Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Need to upgrade my Macbook Air . . .

kathryne_B

kathryne_B

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 9, 2005
158
19
CA
. . . To macSierra, but I can't because I'm still at OS 10.6. I neglected to keep up with all the software upgrading. My Macbook Air is 6 years old. Can someone kindly put up a link as to where I can the free download for OS 10.7? I'd really appreciate it. Thank you! -Kathryne
 
Are you sure about that? I know that you have to purchase the upgrade from 10.5 to 10.6, but thought it was free after that. IIRC, 10.6 was the first version to include the App Store. Try opening the app store (in the Applications Folder) and see if it will allow you to upgrade.
 
Johnny365 said:
10.7 Lion is a $19.99 paid download, so there is no way around that.
Click to expand...

Boyd01 said:
Are you sure about that? I know that you have to purchase the upgrade from 10.5 to 10.6, but thought it was free after that. IIRC, 10.6 was the first version to include the App Store. Try opening the app store (in the Applications Folder) and see if it will allow you to upgrade.
Click to expand...


This is probably true for Mac OS X prior to Snow Leopard (10.6.6). Snow Leopard 10.6.6 introduced the App Store... in fact, I just upgraded a 2009 iMac from 10.6.8 to Sierra this afternoon.

The OP, however, states 10.6... so if it's prior to 10.6.8, she will probably need to purchase 10.7 Lion... in my case, I was able to just download/update to Yosemite and then jump to Sierra...

If she has access to an iTunes account that had previously purchased Lion or later, she should be able to download the loader and create a bootable USB loader... if not, then she will probably need to spend $20 for Lion.

(source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X_Snow_Leopard)
 
dwfaust said:
The OP, however, states 10.6... so if it's prior to 10.6.8, she will probably need to purchase 10.7 Lion
Click to expand...

Can't 10.6.x be updated to 10.6.8 for free? I updated my daughter's old iMac from 10.5 to 10.6 a few years ago, and had to purchase that from Apple. But I had a 2011 MBA that originally shipped with 10.6.x. I updated it to 10.6.8 for free before selling to a friend back in 2013. She still has it and has upgraded incrementally over the years, currently running Sierra.
 
Boyd01 said:
Can't 10.6.x be updated to 10.6.8 for free? I updated my daughter's old iMac from 10.5 to 10.6 a few years ago, and had to purchase that from Apple. But I had a 2011 MBA that originally shipped with 10.6.x. I updated it to 10.6.8 for free before selling to a friend back in 2013. She still has it and has upgraded incrementally over the years, currently running Sierra.
Click to expand...

That's the part I am not sure about... there seems to be a gap between 10.6 and 10.6.6, when the App Store was introduced. From that point, it should be pretty straight-forward.
 
Boyd01 said:
Are you sure about that? I know that you have to purchase the upgrade from 10.5 to 10.6, but thought it was free after that. IIRC, 10.6 was the first version to include the App Store. Try opening the app store (in the Applications Folder) and see if it will allow you to upgrade.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your post Boyd01. I thought the same as you and wasn't it free to begin with when there was ever an upgrade? Why should it not be free if all upgrades in the past have always been free? I have never had to pay for upgrading before.

Also, I have tried upgrading from the app store and while it went through the motions of upgrading, when it was done, I would restart my MBA and the screen just had the desktop photo with nothing else on the desktop and the beachball spinning endlessly. I tried upgrading several times. But now, when I go to the software update from the app store, it tells me there in no upgrade. I don't know what game Apple is playing. Anyway, thank you for your response and help. -Kathryne
 
Last edited:
Why waste your time and your money trying to update an older MBA? Might better focus your energies on getting a computer which is more up to date and which is capable of updating to Sierra if it is not already. The MBA line is pretty much on the way out so you might be better served by looking at Apple's other options.
 
Clix Pix said:
Why waste your time and your money trying to update an older MBA? Might better focus your energies on getting a computer which is more up to date and which is capable of updating to Sierra if it is not already. The MBA line is pretty much on the way out so you might be better served by looking at Apple's other options.
Click to expand...

Cause one doesn't always have the money readily available to buy a more updated laptop? There is nothing wrong with the MBA that I have now, but I did want to update the OS on it. Thanx for your post. -K
 
  • Like
Reactions: ignatius345
Fair enough -- but then the question is, why did you not update the machine through the years so that there wouldn't be this problem now? Back when I had the first-gen MBA I updated her every year and she was still going strong eight years after purchase....Still is, actually, in her new home, although obviously not on the current version of MacOS, which is fine with her current owner. I have always felt that keeping one's computer up to date with the current OS is good strategy in any number of ways, including and especially with regard to security issues.

Also, when I mentioned a "more up to date" machine, I didn't mean that it has to be the current lineup that has just been refreshed and released; there are undoubtedly some good deals that one could get on a somewhat older (two, three, maybe even four years?) machine that would also be capable of running on the current OS plus ready to be updated to the next version of the OS (High Sierra) come next fall.
 
Clix Pix said:
Fair enough -- but then the question is, why did you not update the machine through the years so that there wouldn't be this problem now? Back when I had the first-gen MBA I updated her every year and she was still going strong eight years after purchase....Still is, actually, in her new home, although obviously not on the current version of MacOS, which is fine with her current owner. I have always felt that keeping one's computer up to date with the current OS is good strategy in any number of ways, including and especially with regard to security issues.

