Upgrading OS and app compatibility

[Barry M. Glasgal]

I need to upgrade from 10.10.5 to 10.11 in order to use an application. Is there a way to find out which of my current apps are not compatible with the upgraded OS? I guess I would have the same question if i further upgraded my OS.

 

[honestone]

This link will help you:

https://roaringapps.com/apps

Also, it might be best if you do a fresh, clean, "virgin" installation of OS 10.11.6. To do that, you'll need 1) a backup to an external device, and 2) perform disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective.

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

Thanks. A couple of things. I'm almost 80 and a little deficient in knowledge. I downloaded 10.11.5, did not see a 10.11.6. It was not installable w/o 10.11. I could not find a place to download 10.11. It is not in the App Store.

I looked at the instructions for a virgin install. The only backup devise I have is a cd drive. I know how to burn a disc but I'm not sure what to record on it to use it as a startup disc. I have a time machine so everything is backed up I think.

Obviously cold use some more guidance---or am i over my head?

 

[honestone]

OK, a couple of things:

1. I also have a late 2012 Mac Mini, with 8 gig of Ram. However, I replaced the internal 1 TB drive with a 256 gig Samsung 840 Pro SSD. The machine really flies!

2. V10.11.6 was the last version Apple made for El Capitan. I am actually downloading the "full" 10.11.6 version right now (will not need it, but wanted to make sure I could get it). If you "go" to the App store and click on the "Purchased" tab, it will show you all software that you have already "Purchased" (free or not) from the App Store. If El Capitan is not there for you, then you cannot download the full installation file like I can.

3. Assuming you cannot download the full El Capitan installation file, you can upgrade to El Capitan "on the fly", ie, "in place". Unfortunately, this has always been a "confusing" topic here. This link does provide instructions about "obtaining" El Capitan:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886

4. You say that you downloaded V10.11.5. How did you download it, and from where?

5. Whether you upgrade or do a full, clean, new installation, you are taking a risk without a backup. Using a CD will not "cut it", per say. However, you say that you have a time machine. Is that another device that you have attached to your Mac? If it is, then I guess the software entitled Time Machine runs at either your "direction" or "automatically" to do backups/updates to backups. Sorry I am being somewhat "vague" about that. I do my backups another way, and I use a different backup/cloning program entitled SuperDuper!.

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

OK, a couple of things:

1. I also have a late 2012 Mac Mini, with 8 gig of Ram. However, I replaced the internal 1 TB drive with a 256 gig Samsung 840 Pro SSD. The machine really flies!

2. V10.11.6 was the last version Apple made for El Capitan. I am actually downloading the "full" 10.11.6 version right now (will not need it, but wanted to make sure I could get it). If you "go" to the App store and click on the "Purchased" tab, it will show you all software that you have already "Purchased" (free or not) from the App Store. If El Capitan is not there for you, then you cannot download the full installation file like I can.

3. Assuming you cannot download the full El Capitan installation file, you can upgrade to El Capitan "on the fly", ie, "in place". Unfortunately, this has always been a "confusing" topic here. This link does provide instructions about "obtaining" El Capitan:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886

4. You say that you downloaded V10.11.5. How did you download it, and from where?

5. Whether you upgrade or do a full, clean, new installation, you are taking a risk without a backup. Using a CD will not "cut it", per say. However, you say that you have a time machine. Is that another device that you have attached to your Mac? If it is, then I guess the software entitled Time Machine runs at either your "direction" or "automatically" to do backups/updates to backups. Sorry I am being somewhat "vague" about that. I do my backups another way, and I use a different backup/cloning program entitled SuperDuper!.

Thanks so much for you help.

I got 10.11.5 from Apple support page .

I tried the link https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886, hit the button but nothing in the way of a download or directions appeared. I'm at a loss of what to do. The get button doesn't seem to give me a link or i don't know where to look for it.

My time machine is connect to my computer and i use a solid state drive. It backs up but I don't believe it updates.

As i recall there is a way at restart to press some keys to allow you to select a startup disc. I do't remember how to do it but would like to try to see if I can startup from the time machine. Can you give me som How-to advice?

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

OK, a couple of things:

1. I also have a late 2012 Mac Mini, with 8 gig of Ram. However, I replaced the internal 1 TB drive with a 256 gig Samsung 840 Pro SSD. The machine really flies!

2. V10.11.6 was the last version Apple made for El Capitan. I am actually downloading the "full" 10.11.6 version right now (will not need it, but wanted to make sure I could get it). If you "go" to the App store and click on the "Purchased" tab, it will show you all software that you have already "Purchased" (free or not) from the App Store. If El Capitan is not there for you, then you cannot download the full installation file like I can.

