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How to update and check for software updates in macOS Mojave. Here's a guide aimed at all Mac users that will walk you through the upgrade paths for all the latest versions of OS X Updating your mac os operating system

08.12.2021

Minimum system requirements for Tiger:

  • PowerPC G3, G4 or G5 at 300 MHz or higher
  • FireWire port
  • 256 MB RAM
  • 3 GB hard drive space
  • DVD drive

Leopard minimum system requirements:

  • Intel or PowerPC G4 or G5 processor at 867 MHz or higher
  • DVD drive
  • 512 MB RAM
  • 9 GB hard drive space

If you have an old PowerPC Mac that you want to completely upgrade, put the 10.5 Leopard DVD in your drive and follow the instructions. Leopard is the latest version of OS X to support PowerPC Macs, so it's a good idea to have the latest version. However, you won't be able to work on your Mac anymore until you get a newer Intel-based machine.

If you have an early Intel-based Mac, it's smarter to skip Leopard and go straight from Lion to Snow Leopard—if you can accommodate the memory and hard drive requirements.

Upgrade from 10.5 “Leopard” to 10.6 “Snow Leopard”

Snow Leopard system requirements:

  • Intel Mac
  • 1 GB RAM
  • 5 GB hard drive space
  • DVD drive

Snow Leopard is the latest version of OS X, available strictly on DVD. This DVD is also the only way for Macs with older versions of OS X to access the Mac App Store and update it with Snow Leopard. If you have an Intel Mac, simply place the Snow Leopard DVD in your drive and follow the update instructions.

As we said earlier, if you still have a Power PC Mac, you're stuck with 10.5 Leopard since it was the last version to officially support non-Intel compatible Macs.

Please note that 10.6 Snow Leopard is the minimum version to run our Mac optimization application, . Therefore, upgrading to Snow Leopard is wise!


Upgrade from 10.6 “Snow Leopard” to 10.7 “Lion”

Lion system requirements:

  • 64-bit Intel Mac
  • 2 GB RAM
  • OS X 10.6.6 or later
  • 7 GB hard drive space

You cannot upgrade from the earliest version of Snow Leopard to Lion. You must patch Snow Leopard to 10.6.6 first on Apple's website (and Apple recommends going to 10.6.8). That's because 10.6.6 is the first version of OS X to introduce the Mac App Store, which allows online updates from a Mac in major versions. Previously, you could update the same version of OS X through the website Apple support on their website, but you couldn't move on to the next big release without the DVD.

And there are actually no DVDs for 10.7 Lion and later versions of OS X. You need to upgrade to the digital version or not at all, which means 10.6.6, the earliest version to support the Mac App Store, is also the earliest version that can upgrade digitally up to the latest version of OS X.

However, you will first need to download 10.6.6 or 10.6.8 through the Apple support website. Once you've done this and you have the Mac App Store installed, go there to update. In fact, you can no longer upgrade to Lion as it has been removed from the Mac App Store since July 2012. You should update right to Mountain Lion. If you already have Lion installed and need to reinstall it, hold Option and go to the " Purchased" V Apple Mac Store to see the download link again.


Upgrade from 10.7 Lion (or 10.6.8 Snow Leopard) to 10.8 Mountain Lion

Mountain Lion System Requirements:

  • 2 GB RAM
  • 8 GB hard drive space
  • OS X 10.6.8 or later

Earliest Mac models supported: Mid-2007 iMac, late 2008 or early 2009 MacBook, mid-2007 MacBook Pro, at the end of 2008 MacBook Air, early 2009 Mac Mini or early 2008 Mac Pro

If you have a system that meets the above specifications, you will be able to upgrade your Mac from Lion to Mountain Lion (or even the later Snow Leopard to Mountain Lion) through the Mac App Store. It will cost $19.99 US, with different prices for other regions.

The update method has changed software on Mac. New software versions no longer appear in the Updates tab in the Mac App Store. Instead, Software Update became its own section in the settings. Below we'll show you how to update software on a Mac running macOS Mojave.

