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Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
artie505 #48726 04/29/18 04:47 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
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Re: "Shorthand for "whichever version of macOS you're dealing with."

-------------------


At one time, when I would go to the App Store, the previous versions of OS I downloaded would appear (e.g. El Capitan, Mavericks, etc.) However, none of these are listed there anymore - although the link provided earlier (#48653) says that older versions should appear in one's Apple Account under "Purchased."

If I go into Recovery, the only option is Sierra, which I currently have installed.

So, if Bob is still looking for FULL "El Capitan" (not just updates), where does he find it to download and install if not previously saved on a separate drive?

Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Bob_00001 #48727 04/29/18 05:00 PM
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Re: "Apple doesn't want people using older OS's if they can bully them into using their latest nightmare . . . "


---------------


A few months ago, I had "upgraded" from SIERRA - first doing a secure erase of the HDD and then a clean install - to HIGH SIERRA, but encountered no end of little blips and annoyances.

I am working with a 2011 MBPro which may be a little too old by now. I again erased the HD and re-installed SIERRA. Everything works exactly as before and as it should. So, perhaps, HIGH SIERRA is just too much for a 7-year old computer to handle. frown

Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
MG2009 #48730 04/29/18 08:01 PM
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According to MacTracker, your MBPro should be able to handle High Sierra. On the other hand, how much RAM does it have? That could be the problem.


Jon

macOS 11.7.10, iMac Retina 5K 27-inch, late 2014, 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5, 1 TB fusion drive, 16 GB RAM, Epson SureColor P600, Photoshop CC, Lightroom CC, MS Office 365
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
jchuzi #48734 04/29/18 09:51 PM
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16gb RAM - which, I believe, is that maximum for this machine.


Many thanks,
MG2009
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
MG2009 #48736 04/30/18 06:55 AM
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Originally Posted By: MG2009
At one time, when I would go to the App Store, the previous versions of OS I downloaded would appear (e.g. El Capitan, Mavericks, etc.) However, none of these are listed there anymore - although the link provided earlier (#48653) says that older versions should appear in one's Apple Account under "Purchased."

If I go into Recovery, the only option is Sierra, which I currently have installed.

So, if Bob is still looking for FULL "El Capitan" (not just updates), where does he find it to download and install if not previously saved on a separate drive?

I don't know why you're not seeing anything in your Purchased tab; I've still got Yosemite and El Cap available for d/l in mine. (El Cap is the last version of macOS that would show in "Purchased"...something to do with transferring Macs between owners if my memory serves me.)

As per How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support, Recovery offers three options, depending on which key combo you use to access it.

I thought Bob would be able to d/l El Cap via How to download OS X El Capitan - Apple Support (I think grelber did.), but I just digested it and saw

Originally Posted By: Apple
OS X El Capitan remains available for Mac computers that can't upgrade to macOS High Sierra, or that need to upgrade to El Capitan first.

which suggests that he can't, because his MBP is High Sierra capable.

I dunno. Let's see if he can wangle it out of AppleCare, and if not, he may have to go to eBay, which may be cheaper than upgrading his software. (Hmmm... In a pinch, I could d/l El Cap [which I just did, as a matter of fact, to make sure I could], burn it to a DVD, and mail it to him.)

[rant] Damn! Wanting you to be current is reasonable, but forcing you to be current, particularly when it's going to cost you, is NOT.

I don't get it. I don't doubt that Apple supports the Business Software Alliance, so why do they at the same time, in effect, support a market for bootleg OS X/macOS? [/rant]


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
artie505 #48741 05/01/18 02:32 AM
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Checked again, in case I had spazzed the last time.

My account PURCHASES show everything I have bought since 2011 when I got the MBPro . . . but not one of the OS downloads.

The machine came with Mountain Lion, I believe. I upgraded to Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra. Went to High Sierra, but reverted back to Sierra. Fortunately, each time I did make a flash pen boot drive BEFORE installing the OS.

UPDATE: If I go to App Store / Store / View My Account in the dropdown menu, I can then HIDE or UNHIDE purchases. Sometime along the way I had chosen to hide some purchases . . . which included all the aforementioned OS downloads.

