Lesson 3: Upgrading to OS X Yosemite
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Thanks to VirtualBox, you can have Windows and the Mac OS X 10.10 running in one computer concurrently. To switch from the Windows environment and open your Mac, only takes a few clicks. Simply open VirtualBox and start the OS X Yosemite virtual machine. Before you upgrade, we recommend that you back up your Mac. If your Mac is running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later, you can upgrade directly to macOS Big Sur. You'll need the following: OS X 10.9 or later; 4GB of memory; 35.5GB available storage on macOS Sierra or later. Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.
Upgrading to OS X Yosemite
If you're thinking about upgrading to Yosemite, you'll need to make sure your computer meets all of the software and hardware requirements. Here are the things you'll need to have:
- Apple Macintosh computer (Mac): Generally, you'll need to have a Mac in order to install OS X Yosemite. Installing Yosemite on a PC is possible, but it requires more advanced techniques.
- OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks: If you are using an older version of OS X such as Leopard, you will need to upgrade to Snow Leopard (version 10.6.8) before upgrading to Yosemite.
- Internet access: To install Yosemite, you will need to download it from the Mac App Store, which requires a working Internet connection. Yosemite is not available on CD or DVD.
- Hardware requirements: Your Mac will need to meet certain processor, memory, and hard drive requirements to install Yosemite. Below are the models that can be upgraded:
- iMac (mid-2007 or newer)
- MacBook (late 2008 Aluminum or early 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (mid/late 2007 or newer)
- MacBook Air (late 2008 or newer)
- Mac mini (early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (early 2008 or newer)
- Xserve (early 2009)
For a full list of hardware requirements, view the OS X Yosemite How to Upgrade page.
Viewing information about your Mac
Can i use any external hard drive for mac. To upgrade to Yosemite, you'll need to know what type of hardware your Mac has, as well as which version of OS X you are using. Then you can compare it with the requirements above to decide whether you'll be able to upgrade. On a Mac, all of your system information is visible from the About This Mac window.
- Click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen, then select About This Mac.Selecting About This Mac
- A window will appear that shows information about your hardware and software.
Software compatibility
In order for software to work, it must be compatible with the operating system; therefore, you may not be able to use all of your existing software if you switch to a different operating system. Before you switch, ask yourself if there's any software that you can't do without. Then conduct some research to find out if it is compatible with Yosemite.
Upgrading from earlier versions of OS X
If you are upgrading from an earlier version of OS X, most of your apps should still work. However, it's possible that some might not. A simple Google search will often be enough to tell if an app will be compatible in Yosemite.
Switching from Windows to OS X
Some PC software will not work in OS X, but there may be a Mac version you can buy or download. For example, Microsoft Office 2013 does not run in OS X, but you can buy Microsoft Office for Mac to view and edit your documents. However, not all software has a Mac version, and you may need to do some research to find out if there are Mac versions for your most important programs.
Installing Windows on a Mac
If you absolutely need to use PC software and there isn't a Mac version, you can use a feature called Boot Camp. Boot Camp comes pre-installed in OS X, and it allows you to install Windows on your Mac (if you have the Windows installation discs). You can then install any PC software you need.
The main disadvantage of Boot Camp is that you have to restart your computer whenever you want to switch between OS X and Windows. If you need to run PC and Mac software at the same time, you will need to buy additional software such as Parallels or VMware.
Installing OS X Yosemite
OS X Yosemite is free to download and install if you have already have Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion, or Mavericks. If you have an earlier version, you may be able to buy and install Snow Leopard, which will then allow you to download Yosemite; you'll first need to make sure your hardware will support Yosemite. For more information, contact an Apple retailer or call (800) MY-APPLE (in the United States).
About the Apple ID
In order to download Yosemite, you'll need an Apple ID. The Apple ID is used to sign on for many different Apple services, including the Mac App Store, iTunes Store, and the Apple Online Store.
You may already have an Apple ID, especially if you've purchased music from the iTunes Store or owned a Mac before. If you don't have an Apple ID, you can create one when you download Yosemite. You will need to provide some personal information, such as your mailing address and credit card number.
If you don't have an Apple ID, you can read our guide to Creating an Apple ID for more information.
To download and install OS X Yosemite:
- Click the App Store icon on the Dock. The App Store will open.
- Locate and select OS X Yosemite, then click Free Upgrade.