Key points:

  • Software update is now a separate section in System Settings.
  • In the new section you can configure software updates, quarantine, etc.
  • The software update was not returned to the Apple menu.
  • The Updates tab in the Mac App Store now only offers software updates.
  • The old settings panel has disappeared from the Mac App Store.

Smart solution

Now macOS updates and other system updates do not appear in the Mac App Store. In Mojave, Software Update is available as a separate section in Settings. Previously, the Software Update option was available in the Apple menu, but it has not been returned to Mojave.

Now all options regarding system updates are in one place. This Apple solution logical, considering new design Mac App Store in Mojave.

If you've been using a Mac for a long time, then remember that Software Update used to be a separate section of settings until 2011. With Mac OS X 10.4 Lion it was moved to the Mac App Store.

How updatemacOSonMac

1) Select System Settings in the Apple menu or in the Dock.

2) Click on the signature icon Software update.

3) If a new version of macOS or another update is available, you can view more details about it.

To update macOS, click Install.

You can also enable Auto Software Update by checking the box next to the recommended item. Depending on your Mac settings can download updates in the background.

When the update downloads, you will see a notification that new updates are available. You can install the update immediately or later. When a new update is available, you will also see an icon in the System Settings icon in the dock.

Other options

In addition to system updates, other options are available in the new section, including quarantine settings and program updates.

To customize the options, click the button Additionally.

its new desktop operating system OS X 10.9 Mavericks. Most likely, this particular build will become the final one and will soon be available for everyone to download from the Mac App Store. The release of Mavericks is just around the corner, so now is the right time to properly prepare your Mac for upgrading to the latest OS X. Read about how to do this correctly in our material.

What you will need

So, first, let's determine which Mac models support the new OS X. Apple has not officially announced the system requirements for its new operating system, but judging by the fact that it works on any Mac that supports OS X 10.6.8 and later editions OS X, supported models include:

  • iMac (mid 2007 and newer);
  • MacBook (aluminum model - late 2008 and later; new model - early 2009 and later);
  • MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer);
  • 13-inch MacBook Pro (Mid 2009 or later):
  • 15-inch MacBook Pro (Mid-Late 2007 or newer);
  • 17-inch MacBook Pro (Late 2007 or newer);
  • Mac mini (early 2009 and newer);
  • Mac Pro (early 2008 and newer);
  • Xserve (early 2009).

Important Note: Please note that the ability to install OS X Mavericks on these Mac models does not guarantee the functionality of features such as Power Nap, AirPlay-mirroring and AirDrop, which system requirements tougher.

Apple also didn't say how many RAM must be installed on your Mac for it to run Mavericks, but experience suggests that the minimum value is 2GB, but if you want to run comfortably in the new OS X, then it's better to have 4GB of memory on board. If your Mac only has 1GB of RAM, we recommend upgrading the hardware to more RAM if possible.

In Lion or Mountain Lion, you can check the specifications of your Mac in the About This Mac window, which is available in the Finder. Snow Leopard users can use the MacTracker utility

Don't know how much is on yours Mac operative memory and what capacity is your hard drive? This information can be viewed by clicking on the Apple menu and selecting “More details” in the “About This Mac” window. In Lion and Mountain Lion, by default, “Learn about this Mac” displays your computer model and year, as well as the amount and frequency of RAM. To view details about your RAM, click on the “Memory” tab. To view information about the free space on your hard drive, select the "Storage" tab.

In Snow Leopard, to do this, you need to go to the System Profile, select the Memory or Serial-ATA tab to view data about the RAM and hard drive, respectively.

Unfortunately, Snow Leopard does not display the actual model and year of your Mac in the Profiler window. However, the excellent MacTracker program will provide you with this information.

To install Mavericks, you will need OS X 10.6.8 and newer versions (including any release builds of 10.7 and 10.8). The main reason for this limitation is that Mavericks, like Lion, Mountain Lion will be distributed through the store Mac applications App Store, which is available in OS X starting with version 10.6.6, but Apple recommends using 10.6.8 to ensure everything goes smoothly.