3. Assuming you cannot download the full El Capitan installation file, you can upgrade to El Capitan "on the fly", ie, "in place". Unfortunately, this has always been a "confusing" topic here. This link does provide instructions about "obtaining" El Capitan:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886

4. You say that you downloaded V10.11.5. How did you download it, and from where?

5. Whether you upgrade or do a full, clean, new installation, you are taking a risk without a backup. Using a CD will not "cut it", per say. However, you say that you have a time machine. Is that another device that you have attached to your Mac? If it is, then I guess the software entitled Time Machine runs at either your "direction" or "automatically" to do backups/updates to backups. Sorry I am being somewhat "vague" about that. I do my backups another way, and I use a different backup/cloning program entitled SuperDuper!.

Update! I got the button to work and got the message "This version of OS X 10.11 cannot be installed on this computer." I don't understand that and clicking on Learn More did not do anything.

 

[honestone]

OK, need to try and sort things out:

1. Time Machine "device". I suspect you are using Time Machine for your backups, and I can only guess that with your Time Machine "device", in its default configuration, Time Machine runs only at your "direction". Maybe you need to configure Time Machine to run more often. Again, though, given that I have no experience with that device nor Time Machine, maybe someone else can "chime in".

2. Time Machine backups are not bootable, ie, you cannot boot your Mac Mini from a Time Machine backup (no matter what kind of external device you have). To be able to boot your Mac from a backup, you need to use a backup/cloning program like either SuperDuper! (I use it) or Carbon Copy Cloner.

3. The link https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886: I just clicked on it, and it says "Get El Capitan from the App Store" (about half way down). #1 says "Use this link to open the El Capitan page on the App Store: Get OS X El Capitan.". Just click on "Get OS X El Capitan.", and that will take to to a page that shows El Capitan V10.11.6 of El Capitan. Click on the Download button, and the download should start. Once it completes, do not let it "run" any further". Quit that "process". The result of this will be a file entitled "Install MacOS El Capitan" inside your Applications folder. Make a copy of it in another location on your machine. To do that:

a. Click on that "Install MacOS El Capitan" file once.

b. Go to the Edit menu, and select Copy.

c. Navigate to another folder/location.

d. Double click that folder, click once inside it, and then select "Paste" from the Edit Menu. The file "Install MacOS El Capitan" will be copied to that location.

I don't understand your statement "I got the button to work and got the message "This version of OS X 10.11 cannot be installed on this computer.". What "button" do you mean? Also from that "El Capitan" link, note that you can install El Capitan on your Mac Mini (within the list of Macs on that link, it says "Mac mini models from early 2009 or later". Well, you have a late 2012 model like me.

Also, what do mean by "i use a solid state drive"? Is the Solid State Drive (SSD) inside your Mac Mini (like mine)?

Please 1) clarify what I asked above, and 2) try and follow #3 above (about obtaining V10.11.6 of El Capitan). That link worked for me.

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

Re#3
I followed your instructions and got to here

There is no download button but there is a GET button.

I Clicked on the GET button And got this message

That's where I am and when I click the learn more button I get no response.

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

OK, need to try and sort things out:

1. Time Machine "device". I suspect you are using Time Machine for your backups, and I can only guess that with your Time Machine "device", in its default configuration, Time Machine runs only at your "direction". Maybe you need to configure Time Machine to run more often. Again, though, given that I have no experience with that device nor Time Machine, maybe someone else can "chime in".

2. Time Machine backups are not bootable, ie, you cannot boot your Mac Mini from a Time Machine backup (no matter what kind of external device you have). To be able to boot your Mac from a backup, you need to use a backup/cloning program like either SuperDuper! (I use it) or Carbon Copy Cloner.

3. The link https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT206886: I just clicked on it, and it says "Get El Capitan from the App Store" (about half way down). #1 says "Use this link to open the El Capitan page on the App Store: Get OS X El Capitan.". Just click on "Get OS X El Capitan.", and that will take to to a page that shows El Capitan V10.11.6 of El Capitan. Click on the Download button, and the download should start. Once it completes, do not let it "run" any further". Quit that "process". The result of this will be a file entitled "Install MacOS El Capitan" inside your Applications folder. Make a copy of it in another location on your machine. To do that:

a. Click on that "Install MacOS El Capitan" file once.

b. Go to the Edit menu, and select Copy.

c. Navigate to another folder/location.

d. Double click that folder, click once inside it, and then select "Paste" from the Edit Menu. The file "Install MacOS El Capitan" will be copied to that location.

