Ya can't get there from here

[daryl66]

The Problem:
Senior lady has a Mini (late 2012 purchased new) currently running OSX 10.9.x. Her bank has quit supporting the Safari version she has and has advised her that she needs Safari 12. No problem just download 12 and load it up. RIIIITE OK, so we just need to get her OSX up to some version that Safari 12 will run on. Here in the problem really begins. One cannot get to OSX 10.11, OSX 12 or13 without first  upgrading to OSX 10. If Apple has a path to get there it has so far escaped me. Apple will download 11.1, 12.1 etc HOWEVER these downloads are upgrades to the original OSX and all require the original Install ie: OSX 10.0, OSX 10.11 etc. which all seem to have gone off to the bit bucket and OSX heaven.

I did find on AMAZON for $10 an "OSX 10.13 Install DVD", which I am confident is someone's pirated version. I bought  it BUT the install instructions  are VERY VERY scary.  It starts out requiring one to erase the hd. This would be strictly the very last gasp effort. She does have a week old boot able back up. I just did it for her

I THINK she may be able to jump (a huge leap for her) all the way to Mojave with this mini, but this scares me almost as much. She has limped along  HER WAY , over the years just fine e mailing, surfing, authoring with Word 2008, photographs, which she mostly keeps on her desktop (unbelievable  clutter) very resistant  to change. OSX 10.12 or 13 would be wonderful.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

Daryl

 

[Sooz]

Just to be clear, Daryl is NOT talking about me!!!! 
He could be talking about me, but he isn't. 
It sure sounds like he might be talking about me...
Really, it isn't me!
I figured for all the YEARS I've come here and thrown myself on your mercy, along with requesting baby step-by-steps, and with pictures and much handholding, I'd go for the humor about *hey, that could be me!* (but it isn't).
Smiles,
Sooz

[Xairbusdriver]

I've confirmed that the 2012 mini can, indeed, run even Mojave macOS 10.14. I never tried that on my old mini since it died before I could attempt that.

I agree that you should avoid buying any "Install DVD" or even downloading any OS X from any one other than Apple.

This Apple Support page claims to have links to El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra. Of course, it also claims that you can directly to Mojave. That's probably the page you've already visited.

I agree that it might be easier and less work for that mini, to run a somewhat older version of X, as long as it will also run version 12 of Safari. I'm pretty sure I was still using macOS 10.13 High Sierra when I upgraded to that version of Safari, at least on my newer mini (that's what it came with back in April 2018). OK, I found a site that reports "Released for MacOS Sierra & High Sierra".

I suggest that your question becomes which version of the macOS you really want to upgrade to. I'm going to read the info at the Apple Support page I linked to above and see if there are any "gotcha's".

[Xairbusdriver]

All of the macOS X versions I mentioned above are still available at the Mac App Store. All but El Capitan will have Safari 12 (but they may all require updating to the current version).

One more thing of importance is the amount of free space on the drive that you might need to confirm before downloading any of them.

Obviously, another big challenge will be finding replacements for the apps that won't run on the newer OS. I'd encourage you to stick with Pages for documents. Numbers and Keynote will probably never be used by your friend, but they will all be asking to be updated when you update the OS.

If she is using Apple Mail, the changes should not be too challenging. But take extreme care in making a written (or screen shot) of absolutely all the accounts and their settings.

[daryl66]

All of the macOS X versions I mentioned above are still available at the Mac App Store. All but El Capitan will have Safari 12 (but they may all require updating to the current version).

Well unless you are looking at a different Apps store than I am.  I cannot find the Basic version of osx x that I need, only the "Updated" versions ie: 10.11.1  or 10.12.1 which require the basic version to be installed before the update will take. ie: 10.11.0 or 10.12.0

 I have the rest of your points covered I think.  I just need the Install version of the basis osx x

[Xairbusdriver]

In case you doubt my veracity:

All I can say is to use the links from the Apple Support site. Don't be fooled by the Title of that page. Scroll down to the end and look at the text in the "Learn more" section. There you will find links to pages for each of the three OS's . In those pages, will be App Store links to El Capitan, Sierra, and High Sierra.

When I simply went to the Store and searched for "El Capitan" I could not actually find the basic OS. All I found were apps like "El CapitanServer" and things that needed El Capitan.

For example, here is the page that has the App Store link for macOS 10.12 Sierra. It's down in Step 4.

There is text saying, "To download it, your Mac must be using macOS High Sierra or earlier." Yosemite is certainly "earlier".

[daryl66]

OK Looks promising. I have been to that page a number of times and it opens up promoting Mojave and I never made it to the bottom of the page I  guess.  I will have to go over to her place and give it a shot. Don't see any way to down load it to an external of any kind.


Thanks a bunch and I WILL advise.

Daryl 

[daryl66]

Just to be clear, Daryl is NOT talking about me!!!! 
He could be talking about me, but he isn't. 
It sure sounds like he might be talking about me...

Hey Sooz:  Some times you are "IT" and some times you are not.  In this case you sure are not. Thank goodness that us "seniors" are still in the game and do not plan on going quietly. Where do I order the cookies???

Daryl

[Sooz]

Awww,Daryl, you sweet talker, you!
Cookies are free! Let me know if you're ever down this way--the hubs and I can meet you for coffee or tea, and I'll bring the cookies 

[daryl66]

OK Looks promising. I have been to that page a number of times and it opens up promoting Mojave and I never made it to the bottom of the page I  guess. 

Mission accomplished, at least for the most part, I lost her photo library somehow so will have to restore it from the back-up. Upgraded her to Sierra and Safari 12.01.

ABD deserves at least 3 "attaboys"  and half a book of "Green Stamps" for digging out that path.   I will accept 1 demerit for not being able to find it. Oh well, life goes on.

Daryl 

 

[Xairbusdriver]

Congrats and enjoy the cookies!

I've never used Photos or iPhoto (as it used to be called). Hopefully another TS member can offer some clues as to where to look and how to migrate the images. Maybe an interweb search?