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I am considering upgrading my iMac's Snow Leopard OS (its original OS) with Yosemite. But I am concerned that it will slow my computer down. It still operates pretty fast considering its age. Would appreciate your thoughts on what effects I can expect from upgrading in terms of functionality, speed, etc.
 

Raz0rEdge

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Welcome to Mac-Forums.

First and foremost, provide all pertinent details about your Mac without which we can't say what an upgrade to Yosemite, 4 revisions post Snow Leopard, is going to do to it..
 
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Like what details? I bought it new in 2009 and have made no changes/upgrades. So it's still got whatever it came with.
 

pigoo3

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Like what details? I bought it new in 2009 and have made no changes/upgrades. So it's still got whatever it came with.

- Do you think that Apple only sold one iMac model in 2009...no.
- Do you think that we have the specs for every model iMac Apple sold in 2009 memorized...no.

So we need to know what exact model iMac you have...and what it's configuration is before we can reply if upgrading to Yosemite is a good idea. Also...since you would be upgrading 4 OS versions (which is a LOT)!!! You can almost be guaranteed that some or all of the applications you have paid for & installed will not work with Yosemite without an update or upgrade themselves (which can mean a lot of $$$).

Upgrading the OS to a version that is 4 versions newer than what is currently installed is usually not a 100% smooth process.

- Nick
 
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First, no need to be an ***. I am new at this and don't really know what I'm doing. I switched to Mac so I wouldn't have to be "tinkering" with my computer constantly like I did when I had a Windows PC. I have never had any need to know any of this, as long as my computer was working properly (which it always has). SO...


As to the other questions:

Model: iMac 9,1
OSX 10.6.8
Processor: 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
Memory: 4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: IM91.008D.B08
MC Version (system): 1.44f0

(I have no idea what any of this means; I'm just copying it from the "About this Mac" box.)
 

pigoo3

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First, no need to be an ***. I am new at this and don't really know what I'm doing.

Then ask nicely.:) Your earlier post didn't sound very friendly.

Also...please be watchful of inappropriate language. As you can see...the 3-letter word you used starting with "a" did not go thru. And finally. You actually could have been banned from Mac-Forums for that statement. Enough said.:)

As to your question about upgrading to Yosemite. Yes your computer can run it. Yes with 4gig of ram it will run...but some folks have recommended having 8gigs of ram for Yosemite to run better.

Like I mentioned in my earlier post. If you have any installed apps that you paid for. By upgrading to Yosemite (4 OS versions newer than what is currently installed)...you may run into some issues with that software not running without an update or upgrade ($$$). This also applies to older hardware as well. Phones, camera's, printers, etc.

- Nick
 

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Raz0rEdge

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First, no need to be an ***. I am new at this and don't really know what I'm doing. I switched to Mac so I wouldn't have to be "tinkering" with my computer constantly like I did when I had a Windows PC. I have never had any need to know any of this, as long as my computer was working properly (which it always has).

So are you suggesting that the computer isn't working properly? If it is working properly, then why bother upgrading?

Check your attitude at the door, we are not obligated to help you, we do it out of courtesy!
 
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So are you suggesting that the computer isn't working properly? If it is working properly, then why bother upgrading?

Check your attitude at the door, we are not obligated to help you, we do it out of courtesy!



+1!!! And I'd strongly agree. OS X Snow Leopard was one of the best OSs Apple ever released and is still very useable. I'd stay where it is.

And I'll add further emphasis considering the remark the OP made:
First, no need to be an ***. I am new at this and don't really know what I'm doing. … ...

[Bold mine] :D
 
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chas_m

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The way I see it, you have a dilemma (and a rudeness issue, but let's put that aside). You have an old machine that is due for replacement (it's more than five years old now), but it runs well for what you do on it. Upgrading to Yosemite COULD cause problems. But on the other hand, your machine's OS is no longer safe to use because it is longer receiving security updates. This and other problems (software updates that won't work with a system that old, Flash and Java no longer supported, HD video that is unplayable on a machine that old, etc etc) will continue to multiply.

The logical solution is to get a new (or at least quite a bit newer) machine as soon as you can. They'll already come with a newer OS version so that will eliminate those problems. You could also opt to stay where you are -- which is the more attractive option price-wise, but increasingly unsafe and insecure.

I'd vote to replace the machine in the near future.

PS. We're always happy to help people who "don't know what they are doing" -- but it shouldn't be worn as a badge of honour or a defense against the (gasp!) reasonably-put request for additional information (which was requested solely to HELP you). If you're going to get irritated every time someone asks you a troubleshooting question, you're not going to get very far here -- or anywhere.
 
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IWT


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Hi fayettetopia

In strictly computer terms, can you give us a "typical day" on your Mac? Emails, I guess; surfing (which browser, is it Safari?); photos, movies, games—just tell us what you use it most for and which apps do you most commonly use?

All this is important because it gives a guide as to which apps would possibly not work well, or at all, on Yosemite; which games or activities might be too memory-hungry in their updated form on Yosemite. You get the idea.

Ian
 
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And if the OP is concerned about "lack of support", even though SL still receives updated XProtect files, there may be an option to go to a later OS X version if they happen to be listed in the Update Purchased section without going all the way to Yosemite - and if they even need or want to.
 
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Scared him off
 

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I think that we did such a great job answering the OP's question...that there was no further need for OP input!;)

- Nick
 

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Man, you guys are a little harsh. Did someone urinate in your cornflakes this morning or what?
 

Raz0rEdge

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"Well, HE started it.."
 

pigoo3

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Man, you guys are a little harsh. Did someone urinate in your cornflakes this morning or what?

That DEFINITELY would start the day on the wrong foot! YUCK!!!;) BAD DOG!;);)

- Nick
 
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"Well, HE started it.."

Like what details? I bought it new in 2009 and have made no changes/upgrades. So it's still got whatever it came with.


Well, since the "tone of voice" is in the reader's head, I suppose you could take that as antagonistic, but if read without inflection, it could be taken as an innocent, honest question, couldn't it?

I suspect this post will be deleted, or the thread closed, but I'm not trying to argue, just observe.
 

pigoo3

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Well, since the "tone of voice" is in the reader's head, I suppose you could take that as antagonistic, but if read without inflection, it could be taken as an innocent, honest question, couldn't it?

It's very true...text only posts made on internet forums can sometimes be taken different ways depending on how the post is written & the words used. This is why when composing posts on text-only internet forums...the poster should:

- take extra care to choose words carefully
- be very careful how those words are "assembled"
- use emoticons (or terms like "LOL") as necessary to more clearly communicate their "feelings" or "tone"

Those of us that are frequent visitors of internet forums have a "pretty good idea" when folks aren't being as nice as they could be when they post a reply.;) And specifically for Mac-Forums (since each internet forum has its own "personality")...we know when someone is "outside the boundries" of what's considered acceptable.

Judging by many of the replies in this thread. There does seem to be some agreement that the OP's posts in question could have been written better.

And in case it was missed or forgotten. In the OP's 3rd post in the thread...they used an unacceptable three-lettered word (probably starting with the letter "a")...that was filtered out. This is what really confirmed a "bad attitude" on the OP's part (in addition to the OP's 2nd reply)!

- Nick
 
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Yes you can go to yosemite but honestly you need more then 4 gig's of ram because yosemite will use 3 gigs of ram just to run.

And if you would like to keep snow leopard around for running older powerpc applications my recommendation is get a 1 tb hard drive and upgrade your hard drive and dual partition it and install yosemite on one partition and snow leopard on another.
 
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