iMac 2006 outdated

[Gaogier]

Hey my iMac is running 10.6.8 -5.1
There is no support for browsers now and many websites won't work

Is there away to update safari, chrome or Firefox? Is there another browser to use?

 

[EugW]

Hey my iMac is running 10.6.8 -5.1
There is no support for browsers now and many websites won't work

Is there away to update safari, chrome or Firefox? Is there another browser to use?

If it's the 2006 Core Duo, you can swap in a Core 2 Duo and update the firmware to get Lion 10.7 and 3 GB RAM support, but it's not worth it, because Lion doesn't have good support either, and 3 GB isn't really enough these days.

You could try to run an alternate OS like Windows or Linux, or else do what I did and just get a new machine. I just retired my 10.7 early 2008 MacBook, and bought a late 2008 unibody aluminum MacBook. I then upgraded it and using an install patch, installed High Sierra on it. Functions as a modern machine.

I have a 2006 Core Duo 2.0 GHz iMac, but never use it, because not only is there no modern browser support, it doesn't have hardware h.264 decode acceleration either, so surfing YouTube or streaming Netflix is painful.

 

[redheeler]

If your iMac has a Core 2 Duo and 2 GB of RAM, you do have the option of updating to OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion and running current versions of Firefox or Seamonkey. This is what I've done on my 2006 iMac 6,1 (recommend maxing-out the RAM to 3 GB if you haven't already). But right now I'm not aware of an up-to-date browser on Snow Leopard.

 

[BrettApple]

Writing this on an Early 2006 Core Duo iMac myself, I have it stationed at my desk at work next to my Windows box becuase it's the only Mac in the company and I pulled it out of the trash pile in the basement.

It's stock 1.83GHz Core Duo 17" model, has 2GB RAM I put in it and the stock 160GB HDD.

Under Snow Leopard (10.6.8) it runs very well but as you've noticed browser support is nonexistent now. The best I could do was Firefox 45.9.0 ESR that got updates until earlier this year. It works pretty well. Chrome tops out at version 38.0.2125.122 for 32bit Macs. I have it installed as well and it does work but it is old now. I also have Office 2011 and Adobe CS5 installed and working.

HOWEVER if you do want the machine to be more up to date you can install Windows 7 32bit in Boot Camp just fine. I have done so (I have VL copy at work) and it runs the current version of Google Chrome 61.0.x and Office 2016 as well. Works great too! I use IE 11 in it for some older sites plus an old Java JVM for some of our IT equipment along with the security system (needs old Java and IE plus flash).

So you can still use it with an up to date browser in Windows but not really under OS X.

 

[EugW]

If your iMac has a Core 2 Duo and 2 GB of RAM, you do have the option of updating to OS X 10.8.5 Mountain Lion and running current versions of Firefox or Seamonkey. This is what I've done on my 2006 iMac 6,1 (recommend maxing-out the RAM to 3 GB if you haven't already). But right now I'm not aware of an up-to-date browser on Snow Leopard.

How do you get 10.8 on iMac6,1?

10.8 is also too old IMO, but still, I'm curious because the Core Duo iMacs can take a Core 2 Duo with a firmware upgrade and function like an iMac6,1, but with a hard 3 GB limit. I didn't bother though, since it's too much hassle for too little gain.

 

[redheeler]

I used MLPostFactor. See this thread.

You may have someone recommend MacPostFactor instead, but that did not work for my iMac 6,1 when I tried last year.

 

[EugW]

I used MLPostFactor. See this thread.
View attachment 723494
You may have someone recommend MacPostFactor instead, but that did not work for my iMac 6,1 when I tried last year.

I might try that on my MacBook white early 2008 then, if it's supported by MLPostFactor. That one has 4 GB RAM and Core 2 Duo. Only problem is I took my SSD out for my MacBook aluminum late 2008, so now the white MacBook has only a spinning HD. Still, having modern browser support would be a big plus.
[doublepost=1507153527][/doublepost]Hmmm... The current versions of both Firefox and Chrome require 10.9.

 

[dogslobber]

HOWEVER if you do want the machine to be more up to date you can install Windows 7 32bit in Boot Camp just fine. I have done so (I have VL copy at work) and it runs the current version of Google Chrome 61.0.x and Office 2016 as well. Works great too! I use IE 11 in it for some older sites plus an old Java JVM for some of our IT equipment along with the security system (needs old Java and IE plus flash).

So you can still use it with an up to date browser in Windows but not really under OS X.

You could also install a 32-bit Linux variant on this old iMac.

 

[Fishrrman]

At 11 years old, it's time for something new (a 2017) or new-er (a 2015).

Time has just passed you on by... (sigh)