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my 27" MAC has OS X 10.9.5 which i know is very old. How do I update it to current Catalina version?
You're welcome. FWIW, you may have to upgrade to El Capitan first. Some people were having problems upgrading directly to Catalina.
How to upgrade to OS X El Capitan - Apple Support
It's possible for a Mac to become obsolete. It may not be able to run current software, be serviced, etc.
You're welcome. If you have a Late 2012 iMac it can run Catalina. However, the next version of MacOS, will require a 2014 iMac or later. I would say as long as it suits your needs you don't have to rush out to purchase a new Mac.
Just a note, older 32bit software will not run in Catalina so if you have any you want to continue to use, you should upgrade to Mojave.
You need a 2012 or later Mac to upgrade to Catalina.
If you do, open in Safari…
Again...thank you.
Is this something that I should discuss with reps in an Apple store...or can I call Apple for tech support?
I realize that 8 years in the computer world is an eternity. What do you recommend?
Thank you. That is very helpful. I am afraid that I am the type of user that wants to turn on the machine and use it.
Not sure about the 32bit software. I bought the Mac in 2013 or 2014. So i believe that it is late 2012.
What got me started was something quite simple...I wanted to password protect a Sandisk 256GB flashdrive...So i went to YouTube and watched the vids. My disk utilities looks different from the ones shown...and I could not find a GUID Partition Table Scheme????
That got me thinking that I am woefully out of date?
In case no one has warned you yet, if your Mac has a mechanical (rotational) hard drive, it will (noticeably) slow down if you upgrade to Mojave or later. Apple switched to the APFS file system with Mojave (the OS just before Catalina) which is horrible for mechanical hard drives. It was written for SSD drives. You will automatically be moved to APFS if you attempt to install Mojave or later. Fusion drives are better but SSD drives are really what you need to have.
You may find that you don't want to upgrade to the latest OS as it may not provide you with anything positive but rather just negative.
You particular iMac is listed as vintage... that means the OS that you are probably running right now is the best OS that your particular machine should be running. The latest OS provides support for newer hardware configurations and basically ignores the vintage ones... so instead of getting something that you think will perk up your old reliable... it may actually make it hobble painfully along.
Trust me... the slow down is real for mechanical drives. YOU WILL NOTICE IT. Unless you plan on opening up the chassis to upgrade some internals (not for the novice to do), you may find you are right where you need to be at for your hardware configuration right now.
iMacs were never built to be upgraded... most all Macs for that matter. Apple sells hardware. To get you to buy that new shiny, they make improving your existing computer a pain in the arse if not impossible. If your machine is working well and doesn't provide any roadblocks to your day to day usage, I say leave it as-is until a time comes when it won't meet your needs. At that point, consider a new computer or a used one closer to the current model years.
Thank you for the input. Will try the upgrade.
Does an Apple Mac ever become obsolete? Or can it be updated. It is working well but ...
Thank you for the answer.
Does a Mac ever become obsolete? Hdwe is good. just want to upgrade the OS...Have not done this since I bought it in 2012.
To be certain what it is you have, just check under the Apple Menu > About This Mac.
my 27" MAC has OS X 10.9.5 which i know is very old. How do I update it to current Catalina version
