From ML to Mav: how to upgrade?

[Racineur]

Hello, I know this post sounds like 2013. Mountain Lion 10.8.5 is still running on my iMac/3.5 i5/1t FD and is rock solid. But since the beginning, Safari has been the weakest link. Slow, slower, slowest. I am often suggested to upgrade to Yosemite but I'm terrified to do so since I still read numerous posts of users having problems with Wi-Fi, slow response from Finder, etc. My sister has a Core2Duo iMac 24 and runs Yosemite on it. She has no apparent problems but her iMac has become slower than my vintage Power PC Performa 6500 tower. I am willing to upgrade to Mavericks to have Safari 7 which is supposed to be snappy and without issues, but how can I do that. Applestore gives me the possibility to upgrade to Yosemite only. Where do I get Mavericks? Can I install Mavericks on a partition and dual boot my iMac in order to revert back to ML in any case. What if Mavericks is not as solid as ML on my iMac. I tend to stick to the OS that came with the computer I buy. I have only brand name apps like Intensify, Perfect Photo Suite, Lightroom, etc.
Help and oints very welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[c55]

If you have ever downloaded it before, you should be able to go to the Mac App Store and Mavericks installer will be listed under Purchases. If not, I'm not exactly sure where the best place is to find it. I haven't had any issues with Yosemite at all on any of my Macs so I suggest just updating to it. And if you don't like Yosemite, you could always just revert back to ML. Put Yosemite on a separate partition if you're that worried

 

[Weaselboy]

Mavericks was removed from the App Store. I would just do a Time Machine backup so you can roll back to ML if you need to and go with Yosemite. Since the latest updates it seems the big bugs have been worked out.

 

[Ebenezum]

If you're only problem is Safari upgrading OS X is overkill. Have you tried clearing Safari history? It might help.

Or you could try other browser such as FireFox.

If You decide to upgrade safest way is to A: backup with Time Machine and a separate clone to another drive. B: Install Mavericks into external drive first and test everything, if you have problems you can just format external drive with Disk Utility and your Mac is intact.

At this point I don't recommend Yosemite because it is still buggy compared to Mavericks and most of its "improvements" are only concerned with iOS compatibility...

If you have a friend, relative, etc., who has Mavericks you could ask them to make you a USB installer stick. Easiest way is to use http://diskmakerx.com

 

[Racineur]

Hi again and thanks so much for the info. I will back-up to Time Machine, find Mav and diskmakerx to a stick. Then we'll see. Last question: is it a good idea to partition the disk and have a dual boot ML + MAV? Or better to have an external HD and put Mavericks on it?

 

[Weaselboy]

is it a good idea to partition the disk and have a dual boot ML + MAV? Or better to have an external HD and put Mavericks on it?

That is not a bad idea if you just want to check it out first. Either will work, but the external will be slower.

 

[Racineur]

Hi again. Two interesting things happened. First I went to BestBuy to buy a USB thumb drive. There was a 21 iMac running Mavericks. Go ask why they sell old stuff but they do. So I played with it. Made my mind: no reason to upgrade to Mavericks. Not that much oomph from ML. Then I went to BestBuy looking for TVs. I played with a 27 iMac running Yosemite 10.10.4 (see pictures). Surprise: it was a late 2013 iMac with same specs as mine (late 2012) but for the graphic card GT 755M vs my GTX 675MX and I have a Fusion Drive. The BestBuy's had a HD. Butgee it ran smoothly. My iMac runs very very fine but there's something about that one that puts it a little bit above mine. I think I should give a try to Yosemite, shouldn't I? Question: how to install Yosemite via the App Store on a partition for a tryout before the big jump?

 

[Weaselboy]

Question: how to install Yosemite via the App Store on a partition for a tryout before the big jump?

Sure, you can do that. Just shrink the existing partition following this, then click the plus at the bottom left of Disk Util and add a partition on there. Then during the install point the installer to the new partition.

 

[Racineur]

Hello again and thanks so much for the info. DU doesn't act the same on my 10.8.5 iMac. DU warns the disk can be partition only in two by clicking on the + icon. After the +, the icons are greyed out. I can adjust the partition by holding down a dot between the 2 partitions. Fusion Drive maybe? Any how, how big should be the Yosemite partition? Nervous me: sure the I'll be able to point the Yo installer to the 2scnd partition?

 

[Weaselboy]

Fusion Drive maybe?

I apologize. I missed in your original post that you had a Fusion drive. It cannot be resized like I mentioned.