In addition, Cupertino residents advise installing latest updates For operating system, so be sure to check for updates for your OS X.

What if your Mac is compatible with OS X Mavericks, but is running older OS X 10.5? The easiest way is to buy Snow Leopard for $20 and upgrade from there to Mavericks - you'll pay very reasonable money for really major upgrades to your OS X.

We strongly recommend getting a Magic Trackpad if you don't already have one - starting with Lion, OS X is well designed for trackpad control, and it's much better to use it rather than a mouse or other input device. MacBook owners, of course, do not need to buy a trackpad.

Before installation

Even though Apple calls updating OS X a fairly simple process of downloading and installing software, things don't always go so smoothly. Therefore, we advise you to complete the following tasks before installing a new axle.

Make sure your Mac's system drive is in good condition. To do this, open Disk Utility (Applications > Utilities), select your startup disk from the list on the left, click the First Aid tab, and then the Check button. If Disk Utility finds any problems, you will have to boot from a different volume to fix the problems using the Fix Disk button. If you're upgrading from Lion or Moutian Lion and your Mac can use OS X in Recovery mode, then you can boot into Recovery mode (Ctrl+R while your Mac is starting) and use Disk Utility to troubleshoot problems directly there.

Additionally, if you've created a bootable Mountian Lion installation disk, or a bootable Lion disk for old or new Macs, or created a separate recovery disk, you can boot from one of these volumes and use Disk Utility from there. If you are upgrading from Snow Leopard, then you can use the disk utility from the included installation disk or OS X Snow Leopard flash drives.

OS X Disk Utility allows you to check the status of your boot disk

If you are not confident in your abilities, you can use special utilities Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics, which were released recently.

Back up your Mac and test it. Do not neglect this point, because in case of trouble, it can save your life and save your data from your Mac. You can create backup copy using SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner, although you can get by with standard Time Machine. Each method has its own advantages: backup using third-party utilities allows you to get back to work right away if problems arise, and Time Machine saves multiple versions of the documents you've been working on. It is recommended to use these two methods in combination.

To check if your backup is bad, use the disk launcher in System Preferences. This will allow you to check if it works backup disk everything is the same as if you were booting from a standard Macintosh disk or not. To test Time Machine, try restoring several old and new versions of documents you've been working on.

Snow Leopard users only: Disable FileVault. If you are upgrading from Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) and using the built-in tool FileVault encryption, it is recommended to disable this feature before upgrading to Mavericks. This is because Mavericks, Lion and Mountain Lion use more new algorithm Data encryption FileVault 2. So, do not test your luck on the compatibility between these two data encryption algorithms. Disable the old FileVault on Snow Leopard before installing Mavericks and after a successful download, launch FileVault 2 in system settings.

Disable third-party disk encryption algorithms. The same applies to those who use third-party solutions to encrypt data on disk. Before installing the new OS X, disable them, otherwise the update may end in disaster for you. Only after you have installed Mavericks and are confident that it is working can you re-enable third-party data encryption algorithms. But keep in mind that the built-in FileVault 2 copes with this no worse.

You can check for OS updates by Mac Help App Store

Check for system updates and built-in applications from Apple. To make sure you are using the latest software and applications from Apple, go to the Mac App Store in the Updates tab and check if the software requires updating. This is necessary so that all programs run correctly on the new OS X and there are no problems with application compatibility. In Lion and Mountain Lion, you can do this by using the Software Update option in the Apple menu. Also, be sure to check that your Mac's firmware is up to date.

Check to see if third-party app updates are compatible with Mavericks. When OS X receives major updates, you need to make sure that the third-party apps you use are capable of running new version operating system. It’s better to immediately make sure that your programs are updated to the latest versions and work correctly in Mavericks, so that after installation you will be disappointed with non-working applications.

To check compatibility, you can visit the website of each specific application developer, but it is better and easier to use the special list of compatible programs compiled by RoaringApps. The list includes columns for different versions OS X - Be sure to check out the Mavericks column.

If the check shows a more recent version of the application, then update. For applications downloaded from the Mac App Store, this is very simple - click on the "Updates" tab and download updates for such programs.

