mavericks/yosemite?

[Skillet01]

Hi all, I have another question about OS. I currently have an iMac, 20 inch, early 2009 running mountain lion, 8g memory and a 320 HD, 266 GHz. I always seem to drag my feet about upgrading to new systems (I still love OS 9) but it seems likely I'll need to soon.

So, a couple of questions: Can I upgrade the system on this computer, and if so, which one should I go to? I've read here on Mac forums about so many probs with both Mavericks and Yosemite.

Thanks, Skillet

 

[Slydude]

That machine can handle any of the newer OS versions including Yosemite. I like many of the new features in Yosemite (especially in conjunction with IOS 8). Mavericks was stable for me as well. I'd say check the features on both and decide which you prefer.

No matter which one you choose I suggest doing the following before installing the upgrade:
1 Check your critical apps to see if any need to be upgraded Application compatibility table - RoaringApps.

2. Make a backup so can revert the system to your current one if need be. A "clone" of the hard drive is best for this but a Time Machine backup can be used assuming the system files are included. The Time Machine backup won't be bootable though.

 

[pigoo3]

So, a couple of questions: Can I upgrade the system on this computer, and if so, which one should I go to?

Yes you can upgrade the OS on this iMac. It is capable of running the newest OS available (Yosemite). As far as Mavericks or Yosemite. Unless you've downloaded Mavericks in the past…Mavericks is not an option…since it is no longer available via the App Store. So your only OS upgrade option (from Mountain Lion) is Yosemite.

I've read here on Mac forums about so many probs with both Mavericks and Yosemite.

Just as a theoretical reply. If you've heard/read bad things with both Mavericks & Yosemite…why would you want to upgrade to either of them (especially of you didn't NEED to at the moment)?? Just food for thought!

In reality. The problems you've read about are probably from less than 1% of all users. What do you think the other 99% of users of Mavericks & Yosemite are experiencing (no problems)!!!

- Nick

 

[Skillet01]

Thanks for the replies, but of course, this brings new questions to my mind:

I can go directly from mountain lion to yosemite?

and

I can get a bootable flash drive on ebay for mavericks--are those not good to use?

Mac OS x Mavericks 10 9 5 Bootable USB Flash Drive Latest | eBay

As for why I want to upgrade: In the past I've stubbornly stuck to systems until they are obsolete, and I thought I may as well go ahead now and upgrade before that happens now. But, I don't really NEED to upgrade at this time.

Skillet

 

[harryb2448]

Yes you can go directly to Yosemite and don't buy Mavericks on a thumb drive. Simply buy your own 8GB thumb drive, download Yosemite, Mavericks is no longer available, and download DiskMaker X and let it do its thing. Will format and make a bootable copy BEFORE you run the Installer.

In this day and age keeping software updated against malware and other threats is very important. Apple has stopped support for Snow Leopard and no doubt Lion will be net and then Moutain Lion no doubt.

Make sure you back everything up to an external drive first and migrate over after install.


http://liondiskmaker.com

 

[pm-r]

Yes you can upgrade the OS on this iMac. It is capable of running the newest OS available (Yosemite). As far as Mavericks or Yosemite. Unless you've downloaded Mavericks in the past…Mavericks is not an option…since it is no longer available via the App Store. So your only OS upgrade option (from Mountain Lion) is Yosemite.

Just as a theoretical reply. If you've heard/read bad things with both Mavericks & Yosemite…why would you want to upgrade to either of them (especially of you didn't NEED to at the moment)?? Just food for thought!

In reality. The problems you've read about are probably from less than 1% of all users. What do you think the other 99% of users of Mavericks & Yosemite are experiencing (no problems)!!!

- Nick

There's a possibility that Mavericks may still be available in their App Store area, and if as you say, they want to.

I came across this the other week on a users ML iMac and Mavericks was actually showing with a "Download" button.

The trouble with that 1% of Yosemite users having troubles, that 1% is a huge number of users!!! Just look at all the Yosemite related problem posts on this site alone.

It seems that those that need or want some of Yosemite's benefits are those with iOS 8.x iDevices. I on the other hand find even Mavericks almost overkill for my needs and my older iPad 2 running iOS 7.1.2.

 

[pigoo3]

I can go directly from mountain lion to yosemite?

A person with a compatible Mac can go all the way from Snow Leopard (10.6) to Yosemite (10.10). So going from Mountain Lion (10.8) to Yosemite (10.10) is certainly doable as well.

I can get a bootable flash drive on ebay for mavericks--are those not good to use?

Yes…I've seen these as well on eBay. Legally I personally have not seen anything against folks doing this (selling Mavericks thumb drives on eBay). But who knows. Maybe because Mavericks (directly from Apple) was FREE…maybe these folks on eBay are not doing anything wrong (but I don't know this for sure 100%). And of course since Mavericks is not currently available via the App Store (for folks that didn't download Mavericks when it was available)…there is certainly a demand for these Mavericks thumb drives sold on eBay.

- Nick

 

[pigoo3]

There's a possibility that Mavericks may still be available in their App Store area, and if as you say, they want to.

I came across this the other week on a users ML iMac and Mavericks was actually showing with a "Download" button.

I'm sure we've covered this before (or a situation similar).

- If someone did download Mavericks (when it was available)…then Mavericks will continue to be available for them.
- But if a 2nd person NEVER downloaded Mavericks (when it was available)…and wants it now. Then Mavericks for this person…it NOT available now.

With this iMac you saw running Mountain Lion…and Mavericks was showing with a "Download" button…two possibilities may exist for this situation:

1. This person downloaded Mavericks (when it was available)…but never actually ran the installer to actually do the Mavericks OS upgrade.
2. This person may have downloaded Mavericks (when it was available)…they DID do the Mavericks upgrade…but then decided they didn't like it…and went back (downgraded) to Mountain Lion.

- Nick

 

[pm-r]

Yes Nick, another similar one and with further thought but I can't check, I'll take a guess that the spouse, now since departed, was possibly the App Store user who may have grabbed a copy for his portable MacBook?? use with her iMac, and hence Mavericks is showing. Just an educated guess as she sure didn't.

But she'd sure like to get rid of the #$*&% Yosemite upgrade nag that still pops up occasionally, even though I got rid of it showing in the App Store Update tab some time ago. Just like the cat that kept coming back and couldn't get rid of it!!