Upgrading to 10.8 and Beyond

So Many Flavors: OS 10.7 Lion to OS 10.9 Mavericks

Should I stay or should I go? OK so I just upgraded from 10.7 to 10.8, now 10.8.4 – is it even worth the update?

In Fall of 2013 Apple releases its latest operating system, OS 10.9. CNN Money claims it's anything but new based on the unveiling. The author's MacBook Pro is sitting not so pretty at OS 10.8.4. Mountain Line has growing pains. It has some bugs, but not nearly as many as 10.7, Lion.

Read the underwhelming conclusions they came to:

"Mavericks' claims are workmanlike, but clearly beneficial. It's faster, has an improved notifications system and offers more flexibility over how you use a second monitor. It has a better browser and a better calendar app and an overhauled finder user interface." (Covert, 2013)

Adrian Covert's predictions aren't earthshattering either:

• Merge with iOS. Anyone hear about WIndows 8 - not such a great hit? Yeah. Microsoft could teach them something about convergence (Covert, 2013).
• Expand into iCloud: password manager and iWork for the cloud. The author looked at iCloud Pages on July 4, 2013 and was underwhelmed (Covert, 2013). 

Underwhelming by Tabs

The OS will compress active memory to make running multiple apps simultaneously more efficient. Improved performance would also mean an alleged 1.5 x wake-up from standby (Covert, 2013).

Tags and Monitors

• Document tags - will appear in the Finder sidebar and iCloud.
• Tags can be added to each new document and tags will allow new search features to easily find the documents.
• Multiple menu support will spread menus across the displays enabling full-screen on both displays.
• You could have an HDTV and an Apple TV box connected and use both of them as your displays.
• Dragging apps and windows from monitor to monitor is seamless.

Compressed Memory

(HuffPost The Tech, 2013)

Auto-updates in the Background

Your apps will now update automatically in the background, allowing you to do your thing without being bothered by the updates.

Notification Improvements

The new Notifications system will place the notification box on the top right of the screen for all messaging: email, FaceTime, push notifications from Safari (even when Safari is closed), notifications will available on the lock screen even when you wake up the computer. Underwhelming by Tabs drawn from sources including John Brodkin's Apple unveils OS X 10.9, "Mavericks"

To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade That Is the Question

Will (Apple Computer, 2011)Your Mac Make the Cut for OS X Mavericks?

You must have a 64-bit Intel based Mac. (Grabham, 2013) Apple's support website answers the question have I got a 64-bit Intel based Mac?

Why should you care? Because if you upgrade to OX 10.7 to 10.8 and you encounter issues, 10.9 is the logical consequent.

Hardawar notes these systems are compatible (Apple's OS X Mavericks will likely support all Mountain Lion-capable Macs Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/11/apples-os-x-mavericks-will-likely-support-all-mountain-lion-capable-macs/#D5QrREcGUY8IyTL8.99 , 2013):

• iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
• MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
• MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later), (15-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later), (17-inch, Late 2007 or later)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
• Mac Mini (Early 2009 or later)
• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
• Xserve (Early 2009)

Is It / Will It Be Compatible?

So is your app compatible? Microsoft has a compatibility utility – it runs and it inspects the apps on your machine. Sadly it can only do that for Microsoft App Store applications just as Apple will only know about the applications in its app store. Famous omissions include Microsoft's Office suite.

How do you know? There are resources available such as Roaring Apps, a crowd--sourced application database. So far developers aren't classifying Maverick apps but they are listing OS 10.7 Lion and OS 10.8 Mountain Lion (App Compatability Table, 2013). Even LifeHacker.com, a devout fanboy / fangirl club loves Roaring Apps.

The OS X Mountain Lion Specifications: http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/.

Standard Upgrade Process

The author has enjoyed Macs and PCs since their inception (1980 – present). The author has personally upgraded each and every one of those operating systems – and encountered every headache, bump and nightmare that is possible.

Plan for an upgrade like you would for a wedding – as completely as possible – and prepare to grin and bear it when things go very badly – because at some point they will. Maybe not during the installation, but thereafter you may feel as if there is a problem around every proverbial corner.

