MacBook Pro Upgrade from OSX LION to ???

[mermaid2010]

Hi,

I have a MacBook Pro 13" Late 2011 which has been running LION ever since I purchased it 3 years ago very well, I use it mainly for Photo Editing, Lightroom etc...
However my Adobe Creative Cloud has now informed me I need to update the OSX or I will lose out on updates., so no getting away from it now.

My question is should I upgrade to Mavericks which wil satisfy Adobe Creative Cloud or go all the way to Yosemite.... and how do I do it correctly.

Really nervous about doing this, so want to get it right and don't want to end up with a poorer machine.

Many thanks

 

[Fishrrman]

What version of the OS does Adobe want you to upgrade to?

If you still have the platter-based hard disk drive inside the MBPro, you might consider going to 10.8.5.

If you want to go all the way to Yosemite, you might consider installing an SSD into the MacBook, as well. You'll be AMAZED at the performance increase.

The installation is easy so long as you use the right tools (I believe you'll need a Phillips #00 screwdriver and a TORX T-6 driver, check ifixit.com to be sure).

Takes only a few minutes -- hardest part is taking the screws out of the backplate and replacing them afterwards.

I would also suggest that you "prep and test" the new SSD using an external enclosure or dock BEFORE you do the drive swap. Then use the enclosure for the old internal HDD.

 

[mermaid2010]

What version of the OS does Adobe want you to upgrade to?

If you still have the platter-based hard disk drive inside the MBPro, you might consider going to 10.8.5.

If you want to go all the way to Yosemite, you might consider installing an SSD into the MacBook, as well. You'll be AMAZED at the performance increase.

The installation is easy so long as you use the right tools (I believe you'll need a Phillips #00 screwdriver and a TORX T-6 driver, check ifixit.com to be sure).

Takes only a few minutes -- hardest part is taking the screws out of the backplate and replacing them afterwards.

I would also suggest that you "prep and test" the new SSD using an external enclosure or dock BEFORE you do the drive swap. Then use the enclosure for the old internal HDD.

Thank you for your help Adobe CC is asking for 10.9 only, TBH I am not keen on going as far as Yosemite, Mavericks would be fine but now I have discovered I cannot download it as it is not now available! What to do? The thought of screwdrivers fills me with panic :-(

 

[KatieKat]

I am in a similar situation. My late 2011 Macbook pro 500GB is working fine, just still on Lion. I'm an "If it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda person. But I do realize things get out of date. And we basically get forced to upgrade. But I can't afford to buy a new computer every 3-4 years, especially if I am not a heavy user.

Did you ever get a resolution? I didn't see anymore responses to your post.

BTW, I don't have Adobe CC but physical version of CS6. Don't want to pay for Adobe CC & need current apps to work on Yosemite if that is only option.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

 

[mermaid2010]

I am in a similar situation. My late 2011 Macbook pro 500GB is working fine, just still on Lion. I'm an "If it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda person. But I do realize things get out of date. And we basically get forced to upgrade. But I can't afford to buy a new computer every 3-4 years, especially if I am not a heavy user.

Did you ever get a resolution? I didn't see anymore responses to your post.

BTW, I don't have Adobe CC but physical version of CS6. Don't want to pay for Adobe CC & need current apps to work on Yosemite if that is only option.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

I am in a similar situation. My late 2011 Macbook pro 500GB is working fine, just still on Lion. I'm an "If it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda person. But I do realize things get out of date. And we basically get forced to upgrade. But I can't afford to buy a new computer every 3-4 years, especially if I am not a heavy user.

Did you ever get a resolution? I didn't see anymore responses to your post.

BTW, I don't have Adobe CC but physical version of CS6. Don't want to pay for Adobe CC & need current apps to work on Yosemite if that is only option.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

Hi Katie,

You an me both!

My situ so far is as a compromise of not having to buy another machine is this:

Last week on the recommendation of my MAC store I upgraded the RAM to 16GB (cost me £90) which I bought online from CRUCIAL
and my store installed it. Its really easy to buy upgrades for your machine from them

Next stage in a few weeks when I can afford it is to order a new SSD hard drive from CRUCIAL which at a cost of £146 I can get a 500GB. The local store is going to install the SSD hard drive and then do a clean install of Yosemite for me at the same time. This will give me a super fast upgrade and enable me to keep going for a few more years and be up to date and have a super fast machine, biggest upgrade you can do.

I can recommend Adobe CC at a cost of around a tenner a month. Saves all the hassle of not having the latest updates!

Hope this helps, I know how it feels!

xx

 

[Dark Void]

I am in a similar situation. My late 2011 Macbook pro 500GB is working fine, just still on Lion. I'm an "If it ain't broke don't fix it" kinda person. But I do realize things get out of date. And we basically get forced to upgrade. But I can't afford to buy a new computer every 3-4 years, especially if I am not a heavy user.

Did you ever get a resolution? I didn't see anymore responses to your post.

BTW, I don't have Adobe CC but physical version of CS6. Don't want to pay for Adobe CC & need current apps to work on Yosemite if that is only option.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer.

It may sound like a rushed response but I would suggest just going with the most recent version of OS X, excluding open betas or public tests. In other words, just download the latest revision of Yosemite and have at it. I understand the sentiment of "if it's not broken, don't fix it" as I was using Snow Leopard on my laptop up until recent months. Yosemite is stable in my opinion, and I don't see much sense in stressing yourself out trying to find a way to get an older OS onto your computer.

Clean installation isn't necessary, you can simply just let Yosemite run as if it were a simple software update after completing the download. I hope this helps.

I hope this provides the OP with reassurance for their decision as well.

 

[KatieKat]

Intrigued by the SSD solution, I too am going that route. Found local store to handle it at reasonable price. (Like you, mermmaid2010, 500gb is plenty. And they said CRUCIAL was good too.) Plus, I can use my original hard drive as an external drive. So it's like getting two new drives for the price of one! (Ordered external enclosure with FireWire connection since 2011 Macbook only has USB 2.0.) Was going to hold off on RAM upgrade to see how SSD performs, but might add that in now too.

Will be a week or two before all done but let's compare notes after the upgrades! Thanks for posting your solution! Hopefully we'll help others in same boat.

 

[Toutou]

Upgrade to Yosemite, then El Capitan. It's just as fast as Mavericks was, and El Capitan is going to be even better.