new user to mac .. need help please..

[newmacuser1972]

hi and thanks in advance... i have this mac

processer 2.7ghz intel core i5
memory 4gb 1333 mhz ddr3

mac os x lion 10.7.5 (11g63)

its clunky and stuff dont work properly on it... can i upgrade it..... how do i do that?

again thanks in advance ... new user so thought i would ask the experts

 

[IWT]

A warm welcome to Mac-Forums.

As a general rule in computing, it's best to sort out what the trouble is before Upgrading!

Upgrading rarely solves a problem and frequently exposes even more of them.

So let's start with the Model (Notebook, Desktop iMac); and Year so that we can determine how far the Mac can be upgraded and the means available to achieve it.

Then, perhaps you can tell us when your Mac was last behaving "normally" - yesterday, last week, 3 months ago?

Have you made any changes to the Mac - added new apps for instance.

And a tiny bit more detail on what has gone wrong - "clunky" and "stuff don't work properly..." don't tell us much.

For example: does it boot up normally - or take ages to do so? Are you getting a lot of "spinning beachballs" and if so; with just one or two apps, or only when browsing, or more or less all the time?

You see - you know all about your Mac - we know nothing. Your problem could be trivial or it could be a dying Internal Hard Drive.

And that leads to the final important question - do you have a Time Machine or other Backup?

Please post back with answers to all these questions.

Ian

 

[Raz0rEdge]

What year is the Mac? That will dictate what version of the OS is available for it. Next, describe in EXCRUCIATING detail what "doesn't work properly" and we will see what the issue is. Last, I 1000% agree with Ian that you first address your existing issue before attempting to upgrade, since upgrading is no magic pill that will just fix everything.

 

[toMACsh]

I see that you are also new to Mac Forums. Just a tip for posting: Describe the topic of your post in the, well, Topic. That ensures that members who might have some insight will be enticed to open your "thread". If everyone posted topics saying "I need help" people would move on to another forum rather than wading through multiple posts with unknown subjects.

 

[pigoo3]

I'm 100% sure we can help with what to do with this computer (if it's upgradeable...or not upgradeable). But as others have already mentioned...we need more model info. There are just too many possibilities with the info given so far (processer 2.7ghz intel core i5).

- Nick

 

[MacInWin]

You said you are a new user, so let's start with basics. To answer the question "what Mac," you need to click on the  symbol on the upper left corner, then "About This Mac" and the resulting box will have details about your system. The model will be something like "MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015)" but with the details for your system. Add that to your descriptions as asked for about the nature of the issues and we can get started on sorting out what may be best to do.

 

[newmacuser1972]

Hi and thanks all for your help and advice....

here goes.......imac 27-inch , mid 2011

it had been unused for a couple of years, it says that for example ... skype, which i need for work is not compatable with my browser, i think its the operating system being old. i tried to put word on there and that wouldnt work either. It can be slow also that what i mean by clunky,

Cj

Thanks again in advance

ps not sure about time machine
it does not get many spinning beechballs

 

[pigoo3]

here goes.......imac 27-inch , mid 2011

Awesome...thanks for the extra info! Yes...you can DEFINITELY ungrade this model Mac...and very likely improve the computing experience with it!

You mentioned that currently it is running OS 10.7.5 (a pretty old & pretty "clunky" OS version)...and has 4gig of RAM. The newest macOS a 2011 27" iMac can run is OS 10.13 (High Sierra)...which is a pretty good OS version...but a 2011 iMac cannot run the newest macOS version (10.14 Mojave). OS 10.13 (High Sierra) would still be SIX OS versions newer.

Also...max RAM on a 27" iMac is 32gig...thus PLENTY of room to increase the RAM from the 4gig installed currently.

And it wasn't mentioned...but you could also replace the "spinner" hard drive in it with an SSD if you decided to.

HTH,

- Nick

 

[newmacuser1972]

So .... just to check. i could run OS 10.13 ( high Sierra ) with the 4gig of ram i have.....

can u give me an idea of cost..and how easy it to do

and if i wanted to put extra ram in/on...

thanks in advance

Cj

just to say i went to mac store to find high sierra it says i need operating system 10.8 or higher


what i tried without success and after a bit of reading

dropping to sierra.. but came across something saying i would need el capitan before sierra.... tried to get el capitan but it says theres a problem with apple store .. try later... i click ok and it says something about if i want to update my payment info i need to update my OS.. i dont want to change that..

 

[pigoo3]

The difficulty here is that it's been a long long time since the OS on this computer has been upgraded. Apple has been using a "download only" sort of process for macOS upgrades since about 2009-ish...and when a new OS version was released...the older previous version was removed from the Apple servers.

In any case...give this a try. In step 4 the link below...there's a link "Get macOS High Sierra". Click on it...and hopefully it will download the High Sierra installer.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208969

- Nick

 

[newmacuser1972]

Yes I tried that earlier, it says that my system need to be macos version 10.8 or higher

thanks for taking time to help

Cj

 

[pigoo3]

Ok...I forgot about this. Mac OS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) was the very last macOS version that needed to be purchased...and it was the first 100% download only macOS version.

You need to purchase OS 10.8...install it...then all newer macOS upgrades are free.

Here's the link to purchase macOS 10.8 Mountain Lion:

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion

- Nick

 

[IWT]

According to this 2018 Macworld article, you can still purchase macOS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) for the equivalent of $19.99. The US and UK sites for doing so are shown:

https://www.macworld.co.uk/how-to/mac-software/download-old-os-x-3629363/#toc-3629363-6

or you can skip that article and go directly to -

US = https://www.apple.com/shop/product/D6377/os-x-mountain-lion

UK = https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/D6377/os-x-mountain-lion?cid=oas-emeia-domains-apple.co.uk

Once you've got 10.8, then you can upgrade as advised above.

Ian

 

[newmacuser1972]

That makes sense, Thank you , i will do this and see where we get to from there..

many thanks

Cj

 

[IWT]

Hey Nick, you and I made it to the line with you a nose ahead of me..... but my post was longer

Ian

 

[pigoo3]

Hey Nick, you and I made it to the line with you a nose ahead of me..... but my post was longer

...and has more links!

- Nick

p.s. Seriously...I should have remembered about the macOS 10.8 purchase requirement earlier in the thread!

 

[gsahli]

I don't think you have to purchase 10.8 - you can go straight to El Capitan download if you have 10.6 fully updated:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886

 

[newmacuser1972]

Hi again.. so i purchased lion and have installed it, its version 10.8.5... whats my next move please, can i just jump to the high sierra Osystem ?

thanks in advance

Cj

 

[MacInWin]

OK, what I would try next is to click on the  logo in the upper left corner of the screen and then in the resulting menu, select, "App Store..." and open the store. Then search for High Sierra to see if you can get it there. If not, then try the link in post #10 above. That should work now and you should be able to upgrade to HS just fine.

 

[newmacuser1972]

I've gone to download it, it says i need to update my payment info? then when it takes me there it says i can't do it with 10.8.5….