Also, when I mentioned a "more up to date" machine, I didn't mean that it has to be the current lineup that has just been refreshed and released; there are undoubtedly some good deals that one could get on a somewhat older (two, three, maybe even four years?) machine that would also be capable of running on the current OS plus ready to be updated to the next version of the OS (High Sierra) come next fall.
Click to expand...

Guess I just got careless about it? :( The MBA is just a laptop I use for when going on trips. I don't use it otherwise, but next time, whatever I get, I'll know better and keep it current. I also have a 15" MBP, whose OS is current. The MBA that I have now, is 6 years old. Why would I buy one that's only a couple of years newer than the one I have now? If I'm going to buy another laptop, it'll have to be new. Hey, thanx for your input. It's appreciated. -Kathryne

P.S. My baby, the one I use everyday is my iMac, 27" desktop. And now, that one, I do keep current w/o a doubt!
 
Clix Pix said:
Why waste your time and your money trying to update an older MBA? Might better focus your energies on getting a computer which is more up to date and which is capable of updating to Sierra if it is not already. The MBA line is pretty much on the way out so you might be better served by looking at Apple's other options.
Click to expand...
Im still running a 2011 MBA on Sierra and it still flies along nicely. The subpar screen is the only real downside.
 
Give Apple customer support a call. They will give you a code and link to download Lion. Lion was a paid upgrade for everyone at the time. After upgrading to Lion, all your subsequent upgrades should be free.
 
kathryne_B said:
. . . To macSierra, but I can't because I'm still at OS 10.6. I neglected to keep up with all the software upgrading. My Macbook Air is 6 years old. Can someone kindly put up a link as to where I can the free download for OS 10.7? I'd really appreciate it. Thank you! -Kathryne
Click to expand...
Just get a friend with a later OS to make a USB installer for you using this http://diskmakerx.com/
 
When I upgraded my iMac 2006 (last year, Spring 2016) I ended up paying the $19.99 fee to 10.7.5 Lion. Technically, it's illegal to request software that is still a paid item in their App Store, and I understand that all subsequent OS updates happen to be free. Lion, though, is not.
 
Couple of thoughts here.

First, I am puzzled why you need/want to install Lion (10.7)

If you have another Mac with current software, take a look at your Mac App Store (MAS) account to see what versions of Mac OS X/macOS you have already installed...

Next, install the 10.6.8 from the link above. While that does not get you to 10.7, it WILL get you access to the MAS... from there, you should be able to upgrade to whatever version of Mac OS X that you have previously installed FROM that account.

As I stated above, I did almost this exact same thing yesterday... I had a 2009 iMac that was running 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard w MAS). That AppleID/iTunes/MAS login had previously been used to install Yosemite on a Mac Mini... I was able to get to the MAS, download and install Yosemite (10.10)... and from there, I upgraded it to Sierra (10.12).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Boyd01
flowrider said:
^^^^That is why I posted that link that was rebuffed by the OP.

Lou
Click to expand...

Thank you, Lou, I appreciate it. I'll give that a try. -Kathryne
[doublepost=1498121437][/doublepost]
Johnny365 said:
When I upgraded my iMac 2006 (last year, Spring 2016) I ended up paying the $19.99 fee to 10.7.5 Lion. Technically, it's illegal to request software that is still a paid item in their App Store, and I understand that all subsequent OS updates happen to be free. Lion, though, is not.
Click to expand...

Was not requesting for anything FREE! Was asking if anyone knew how to get my MBA upgraded to macSierra? And I wasn't aware that the software was a "still paid," item?
 
Last edited:
kathryne_B said:
Guess I just got careless about it? :( The MBA is just a laptop I use for when going on trips. I don't use it otherwise, but next time, whatever I get, I'll know better and keep it current. I also have a 15" MBP, whose OS is current. The MBA that I have now, is 6 years old. Why would I buy one that's only a couple of years newer than the one I have now? If I'm going to buy another laptop, it'll have to be new. Hey, thanx for your input. It's appreciated. -Kathryne

P.S. My baby, the one I use everyday is my iMac, 27" desktop. And now, that one, I do keep current w/o a doubt!
Click to expand...

The reason I suggested an older machine was that earlier (1) you had mentioned not having the funds available and (2) you did not mention that you also had two other machines which are up to date. So basically you just want a small, lightweight and current laptop for occasional travel. If you decide to purchase a new one after all, I'd recommend the very lightweight, slim 12" MacBook, which could serve your needs quite nicely. The MacBook Air line is pretty much on the way out......

There is also the option of purchasing an iPad and using that on trips, too.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kathryne_B
Clix Pix said:
The reason I suggested an older machine was that earlier (1) you had mentioned not having the funds available and (2) you did not mention that you also had two other machines which are up to date. So basically you just want a small, lightweight and current laptop for occasional travel. If you decide to purchase a new one after all, I'd recommend the very lightweight, slim 12" MacBook, which could serve your needs quite nicely. The MacBook Air line is pretty much on the way out......

There is also the option of purchasing an iPad and using that on trips, too.
Click to expand...

Yes, sorry, I didn't mention having all the other devices I. Thank you for the info. I also have a couple of iPads and I do take one along, but I still like a laptop for the trip. Thanx for all the info. -K
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back