I know that there is a difference in currency value between the US dollar and the Australian dollar, but that is over a 100% increase in price.

Why is that? VAT?

 

[hoody]

Everything costs more here, even most downloaded stuff and then they wonder why people buy overseas. One millionaire business owner (Gerry Harvey) the owner of Harvey Norman, whinged and cried so much that the government changed things so that GST )goods & services tax) is now levied on all overseas purchases, unless the vendor chooses not to be a tax collector for our government.

 

[krs]

Australian dollars and Canadian Dollars are pretty close to par.
The Samsung T5 1TBis currently $C 239.- which equates to $US179.-, a $US40.-premium over the US price.
Then we have 13% tax on top of that

But I bought a Crucial MX500 1 TB internal drive about a month ago for $C134.99, I thought that was a pretty good deal. Currently have that is a $C12.- USB 3.0 enclosure to eventually end up in my Mini.
I have Camelx3 looking for good deals, prices on amazon.ca are up and down like a YoYo
That Crucial drive is now back up to $C151.-
The Samsung T5 1TB was down to $C187.- at the end of last year which would have been $US 140.-

 

[hoody]

I've been using the macbook air but have noticed it starts up slower and gets to the hot side of warm when I'm using it. I do actually use it as lap top while wearing shorts... not a pretty sight, so not burning hot. Is this because Catalina makes it work harder? I'll be going on facebook to have a moan about the way apple are behaving by denying their customers to be able to choose which OS (within reason) they want to use. I don't suppose that that will change anything, but maybe get the ball rolling, you never know.

 

[hoody]

Hi,
Via Macworld UK I think I've downloaded a copy of Sierra. They found a way to get it from the app store, so not a dodgy one. I'll attach a screen shot with it on there. It was a 4.7 GB download and with 2.9 to 3.3 MB/sec it took a while. My thinking was that if I go back to Sierra, I'll be able to use the old CCC bootable clone and then use the same site to get on to HS. Does that sound like a plan? If OK do I need an installer?
Ps: I still don't know the difference between an OS and an installer and why I need an installer if I've got a bootable CCC back up.

 

[MacInWin]

What you have is an installer package. That is not how Apple distributed Sierra. I have no idea what it will do if you try to run the package. I have no idea how to build a bootable installer USB Thumb drive from that package file. In addition, I've sort of gotten lost in all this discussion about what it is you are trying to do in the first place. Technically, if you have a bootable CCC clone of Sierra, you should be able to boot from it, then run CCC and use the bootable clone as the source and your internal drive as a destination and clone to that internal, then boot from the internal and test that it all works as you want.

So, just to get it clear again in this long thread, can you say clearly what you have and what you are trying to do? Maybe that reset will remove some of the confusion I'm feeling about what is going on.

 

[hoody]

Thanks Jake,
I'm pretty well confused myself, so basically I bought a new internal 1TB SSD because the original was filled up, but I was told that it wouldn't work with Sierra, only High Sierra onward. I couldn't find HS or Mojave on the app store and reluctantly ended up installing Catalina which has caused a few things not to work. Others on here went looking for HS and Mojave but couldn't find them either. This is where Catalina came in. What if I took a chance and connected the old Sierra CCC bootable backup. Would that then get me back to Sierra?

 

[MacInWin]

Thanks Jake,
I'm pretty well confused myself, so basically I bought a new internal 1TB SSD because the original was filled up, but I was told that it wouldn't work with Sierra, only High Sierra onward. I couldn't find HS or Mojave on the app store and reluctantly ended up installing Catalina which has caused a few things not to work. Others on here went looking for HS and Mojave but couldn't find them either. This is where Catalina came in. What if I took a chance and connected the old Sierra CCC bootable backup. Would that then get me back to Sierra?

I don't know why anyone would say Sierra doesn't support SSDs, because everything I can find says it will. But what is the end goal? Do you want to run Sierra, or High Sierra or what? Why bother with Sierra if what you want is High Sierra? You don't need to make this more difficult. As for connecting the CCC bootable backup, I thought it already was connected. How are you booting this Mac? Frankly, it may make some sense to leave the backup safe and do an Internet Recovery to get something installed on the new SSD, then see what we can do from there.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

You can use macOS Recovery, your computer's built-in recovery system, to reinstall the Mac operating system. Reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your personal data.

support.apple.com

Note this in that article, in particular the second bullet point:

macOS Recovery exceptions
The version of macOS offered by macOS Recovery might vary in some cases:

• If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later has never been installed on this Mac, Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. And Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.
• If you erased your entire disk instead of just the startup volume on that disk, macOS Recovery might offer only the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. You can upgrade to a later version afterward.
• If your Mac has the Apple T2 Security Chip and you never installed a macOS update, Option-Command-R installs the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.
• If you just had your Mac logic board replaced during a repair, macOS Recovery might offer only the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac.

If you can't get macOS Recovery to offer the installer you want, you might be able to use one of the other ways to install macOS.

And you and I are 15,000 miles apart, it's after midnight here and I'm not going to be on until about 10 hours from now, so this conversation will be super slow if we keep it going.

 

[krs]

I don't know why anyone would say Sierra doesn't support SSDs, because everything I can find says it will.

What I remember (not going through the thread again) is that this information came from Apple Australia and the reason was that the SSD in the Mac has the proprietary Apple interface, not the standard interface.
I have no clue if that information is correct or not, but I think that's where that statement came from and the reasoning behind it.

But what is the end goal? Do you want to run Sierra, or High Sierra or what? Why bother with Sierra if what you want is High Sierra?

Again, from memory, maybe Pete can confirm or correct.
He wants to get to High Sierra or Mojave, but there are no downloadable installers on the Apple website for either of these macOS.