Follow the following at your own risk. No assurance of goodness of process is assured. No testing has been done. This process is loosely based on Apple Computer's recommendations. The process is detailed by Dan Frakes at http://www.macworld.com/article/1167629/get_your_mac_ready_for_mountain_lion.html. Read through these steps very carefully before you begin and then follow them with a fair degree of rigor.

Do your research. Use the Is It Or Will It Be Compatible Section to find out if your apps are compatible. If not you're taking a risk. Even then, if it's not listed you're taking a risk. There is no known OS X upgrade utility that will tell you if the app is compatible or incompatible.

• Validate drive health. Make sure your Mac hard drive is healthy. Use the OS X Disk Utility on the OS 10.7 disk. Also run the Apple Hardware test. You may find DiskWarrior helpful: http://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior/index.html.
• Backup your drive. Cursory research indicates that two utilities are reasonably good. There are others. Carbon Copy Cloner works over networks; another is Super Duper. A tradeoff discussion is located here: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4141237?start=0&tstart=0. Now test the backup – do the files decompress properly? Are there any errors? Do not assume the backup is viable until you satisfy it personally.
• Disable FileVault. Filevault is Apple's encryption scheme. You can convert to FileVault 2 once you upgrade. Apple KB PH04056 gives you the instructions. Part of the upgrade process will give you information about Filevault 2. Note: you cannot start up in Safe Mode if Filevault 2 is enabled!
• Disable Third Party Encryption. Potential risks of enabled third party encryption during the upgrade process.
• Run Software Update. Run software update. Some of the third party apps may need updates. But most important is insuring that your OS 10.8 software is up to date. Firmware updates are especially important. Get all of those things settled prior to attempting the 10.7 to 10.8 (or 10.9) upgrade. For SMC and CMI firmware upgrade details see: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1237. Please note that extremely old software that is no longer supported will be a problem. Since the kernel and other core software has been updated in Mountain Lion (and will be in Maverick) your old software will most certainly be less, not more stabile as the upgrades march forward.
• Set up iCloud. If iCloud is a stranger to you then sign in to iCloud and insure it's in working order. If you have an iPhone, iPad and other devices make sure you can sign in to them as well. If you want to set up synchronization work that out now before your upgrade. Make sure your other devices are on the most recent release of their software as well.
• Test If You Can. If you can – get yourself an external drive and copy the clone you created above onto the drive. Upgrade THAT drive first. If it works then you know you have a good working image that is reliable. That eliminates the software. The only thing left is the hardware.
• Prep for the Upgrade. You can upgrade from the store. The process will boot you into Safe Mode and the upgrade takes place from there. Some prefer to play it safe and create an installer on their memory stick or on a backup drive. You might want to use Tech Republic's "How to create a bootable USB to install OSX". A YouTube video, "How to Install Mac OS 10.8 Mountain Lion On a USB Flash Drive" gives you the basics.

Stay tuned. OS 10 Maverick will have a new slew of information, however, the above process is pretty standard. Any questions or doubts – see the Apple Corporate website.

Works Cited

Apple Computer. (2011, 05 11). How to tell if your Intel-based Mac has a 32-bit or 64-bit processor. Retrieved 07 04, 2013, from Apple Support: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3696

Apple's OS X Mavericks will likely support all Mountain Lion-capable Macs Read more at http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/11/apples-os-x-mavericks-will-likely-support-all-mountain-lion-capable-macs/#D5QrREcGUY8IyTL8.99. (2013, 06 11). Retrieved 07 04, 2013, from

Venturebeat.com: http://venturebeat.com/2013/06/11/apples-os-x-mavericks-will-likely-support-all-mountain-lion-capable-macs/

Covert, A. (2013, 06 20). Tech. Retrieved 07 01, 2013, from CNNMoney: http://money.cnn.com/2013/06/20/technology/apple-os-x/index.html

Grabham, D. (2013, 06 11). OS X Mavericks compatibility: will your Mac take it? Retrieved 07 04, 2013, from techradar.com: http://www.techradar.com/us/news/computing/apple/os-x-mountain-lion-compatibility-will-your-mac-take-it-1064310

HuffPost The Tech. (2013, 06 10). Retrieved 07 04, 2013, from OS X Mavericks Unveiled At Apple's WWDC: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/10/osx-mavericks_n_3416076.html