I don't understand your statement "I got the button to work and got the message "This version of OS X 10.11 cannot be installed on this computer.". What "button" do you mean? Also from that "El Capitan" link, note that you can install El Capitan on your Mac Mini (within the list of Macs on that link, it says "Mac mini models from early 2009 or later". Well, you have a late 2012 model like me.

Also, what do mean by "i use a solid state drive"? Is the Solid State Drive (SSD) inside your Mac Mini (like mine)?

Please 1) clarify what I asked above, and 2) try and follow #3 above (about obtaining V10.11.6 of El Capitan). That link worked for me.

By "i use a solid state drive"I was referring to my LaCie Backup which is my Time Machine. Maybe my lingo is not right.

 

[honestone]

Really strange that you are getting that. MY Mac Mini has the latest version of High Sierra, OS 10.13.2, and it lets me download El Capitan. However, I had previously "purchased" El Capitan before from the App Store, so maybe that is the reason why mine says "Download".

This has always been a confusing, frustrating situation for a number of folks. I myself was surprised to see a few months ago that Sierra, OS 10.12.x, was not on my "Purchased" items list, even though I had downloaded it a few times from the App Store! And it is STILL not there, even though I have downloaded High Sierra from the App store and installed it, on both of my Macs. Fortunately, I always make a copy of whatever "Install macOS" file I download.

Maybe someone else (Cory?) can help with this dilemma. I understand your frustration!

 

[honestone]

By "i use a solid state drive"I was referring to my LaCie Backup which is my Time Machine. Maybe my lingo is not right.

Got it! So your external drive is a LaCie model, with an SSD inside. Do you know why Time Machine has never updated the backup there (according to what you said above)?

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

Really strange that you are getting that. MY Mac Mini has the latest version of High Sierra, OS 10.13.2, and it lets me download El Capitan. However, I had previously "purchased" El Capitan before from the App Store, so maybe that is the reason why mine says "Download".

This has always been a confusing, frustrating situation for a number of folks. I myself was surprised to see a few months ago that Sierra, OS 10.12.x, was not on my "Purchased" items list, even though I had downloaded it a few times from the App Store! And it is STILL not there, even though I have downloaded High Sierra from the App store and installed it, on both of my Macs. Fortunately, I always make a copy of whatever "Install macOS" file I download.

Maybe someone else (Cory?) can help with this dilemma. I understand your frustration!

Thanks for both your help and understanding.

One comment: the message says "This version of 10.11 can not ...". Is it possible that this is because 10.11.6 is an upgrade to 10.11 and since 10.11 does not exist on this computer, there is nothing to upgrade?

Which goes back to my search for the original 10.11.

 

[honestone]

Thanks for both your help and understanding.

One comment: the message says "This version of 10.11 can not ...". Is it possible that this is because 10.11.6 is an upgrade to 10.11 and since 10.11 does not exist on this computer, there is nothing to upgrade?

Which goes back to my search for the original 10.11.

I am thinking that link sent me to that El Capitan "place", and it was the full OS 10.11.6 installer. I did not download it, but again I (possibly) suspect that because I can see El Capitan within my "Purchased" items, that I can download the full installation file for V10.11.6.

As for obtaining OS 10.11 (or 10.11.1, 10.11.2, 10.11.3, 10.11.4, or 10.11.5), Apple is making it more and more difficult to obtain prior versions of the Mac OS (unless it is within your "Purchased" items, like it is for me). I actually have Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan within my "Purchased" items (but still no Sierra or High Sierra!).

 

[bearflag7]

I need to upgrade from 10.10.5 to 10.11 in order to use an application. Is there a way to find out which of my current apps are not compatible with the upgraded OS? I guess I would have the same question if I further upgraded my OS.

I did a quick search for the 10.11 and found an Apple page with 10.11.1 here is the Link. https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1845?locale=en_US

It is the download of the .dmg file, I read thru again and saw it was in the body of the thread!

-Cheers

 

[honestone]

I did a quick search for the 10.11 and found an Apple page with 10.11.1 here is the Link. https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1845?locale=en_US

It is the download of the .dmg file, I read thru again and saw it was in the body of the thread!

-Cheers

That is not the full OS 10.11.1 installer. It is only the OS 10.11.1 update.

 

[Barry M. Glasgal]

That is not the full OS 10.11.1 installer. It is only the OS 10.11.1 update.

I finally gave up and called Apple. Regardless of what their posted info is, I was told you can no longer download 10.11. They convinced me to go to 10.13. It took over two hours to download an install, but it is working without incident except the need to update some 3rd party items.

Once again---thanx to everyone that chimed in.