I have an older macbook running 10.5.8. Looking to make the leap and buy a new macbook, and (hopefully) migrate all my software over. I have a question about some older programs I have, such as Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Office for Mac 2004. Will I be able to bring these programs and associated files over form my old computer to a new one with Mavericks and be able to run everything okay?
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Mavericks and older software
- Thread starter jediracer
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This is only a -guess-, but -- you probably won't be able to use those older versions.
The date -- 2004 -- suggests that these are PowerPC based apps (as distinguished from being "Intel code only" or "universal binary").
Does 10.5.8 have Spotlight (I can't remember!)
If so, you need Spotlight running to do this next trick
Open System Profiler and click the "Applications" line in the lower left
In the upper right, all your applications should be listed
Above the list, there should appear a "Kind" category. Click it
This should sort the applications "by kind".
There are three categories listed by their code:
1. PowerPC
2. Universal binary
3. Intel
To run on Mavericks, they must be either Univeral Binary or Intel-only. PowerPC based apps won't run.
In that case, if you upgrade to Mavericks (there may even be a question as to whether you can do that), you'll probably need to update the software.
Many people are put off by Adobe's current "pay by the month" scheme to use their apps. Could you live with that?
The date -- 2004 -- suggests that these are PowerPC based apps (as distinguished from being "Intel code only" or "universal binary").
Does 10.5.8 have Spotlight (I can't remember!)
If so, you need Spotlight running to do this next trick
Open System Profiler and click the "Applications" line in the lower left
In the upper right, all your applications should be listed
Above the list, there should appear a "Kind" category. Click it
This should sort the applications "by kind".
There are three categories listed by their code:
1. PowerPC
2. Universal binary
3. Intel
To run on Mavericks, they must be either Univeral Binary or Intel-only. PowerPC based apps won't run.
In that case, if you upgrade to Mavericks (there may even be a question as to whether you can do that), you'll probably need to update the software.
Many people are put off by Adobe's current "pay by the month" scheme to use their apps. Could you live with that?
Mavericks won't even do a migration from 10.5 - it'll require a 10.6 machine or backup to use the migration assistant. So you're looking at a manual migration anyway.
Definitely neither of those apps will run under Mavericks - PPC app support ended after 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Office 2004 is PPC. Your documents will work in Office 2008 or 2011, or you can use the Apple iWork suite (which will read Word '97 and later and Excel '97 and later files)
Adobe CS2 is also PPC so also will not run.
Definitely neither of those apps will run under Mavericks - PPC app support ended after 10.6 Snow Leopard.
Office 2004 is PPC. Your documents will work in Office 2008 or 2011, or you can use the Apple iWork suite (which will read Word '97 and later and Excel '97 and later files)
Adobe CS2 is also PPC so also will not run.
Not sure what "kind" my applications are, I will have to check that later; but my MacBook is 13-inch 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo running 10.5.8 Leopard. (The Office 2004 was purchased in about 2009, at the time it was the only Office version.)
I don't really want to upgrade my current machine to Mavericks -- I want to buy a new Macbook and migrate the contents of my current one the the new.
BUT, it's sounding like it might not be possible to run my current MS Office 2004 and Adobe CS2 (?) (both expensive programs that I prefer not to have to purchase again).
I don't make my living or anything as a designer (if so I probably would upgrade from CS2), so I'm not really interested in a pay by month subscription service, but I really do need these programs.
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Damn. I sort of figured as much.
Thanks for the info.
I don't really want to upgrade my current machine to Mavericks -- I want to buy a new Macbook and migrate the contents of my current one the the new.
BUT, it's sounding like it might not be possible to run my current MS Office 2004 and Adobe CS2 (?) (both expensive programs that I prefer not to have to purchase again).
I don't make my living or anything as a designer (if so I probably would upgrade from CS2), so I'm not really interested in a pay by month subscription service, but I really do need these programs.
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Damn. I sort of figured as much.
Thanks for the info.
Don't forget that you get the full iWork suite for free with a new Mac. It's an OK Office replacement unless you are an advanced Office user.
Yes, your old files will work just fine with modern versions of the applications. You can always try and get a used and slightly older version of Adobe Photoshop. They are usually somewhat cheap, and can run on your new machine.
You can still run ppc apps on an intel mac with mavericks.
I have snow leopard server in parallels and have been able to run a lot of old ppc apps in this virtual machine running in lion, mountain lion and mavericks.
I haven't tested cs2 or office 2004, but I'm pretty sure they will work too like this. If not, you can do the same with leopard server too, but I think snow leopard server is better.
No need to upgrade your apps if you run them like this.
I think snow leopard server is pretty cool. It's the only server version of OS X I use.
For even older apps (like Mac OS 7, 8 and 9 apps) I use sheepshaver to run Mac OS 9.0.4 on an intel mac.
I have snow leopard server in parallels and have been able to run a lot of old ppc apps in this virtual machine running in lion, mountain lion and mavericks.
I haven't tested cs2 or office 2004, but I'm pretty sure they will work too like this. If not, you can do the same with leopard server too, but I think snow leopard server is better.
No need to upgrade your apps if you run them like this.
I think snow leopard server is pretty cool. It's the only server version of OS X I use.
For even older apps (like Mac OS 7, 8 and 9 apps) I use sheepshaver to run Mac OS 9.0.4 on an intel mac.
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