- Type your Apple ID and Password to sign in. If you don't have an Apple ID, click Create Apple ID and follow the steps on the screen to create one.Creating a new Apple ID
- Once you've entered your Apple ID, your computer will begin downloading Yosemite. This may take several minutes or longer, depending on the speed of your Internet connection.
- After Yosemite has finished downloading, follow the instructions on the screen to install it.
Moving your files from another computer
Download Os X Yosemite Without App Store
Yosemite makes it easy to transfer all of your files to your new Mac using the built-in Migration Assistant. It lets you choose which folders and accounts you want to copy, and it can then transfer the files using an external hard drive, an existing home network, a FireWire cable, or an Ethernet cable. Migration Assistant can also transfer files from a PC to your new Mac.
If you are using a brand new Mac, the Migration Assistant will appear when you first turn on the computer. If you would prefer to run it later, you can get to it by opening Launchpad and clicking the Utilities folder. Alternatively, you can search for it with Spotlight by clicking the magnifying glass icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
For full instructions on migrating your files, view the Migration Assistant page on the Apple website.
If you're still using a Mac OS X the time will come when your computer won't boot, or a problem may arise where you can't take control of the device, and booting from an OS X installation media will be required.
This is why it's recommended that you make a Mac OS X bootable USB when your Mac is in working conditions. However, if you find yourself on a scenario where your device (iMac, MacBook Pro, Air, Mac Pro or Mini) is not responding and you happen to have a Windows 10 device, then you can still be able to make a USB bootable installation media for your Mac OS X to reinstall the operating system using the Recovery Assistant.
These instructions will also work for Windows users who are running Mac OS X on a virtual machine and need to upgrade to the latest version. For instance, to OS X Yosemite.
Requirements
Before you dive into this guide, you'll need a few things:
- A broken Mac computer with Mac OS X.
- A trial copy of the TransMac software.
- One high quality USB flash drive with 16GB of storage.
- A copy of Apple's macOS (DMG file).
Now that you have all the necessary ingredients, you're ready to make a Mac OS X bootable USB using the DMG file of the operating system with the steps below.
Create Mac OS X bootable USB installation media
Before you can use TransMac, you first need to partition your USB flash drive with a GPT partition, as a normal MBR partition may not work. To do this, you'll need to use the Diskpart command-line utility on Windows 10.
Setting up GPT partition
Use these steps to set up a USB drive with a GPT partition:
Open Start on Windows 10.
Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result and select the Run as Administrator option.
Type the following command to open Diskpart and press Enter:
Type the following command to determine the USB flash drive and press Enter:
Type the following command to select the storage and press Enter:
Quick tip: Theselect disk 1command as an example, but you have to replace 1 with the number of the flash drive you want to use.Type the following commands to delete everything from the USB thumb drive and press Enter:
Type the following command to convert the drive into a GPT partition and press Enter:
Type the following command to select the new partition and press Enter:
After you complete the steps, the USB flash drive from MBR to GPT format, you can use the steps below to create a bootable USB installation media to install Mac OS X.
Create USB install media
Use these steps to create a bootable media to install Mac OS X:
Download and install a copy of TransMac.
Quick note: TransMac is a paid software, but it has a 15-day trial solution, that give us more than enough time to move the DMG files to the USB drive from Windows. (If you want to support the developer, you can purchase the full version.)Insert the USB drive that you'll use to fix your installation of OS X. (Remember that all the data in the USB will be erased. Make sure you take off any important documents.)
Right-click the TransMac software icon and Run as administrator. (You'll be prompted to Enter Key or Run, because we'll be using it once, click the Run option.)
On the left pane, you'll see all the Windows PC drives listed, right-click the USB drive that you're intending to use to reinstall Apple's OS X and select the Restore with Disk Image option.
In the warning dialog box, click the Yes button.
Use the Restore Disk Image to Drive dialog box to browse for the DMG file with the installation files for Mac OS X Yosemite in this case, and click the OK button to create a bootable USB of the operating system.
Now, you'll have to wait a long time. No kidding. It could take one or two hours to complete the process depending on your computer and other variables.
Once your bootable USB installation media is ready, remove it and insert it into your Mac, power it on, holding down the Option key, and select the USB you just created to reinstall Mac OS X.
Apple Store Yosemite Download Free
If you're having issues trying to create a bootable media, you can get a USB flash drive that comes with Mac OSX ready to install.
