My old iMac has been running more and more slowly, with regular beach ball appearances, so I've bit the bullet and ordered a refurbished 27" equipped thusly:

2017 27" iMac
3.4 Ghz Quad-core 7th generation Intel Core i5 c/w Turbo Boost
Retina display
1 TB Fusion Drive
Radeon Pro 570 c/w 4 GB video memory
The OS will be High Sierra

Questions:

1. The OS is High Sierra but the main drive is a Fusion Drive.

a) Will the filing system be APFS or HFS ?
b) Should I care?


I checked my applications with Roaring Apps and most applications get a "Will work" rating. However:

Printer Software

I have a Canon Pixma MX 712 and Roaring Apps says pretty much all of my Canon software

However, at this site https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201465
it appears that Apple supplies third party drivers that will operate the printing, scanning and faxing functions of the MX 712 with the MX 710 series software.

Have I drawn the right conclusion?
Should I do anything to prepare?

Printer Hookup

Assuming my Pixma will work okay...I currently use a USB 2 cable. However, the new outputs are USB 3. Does it matter?


Other applications

Many applications are in Roaring Apps' "Unknown" list. Should I start updating them now, or wait until I do the Migration and see what does or doesn't work?

Ya, ya...a bunch of people just went: "Well, duh", but I ask because I don't want to get caught with an app that won't work and therefore not allow me to get an upgrade charge as opposed to a new software charge.

Hello Rick,

For (1), it will be HFS, and you shouldn't care. The primary advantage to APFS, apparently, is improvement in performance on pure SSD. The fusion drive, which I also have on my 27" iMac, is mostly a spinning drive.

For (2), just let MacOS install the driver it wants to. It will automatically download whatever it needs from Apple. I have a Brother, but it all works just fine and Apple keeps the drivers up-to-date. I expect it would be the same for your Canon. As to USB 2 v. 3, with your 2 cable, it will default to 2 speeds. Frankly, I doubt you could perceive a difference. With USB 3, you'd just fill up the printer's buffer faster, but it has a mechanical limit to printing, imaging, and paper feeding that is likely far, far slower than USB 2 let alone 3.

For your other applications, sure no harm in checking. To be forewarned is to be forearmed, as the saying goes. If it were me, I'd update those apps that have free updaters and decide individually for the paid apps if I really needed them. I used the High Sierra upgrade as an opportunity for some housekeeping and to throw out old 32-bit apps that I haven't really used in a couple of years (or more).

I am sure you will love your iMac. I find the 27" Retina display absolutely stunning every time I use the computer.

Inapplicable content deleted.

Thanks, David.

Good idea....I was thinking along the same lines. When looking through the Roaring Apps lists I realized I have quite a few apps that I used at one time but not so much anymore....if at all.

APFS is currently not compatible with Fusion drives however the rumor mill says that may change in a future update to High Sierra. Personally I wouldn't worry about it.


I ended up downloading the latest available drivers for my Canon PIXMA printer, (Ithink they were for OS X 10.8 or 1.9) from Canon and it works just fine on my MBP running High Sierra.


USB 3 is backward compatible with USB 2 and USB 1. If you need one there are adaptor cables. (You would definitely need an adaptor if it were USB C however )

Re: " . . . I have a Canon Pixma MX 712 and Roaring Apps says pretty much all of my Canon software."

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I have an HP-AIO printer from 2006 I still use with an iMAC and a MBPro. Apple sends me updates as needed, so I would think it is pretty safe to assume that Apple does so with most printer brands around . . . even a 10-year old one!

P.S. If you use Onyx for maintenance, there is a warning from the developers NOT to use "secure" erase in that application on a Fusion Drive. Otherwise, the other features/tools in Onyx are okay to use.

Carrying that one step further, the USB port on your printer fits a USB 2 cable that's compatible with the USB 3 port on your iMac; you'll get only USB 2 speed, though. (Same setup I"m running.)

Not to argue, but my experience was different. Apple offered no current driver support in High Sierra for my 6 year old Canon PIXMA IP4500, and referred me to Canon. The latest drivers available from Canon were developed for OS X 10.9 (Mavericks), but to my relief, those drivers are compatible with High Sierra.

I just checked and Canon's site has been redesigned since the last time I was there, making it significantly more difficult to get drivers for OS versions other than the one you are actually using to access the site.

Apple has never provided a driver my 4 year old Canon ImageCLASS LBP6000; I've always had to go to Canon to look for updated drivers.

After reading your post I took a look at their website, and in addition to its now "detecting" which version of OS X/macOS you're running, it also offers a new dropdown via which drivers for other OS versions can be obtained.

Happily, I found a new, updated for High Sierra driver for my printer, but unhappily, it's still 32 bit, and I fear that Canon isn't going to support my printer with a 64 bit driver when it becomes necessary.