For apps not downloaded from the Mac App Store, you'll have to install updates yourself. Some programs include a feature to automatically check for updates—if not, you'll have to visit the developer's website and download the latest version of the app directly from there.

List of compatible applications for different versions of OS X on RoaringApps

When it comes to software that is not compatible with new OS X, the apps that will have the most problems are those that integrate with the system at the so-called “low” level. An extended OS kernel and an upgrade to the new OS X are incompatible things, everything can end badly. True, some of the applications will most likely work correctly, but overall this is not the best option.

Snow Leopard users only: check for really old programs. If you're still running Snow Leopard, you may have a few PowerPC-compatible programs that won't run on your Mac with Intel processors. In Snow Leopard and earlier versions of OS X, Apple provided a utility called Rosetta that allowed PowerPC-compatible application code to be converted to run on Intel. Snow Leopard doesn't have this utility installed by default; your Mac will only prompt you to download it when you open a PowerPC-compatible application. Please note that on OS X 10.7 and later, Rosetta cannot be installed at all.

Any PowerPC application will not run under Mavericks, so if you have a really important PowerPC application, be sure to make it Intel compatible. Or find acceptable, more modern alternatives to them. As a last resort, you can keep the old OS X to run such programs.

To check the PowerPC-compatible applications you have installed, use the Profiler utility (Applications > Utilities), and then click on the View column, which can sort applications by compatible processor type. Don't forget that no PowerPC-compatible program in Mavericks, Lion and Mountain Lion will work there won't be.

Set up your iCloud account. The iCloud cloud sync service is integrated into many components of OS X. So, to avoid problems, make sure. that you are logged in to your iCloud account and have enabled synchronization of various types of data in it. If you are upgrading from Snow Leopard, then create an account for yourself. iCloud recording immediately after installing Mavericks.

Get an extra drive. It never hurts to have another disk in reserve on which you can install an operating system. For example, you might want to install Mavericks on a second drive first to test the functionality of your new OS X. This is especially true if for some reason your primary drive is damaged. In general, having an additional disk will never be superfluous.

Congratulations - you are ready to upgrade to Mavericks

Thanks to the Mac App Store, updating OS X has become simple and you no longer need to use CDs or flash drives to install new software. Now that your Mac is fully and properly ready to update to OS X 10.9, all you have to do is wait for the final version of Mavericks to be released on the App Store. Apparently, this will happen very soon.

We hope that this guide will help you properly configure and prepare your Mac for upgrading to the new OS X. If you have any questions or additions, leave them in the comments, we will be glad to hear your suggestions. Stay with MacRadar - it will only get more interesting.

One of the assumptions about the release date of the final version of OS X Mountain Lion turned out to be correct, and at yesterday's conference call Tim Cook announced that the new system will be available for download on July 25, that is, today. While the United States sleeps, you and I will prepare our Macs for the transition to the new system. I hope everyone will update to 10.8?

Like last year's Lion, it is extremely easy to install and does not require any skills from the user. Apart from following the instructions on the computer screen, you will not be asked to do anything more. The first thing you need to know before upgrading to Mountain Lion is the system's compatibility with your computer. As Apple itself says, the new version of the system will work on the following computers:

MacBook (Aluminum Late 2008 or Early 2009 or later)
MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or later)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
iMac (Mid 2007 or later)
Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
Xserve (Early 2009)

Please note that despite system support, some functions, such as PowerNap or AirPlay, have more stringent restrictions and work not on all computers.

Apple says your computer must have 2 gigabytes of RAM to install OS X Mountain Lion, but we advise you to upgrade your Mac's RAM, since working with 4 gigabytes of memory in 10.8 is much more enjoyable.

Note that there is no need to install RAM in your computer from the same manufacturer that Apple itself installs. The main selection criterion is the operating frequency of the RAM. When you arrive at the store, we recommend that you provide the sales assistant with accurate data on all characteristics, for example, by saving a screenshot of the screen on your iPhone.

