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What is lost with Catalina upgrade from Mojave?

Some of my programs have triggered "early warning messages" that they need to be upgraded to work with future OS. Before I install Catalina, I need to know which programs may no longer work with it.

  1. How can I find out?
  2. If I can't upgrade a program, is there no work around helper app available? Seems like there ought to be.


Thanks in advance.

MacBook Pro 15", macOS 10.14

Posted on Jan 16, 2020 9:44 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 16, 2020 11:29 AM

If I remember correctly, under Mojave, you can check which apps are 32 bit or 64 bit by pulling down the menu under the Apple sign, then click on About This Mac. In the Window that opens click System Report. Then scroll down to Software and click on Applications, below it. It will take a bit, but you will get a report of all the installed apps and it should show which ones are 32 or 64 bit.


Your biggest issue may be if you have an older version of Microsoft Office. I offer the following information for your consideration.

·      Any other old 32 bit programs you have installed will also be affected with your upgrade. They also will no longer work.

Office version 2016 can be upgraded to 64 bit at no cost. If you have an older version, it can not be upgraded and you must purchase a newer version. (see below.)

·      If a person wishes not to upgrade their Microsoft Office, there are several good alternatives. They are the free LibreOffice and OpenOffice apps. Additionally, your Apple OS provides three free programs which you may use as an alternative to Office, Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

·      Any of these apps can and will open your Office documents. You may also create new documents and save them as Word files, etc. when you need to share files with other people who only have Office installed.

·      You should be aware that using these other apps to open Word documents will result in formatting changes.

·      Using any of these programs does involve a learning curve as they work a bit differently, but all of them are fine programs.

If you have Microsoft Office for Mac 2016 or later, it can be upgraded at no cost. If it is an earlier version, it cannot.

·      If you decide to upgrade an older version of Office, you have options. You may elect to subscribe to any of the following:

    • Office 365 Home:         $99.99 per year or $9.99 monthly. This allows you to install Office in up to six devices. This service must be renewed yearly. You may try the service free for one month.
    • Office Personal:           $69.99 per year or $6.99 monthly. This is for installation on one device only. This service must be renewed yearly. You may try the service free for one month.
    • Office Home & Student:        $149.99 one-time purchase cost. This is a purchasefor installation on one device only and is not renewed or have a monthly fee. It does not expire.
    • The second and third options include fewer additional apps such as having no Outlook app. Check the Microsoft site for details.

·       I strongly recommend that if you elect to do the Office upgrade, you first completely remove your Old Office app and its associated bits and pieces which will be spread through several other folders. This can be done effectively with the free program AppCleaner.app. It is easy to use and doing so will avoid creating any potential conflicts. After this is done, then you may download the replacement Microsoft Office files safely.

·       Finally, and this is important, when purchasing any of these Office upgrades, you need to register your purchase on the Microsoft web site, including which device or devices the apps are installed on. This can be changed later if a device is replaced. You must do this registration or you can have problems.

Any other apps may or may not be upgraded depending on that vendor's rules, so you will ned to check each one individually.

In summary, Apple has warned us of the change to 64 bit operations only. It has occurred. Now, it is up to us to decide how to respond. I hope this information is helpful to you.


6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 16, 2020 11:29 AM in response to MadMacMonty

If I remember correctly, under Mojave, you can check which apps are 32 bit or 64 bit by pulling down the menu under the Apple sign, then click on About This Mac. In the Window that opens click System Report. Then scroll down to Software and click on Applications, below it. It will take a bit, but you will get a report of all the installed apps and it should show which ones are 32 or 64 bit.


Your biggest issue may be if you have an older version of Microsoft Office. I offer the following information for your consideration.

·      Any other old 32 bit programs you have installed will also be affected with your upgrade. They also will no longer work.

Office version 2016 can be upgraded to 64 bit at no cost. If you have an older version, it can not be upgraded and you must purchase a newer version. (see below.)

·      If a person wishes not to upgrade their Microsoft Office, there are several good alternatives. They are the free LibreOffice and OpenOffice apps. Additionally, your Apple OS provides three free programs which you may use as an alternative to Office, Pages, Numbers and Keynote.

·      Any of these apps can and will open your Office documents. You may also create new documents and save them as Word files, etc. when you need to share files with other people who only have Office installed.

·      You should be aware that using these other apps to open Word documents will result in formatting changes.

·      Using any of these programs does involve a learning curve as they work a bit differently, but all of them are fine programs.

If you have Microsoft Office for Mac 2016 or later, it can be upgraded at no cost. If it is an earlier version, it cannot.

·      If you decide to upgrade an older version of Office, you have options. You may elect to subscribe to any of the following:

    • Office 365 Home:         $99.99 per year or $9.99 monthly. This allows you to install Office in up to six devices. This service must be renewed yearly. You may try the service free for one month.
    • Office Personal:           $69.99 per year or $6.99 monthly. This is for installation on one device only. This service must be renewed yearly. You may try the service free for one month.
    • Office Home & Student:        $149.99 one-time purchase cost. This is a purchasefor installation on one device only and is not renewed or have a monthly fee. It does not expire.
    • The second and third options include fewer additional apps such as having no Outlook app. Check the Microsoft site for details.

·       I strongly recommend that if you elect to do the Office upgrade, you first completely remove your Old Office app and its associated bits and pieces which will be spread through several other folders. This can be done effectively with the free program AppCleaner.app. It is easy to use and doing so will avoid creating any potential conflicts. After this is done, then you may download the replacement Microsoft Office files safely.

·       Finally, and this is important, when purchasing any of these Office upgrades, you need to register your purchase on the Microsoft web site, including which device or devices the apps are installed on. This can be changed later if a device is replaced. You must do this registration or you can have problems.

Any other apps may or may not be upgraded depending on that vendor's rules, so you will ned to check each one individually.

In summary, Apple has warned us of the change to 64 bit operations only. It has occurred. Now, it is up to us to decide how to respond. I hope this information is helpful to you.


What is lost with Catalina upgrade from Mojave?

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