I also have been to the Canon site and found three quite recent drivers (ICA, CUPS Printer, Scanner) as well as 6 software updates and a firmware update. With the exception of the firmware update, which turned out not to be needed, I installed everything.

I guess the 32 bit aspect accounts for why Roaring Apps still kept the printer's Scanner in "Doesn't Work" and everything else in "Unknown".

Well, the machine has shipped so I guess we'll wait for the delivery truck and see what happens with Apple. This site does say "Your Mac automatically installs third-party software (drivers) for the following printers and scanners" and the OS list is High Sierra, Sierra, El Capitan, Yosemite, and Mavericks.

The 32/64 bit thing isn't a factor in High Sierra...won't be one until the next version of macOS, so I dunno...

My 32 bit driver works just fine.

Hmmmm. I wonder if the functional evaluation is related to the fact that the Roaring Apps app is beta. We'll see.

I don't waste my time with Roaring Apps or its ilk; I rely on my own empirical evidence for apps that don't mess with the OS, and on developers' status reports for those that do.

More: On the other hand, though, I'm not running any apps the loss of which would break my heart, and, anyhow, that's why we maintain clones and/or Time Machine.

Thanks everyone for some great advice and tips. I'm feeling much more comfortable.

Okay....so, new question - this one about Quicken.

I have been using Quicken since Attila the Hun was in third grade and I have a lot of accumulated data, which I would prefer not to lose. The last upgrade I have is Quicken 2007 although it has received many updates and, in El Capitan, works flawlessly.

About Quicken describes it as 16.2.4 (Build 25.886.100) and Check for Updates says: "You're Up to Date. Quicken 2007 16.2.4 is currently the newest version available."

Roaring Apps appears conflicted. In "Works Fine" it shows Quicken 15.0.1 but Quicken 2007 16.2.4 is in the "Unknown" list.

Perhaps it's time for movin' on......

My financial tracking needs are quite basic. I keep track of a couple of credit cards and need, once in a while, to pull up a report - such as how much I've spent with a vendor, when I purchased something, et cetera.

Quicken's only newer program for Mac is a $40 per annum subscription, which doesn't interest me. If I change to a new program, I assume it should be done before any Migration. So, to the questions:

1. Anyone using the old Quicken with High Sierra? What's your experience.

2. Quicken allows me to export a file called QIF (which I would do prior to Migration). Am I right to assume other financial programs will import it?

3. What are other folks using, other than Quicken, and why?

I know nothing about Quicken's functionality, but I found Update on Quicken for Mac 2007 Support Policies (May 2016), which answers your compatibility question.

For several years I had used and recommended MoneyDance as a viable alternative to Quicken but because of recent glitches in their development and support I started looking around and found Banktivity 6 (formerly known as IBank). Banktivity's look and feel is different from Quicken (and MoneyDance) and took me a little while to adapt after using MoneyDance for over ten years, but I have grown to really like it and appreciate some of its more subtle features. Banktivity is feature rich in accounting functions including at least three different budgeting options. It is aggressively supported and their customer support is excellent and very helpful. It doesn't have non-financial features such as household inventory, but it does support at least three budgeting methodologies (I need to do more of that) and it talks to most U.S. financial institutions. For the user converting from Quicken or other financial apps it does a good job importing data exported from Quicken or QIF format. If you are interested you can download a free trial version that supports only a limited number of transactions.

If you want a look and feel closer to Quicken check iFinance 4 from Synium Software. For that reason alone, I likely would have chosen it when I made the switch, but it refused to talk to my bank (USAA).

Yes, I had seen that site which confirms: No more Quicken 2007 support, and the day the OS doesn't work with it, I'm done. The only way out (there's nothing available in Canada except for Windows) is to enrol in a U.S. annual subscription, which is not for me.

And, even if I wanted to pay a yearly fee, Quicken doesn't even guarantee that my QIF file can be imported. They say: "If you have a data file from an older version of Quicken for Mac, you can attempt to convert the file to the latest Mac version."

I remain interested to learn what other folks have moved to.

I wonder if this is worth a look? I wonder if it's still available?

It's apparently a $75 d/l, NOT a subscription.

I'm good on the inventory front as I have Bento 4 and it will work with High Sierra. For budgeting, we have a fairly elaborate Excel spreadsheet that has developed over a few years.


This has appeal. The price is right and I like Synium Software, having used CleanApp for a few years. I think I'll download their demo.

Thanks for finding this. However for me, wth the exchange, it'd be a $95 download and I'd be paying for a pile of functionality I'd never use. Also, I'm not crazy about Quicken saying I could "attempt" to import my older files.

It hasn't been that long ago that Intuit was looking for a buyer for Quicken and could not find anyone interested in taking over their 34 year old code base which had become so creaky and full of patches it was too expensive for them to maintain or enhance. Last year HIG Financial Services, a Miami based private equity fund, agreed to take it on and that is where the ownership lies today. Where the MacUpdate offering is coming from is a question I would want answered before I recommend investing $75.