If you're having trouble identifying your Mac's system data, you can always use the free Mactracker app, which provides all the information about every device ever created by Apple. In the program you will definitely find your “Mac” and a detailed description of it technical characteristics and data.

The key software limitation when installing Mountain Lion is current system version no lower than OS X 10.6.8. The fact is that Mountain Lion, like Lion last year, is installed on a computer only through the Mac App Store, which is only available on OS X 10.6.8 and higher. In addition, Apple advises checking your computer for all available updates. You can check it in Finder from the Apple menu - Software Update.

If your Mac is running Mac OS X Leopard (10.5), then there is only one way to upgrade it to Mountain Lion. First, you will need to purchase Snow Leopard ($29) and from there upgrade to Mountain Lion, the release of which, let me remind you, we are already waiting for tonight.

While upgrading to OS X Lion last year, I purchased a wireless Magic Trackpad for my iMac. The reason for this decision was the new multi-touch gestures introduced by Apple in OS X Lion. Since then I've been working on my Mac using a mouse and trackpad. With the advent of Mountain Lion, gestures will become even more common, and it will become more difficult to manage without a trackpad. If you have not yet purchased this wonderful thing, I strongly recommend it to you - working on a desktop Mac becomes even more enjoyable.

To do this, launch Disk Utility on your Mac, select your startup disk in the left column and click the “Check Disk” button. Checking the disk's functionality will take some time and may slow down the system somewhat, but this is not a big deal. At the end of the test you should see something like the following.

If, during the verification process, Disk Utility has detected any problems in the operation of your boot disk, then we advise you to boot from another partition and, running Disk Utility again, try to fix all the problems in the partition where they occur by clicking on the “Fix disk” button "

If you are upgrading from Lion and your Mac is using Lion Recovery, you have the option to boot into the appropriate mode by holding Command+R after turning on the computer and use Disk Utility from there.

Back up your Mac. We definitely recommend that you create a backup copy of your system using the Time Machine program built into OS X. To do this, you will need an external, capacious storage device that can accommodate all the information from your boot disk.

Mac users running Snow Leopard should deactivate FileVault. Mountain Lion, like Lion, has a slightly different encryption principle - FileVault 2. According to Apple, this principle is the best previously existing, and if FileVault is enabled on your Mac, then you can switch to a new system without loss by simply disabling FileVault before upgrading .

If you use third-party disk encryption, we recommend that you temporarily disable it when upgrading to a new version of OS X. Many of these products interact with the disk and operating system at a low level, and incompatibility with Mountain Lion may result in your Mac being unable to boot or unable to access all of your information. You can put encryption into action as soon as Mountain Lion is installed on your Mac and you have verified that the software encryption is compatible.

We definitely recommend that you check your computer for updates. For example, system 10.6.8 contains the fixes needed to upgrade to Mountain Lion. You can update the software on your Mac from the Apple menu.

In addition to basic system updates, we recommend monitoring all third-party software installed on your computer. The upcoming release of a new version of the operating system always encourages developers to work on updating their applications to support the new version of the system and a smooth transition to the new OS. To do this, you can either visit the website of the developers of each of the programs installed on your Mac, or use Mac program App Store and check for software updates there.

If you are too lazy to browse developer sites, we recommend using a more convenient solution. The RoaringApps website maintains a list of programs that are already supported or planned to be supported in OS X Lion and OS X Mountain Lion.

Set up your iCloud account or start one if you haven't already. On June 31 of this year, the MobileMe service ceased to exist, and if you were its user, you probably know about its closure, since Apple notified all its users about this more than once.

You can set up a cloud account in the System Settings program. Just go to the program and in the “Internet and wireless network» select iCloud. If your account has not yet been set up, you will be prompted to create a new one. There are more and more app developers now supporting iCloud on both iOS and OS X, and using this service will definitely make your life easier in the Apple ecosystem.

The principle of software updates introduced by Apple a year ago is very convenient, and you and I do not need to leave our workplace to update your Mac. As Apple prepares to launch new system, we invite you to drink a cup of coffee or watch a good movie. And by the way, did you remember to check your balance? credit card?..

Based on materials from macworld.com