Last edited by MG2009; 05/01/18 02:48 AM. Reason: Update

Many thanks,
MG2009
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
MG2009 #48743 05/01/18 06:51 AM
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Originally Posted By: MG2009
The machine came with Mountain Lion, I believe. I upgraded to Mavericks, Yosemite, El Capitan and Sierra. Went to High Sierra, but reverted back to Sierra. Fortunately, each time I did make a flash pen boot drive BEFORE installing the OS.

UPDATE: If I go to App Store / Store / View My Account in the dropdown menu, I can then HIDE or UNHIDE purchases. Sometime along the way I had chosen to hide some purchases . . . which included all the aforementioned OS downloads. (Emphasis added)

Mystery solved!

All except Sierra and High Sierra, I presume.


The new Great Equalizer is the SEND button.

In Memory of Harv: Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~Voltaire
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Bob_00001 #51501 04/09/19 04:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2010
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I'm resurrecting this thread almost a year later. I ended up not doing anything at the time. I'm still running Yosemite, but with all of the comments that I'm seeing about Mohave, I thought I'd better have another look at getting something newer than Yosemite. I'm not sure what's happened since I last tried, but when I go to the Apple Support site, I now see statements to the effect that if the latest MacOS version is not compatible with your existing hardware or software, you may be able to download an older MacOS version. I wonder if they got too many complaints about incompatibility, and finally gave in. So, I clicked on a link to download Sierra, which took me to the App store, and it appears to be downloading Sierra now. I'll report later with my results.


MacBook Pro 15" (2015)
Sierra 10.12.6
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Bob_00001 #51508 04/10/19 01:40 AM
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It turned out to be fairly painless. The installation went well. It took about a 1/2 hour.

Then, I started checking which applications wouldn't work. My biggest fear is that some unsupported legacy applications won't run and then I'm SOL. For example, I rely on iWeb to maintain my website. Fortunately it still seems to run.

All of my expensive applications worked. A couple of utilities like CyberDuck had to be upgraded, and there were a couple that relied on some libraries (X11 and MacTex) that seem to have disappeared. I downloaded the library packages, and re-installed them. Everything seems to be working so far.

As a bonus, a couple of software packages that claimed to work with Yosemite, but never did, now work correctly with Sierra. Most notable is LibreOffice 6. Under Yosemite, LibreOffice 6 would appear to start up, but it wouldn't do anything. So I'd had to revert to version 5.


MacBook Pro 15" (2015)
Sierra 10.12.6
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Bob_00001 #51513 04/10/19 07:52 PM
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Originally Posted By: Bob_00001
Then, I started checking which applications wouldn't work. My biggest fear is that some unsupported legacy applications won't run and then I'm SOL. For example, I rely on iWeb to maintain my website. Fortunately it still seems to run.


I too was dependent on iWeb. I found that Sandvox was very similar and could import old iWeb web sites. See the specifics. It is not 100% perfect, but might be worth it in the long run.


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Ira L #51516 04/10/19 10:53 PM
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I remember Sandvox being suggested to me a while back (probably by you). I downloaded the demo, but got no further. Despite their claim that it would convert my old iWeb site, This was the sticking point:
Quote:
Because of the proprietary themes and page layout structure used by iWeb, there is no way currently to import an iWeb site directly into a Sandvox document.


I looked at the themes that Sanvox had available, and didn't like any of them. They all seemed to have a cheesy Wordpress kind of look about them. This was a long time ago though, and maybe they've got some themes now that I'll like better.

At the time, it seemed to me that it should be possible to make a custom theme. I think I was going to look into doing that, but before I got that far I was able to track down the last iWeb update that Apple released, and installed that. It's been stable ever since, so I didn't do anything more at the time. I guess it's time to give Sandvox another look.

Last edited by Bob_00001; 04/10/19 10:53 PM.

MacBook Pro 15" (2015)
Sierra 10.12.6
Re: Is it possible to upgrade to an older OS version?
Bob_00001 #51524 04/11/19 10:55 PM
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True, you will lose the iWeb theme, but Sandvox has 101 different themes, some of which have color or style variations, so you will have close to 150 to choose from.

Change is the only constant. smirk


On a Mac since 1984.
Currently: 24" M1 iMac, M2 Pro Mac mini with 27" BenQ monitor, M2 Macbook Air, MacOS 14.x; iPhones, iPods (yes, still) and iPads.
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