help with operating system

[thebends]

this is what I have, what can I update it to? Was told at the mac store only 1 version. Any help would be great:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac8,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.8 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 6 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: IM81.00C1.B00
SMC Version (system): 1.30f1
Serial Number (system): YM8242H5ZE4
Hardware UUID: A7C72F4D-04C2-5D17-A0C4-6307A4830763

 

[Nyy8]

You can update it to OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.

 

[macthefork]

It should run Mountain Lion. But, with only 2GB of RAM it wouldn't run well. It might run OK with the max 6GB RAM, depending on the programs you use.

 

[Brian33]

I believe my iMac is the exact same machine as yours (I'm away from home currently so I can't check directly). Mine is an "Early 2008" 24" Aluminum Core 2 Duo and if I remember correctly it's 2.8 GHz.

However, I've got 6 GB RAM in mine (even though Apples specs give a max of 4 GB, it works with a 2 GB stick and a 4GB stick). You might want to consider doing the same.

I'm currently running OS X 10.6.8, but my understanding is that this machine will run Lion and Mountain Lion. 10.8.4 is the latest version.

Within a week or two I'll be doing a big (and maybe crazy) upgrade to my iMac. I'll be removing the optical disc drive and installing an SSD and larger HDD, and upgrading the OS to 10.8.4. I plan on using Terminal commands to combine the two storage drives into one home-made Apple "Fusion" drive.

Any one of those things might be problematic, but I think the OS upgrade is least likely to cause problems.

Oh, I almost forgot: I have installed 10.8.3 on a spare Firewire drive, and it boots and appears to run fine on this old machine. I even did some entry-level iOS programming with Xcode without trouble.

Let me know if you've got any questions about our iMacs.