The MacUpdate offering is Quicken 2017; clicking on "Purchase" gets you to Quicken.com.

As far as I can tell, it comes from the same source as Quicken 2018, the rental version.

At the Quicken site I found this disclaimer, somewhat disconcerting on this side of the border:

"Quicken for Mac 2017

There is currently only one version of Quicken for Mac, intended for use in the US; however, Canadian users can also use the Quicken for Mac 2017 product. Please note that although the US Mac version of Quicken may work in Canada, we do not provide support for it when used outside of the US."

Well, it's not like you actually wanted it, and that's not even sour grapes.

Aside: I don't know if you've seen this, and I"m wondering if you've run into the same issue? (You wouldn't have unless your keychain password differs from your login password.)

Although it would have been better all around if I could continue with the same program I've used for years. However, I have to think "Wow...that much to track a couple of credit cards? And, if I have an installation issue....it's tough luck, you're on your own."


I don't have the machine yet (expected delivery still a few days out) but I'm not expecting that issue. So far, for me, Cookie (V5.6.3) just pops up on it's own after I log in...no further input required.

I'm up to 5.6.10, but I think it was around 5.6.4 or so when it went sour on me. As I said, though, you won't run into the problem unless your keychain password differs from your login password.

(End of discussion here; any more in original thread.)

Going back to the original thread, Part II, I've looked at iFinance and am not too crazy about its layout....whereas I really like Quicken's layout.

However it appears I may have a bit more time on my side with 2007....found this user's comment at an Apple support site:

"Quicken 2017 4.6.4 and High Sierra

For those who may be interested I have upgraded my iMac to macOS High Sierra 10.13 and Quicken 2017 version 4.6.4 appears to be running without issues. I also still have a legacy copy of Quicken 2007 on my system and it too seems to work fine.

The important point to consider is that my iMac has a 1TB Fusion drive so it was NOT converted to APFS, the new file system. I’m still on HFS+ Journaled. So I cannot speak as to whether things are okay under that file system. It would be nice if someone who has that file system and Quicken 2017 to comment."

FYI, Quicken 2017 newest version (I installed it around 10/27/17) is 4.6.7. (I purchase directly from Quicken rather than MAS.)

As a heads up, Quicken versions (purchased directly from them) can only be installed when Quicken offers it to you, since they do slow rollouts of each update / upgrade. However, you may be offered 4.6.7 (MAS or directly), I recommend updating. ...Just be sure to have a back-up of your 4.6.4, in case you have issues and want to roll back.

4.6.7 has run smoothly (as well as prior versions, including your 4.6.4) on my set-up (see below) which is APFS.

I've been offered (through auto-update) Quicken 2018, which is a subscription; but, I'm holding with Q2017 at least through 4/2020 (expiration of support for it).

Actually, I'm Quicken 2007 but, according to the person who posted at the Apple Support, it may still be okay....for a while at least.


However, it's good to hear that the 2017 version is working okay and I think your plan is solid.


That seems to me to be a good plan because, if the 2007 version history is any indicator, 2017 may continue working well past then. And, for me, in the immediate circumstance.....if I should go with 2017, I don't need to worry about Quicken not providing support in Canada. I have someone to call on at FTM.

Well, the new machine arrived and the migration was uneventful....if a bit long. About 3 hours.....and the OS is not High Sierra as the Apple person advised. It is Sierra 10.12.6.

I've opened a number of applications and everything seems to work pretty well, including Quicken 2007....which working like a dream. Maybe I should stick with Sierra for a while.

Two problems:

1) The brand new mouse (Magic?) simply stopped working so I'm using my 10 year old Kensington Trackball. Three cheers for old stuff.

2) My Mail program has gone kerflooey with the machine asking for, but not recognizing, my email password. Ditto my wife's mail account. And, it takes a long time to load .... 38 secs from the time I click on the icon.

However, Apple had sent a note offering a half hour session (combination phone and on-line) to help with issues. I've booked it and Mail is on the top of my list.

That sounds like the same problem you described in iPad refuses to recognize mail password. (Too coincidental?)

Have you tried the same solution?

Not quite. Last time, mail,wasn't working anywhere (i.e. the other machines in the house had the same issue). This time, it is only the 27" iMac that has the issue so I'm assuming something was lost in the Migration. Also the Mail app is receiving, just not sending.


The solution last time was to be on the phone with a technical person from the ISP who went through all the settings on all the machines. I have the appointment with the Apple people today and have emailed them that the Mail issue will be the priority.

EDIT/UPDATE: I guess I'll have to find something else to occupy the Apple folks' time. I fixed the email issue, and it would seem a password didn't make it through the migration.

When I went deeper into the mail settings, it had the password for incoming mail (which I was receiving) but not the password for outgoing. Popped it in...and everything's good.