No new updates available

[Tony Cipriano]

Supposedly this is the latest version available but lots of apps won't work because this machine has an older version of OX , or thats the message that i get when i try to download the app, like garage band, frutty loop 20 and so on .why am I missing here

 

[Mr. Awesome]

Have you tried checking the App Store to update to the latest version of macOS? The apps you’re trying to download aren’t compatible with older versions of OS X like the one installed on your iMac. It looks from the picture like it’s a 2014 model, so it should definitely be able to update past OS X 10.9.

 

[Tony Cipriano]

Yes I did from the app store ,but nothing no newer update available

 

[r6mile]

IIRC, older versions of macOS don't just prompt you to update from the App store. You have to download new releases manually.

Your computer can run macOS Big Sur - look it up directly on the App Store, or using this link

‎macOS Big Sur

‎macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. And get even more transparency around...

apps.apple.com

If for whatever reason it won't let you, because you are currently many releases behind, try installing macOS High Sierra first.

 

[DeltaMac]

Your screen shot shows your "About this Mac" window. What happens when you click the "Software Update..." button in that window?
(If your 2014 iMac has the base 500GB (or 1TB) hard drive that came with that model, you want to think twice before upgrading. Even going to High Sierra would be a challenge, with a good hit on performance.
There's a couple of paths to go to an SSD, so let us know what you want to do.
You can download macOS 10.13.6 High Sierra installer here - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/macos-high-sierra/id1246284741?ls=1&mt=12

I think the 2014 iMac is one that Big Sur has reportedly bricked in the opening days of its release. I believe Apple is not offering Big Sur to those models right now, and perhaps is not showing any system update temporarily. You might wait until sometime during the next week. Maybe Apple will provide a quick fix by then. I am NOT suggesting that you try to update to Big Sur. Better idea would be High Sierra, but you will def need to make sure that you decide if you have an older spinning hard drive, or a much better result with an SSD.

 

[r6mile]

Good point @DeltaMac - I had not considered the hard drive issue.

If you are on a hard drive, High Sierra is a better choice given the issues with APFS on a hard drive. Of course, the OP could always run a newer OS from an external USB 3.0 SSD.

If that machine has an SSD though, external or internal, assuming the App Store let's you then personally I would install Big Sur, which it should run it quite well. It has pretty much the same specs as my 2013 MBA, and Big Sur definitely felt snappier than Catalina.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

You're still running Mavericks, the OS that the iMac shipped with in 2014.

You can run something newer than Mavericks (10.9) on a 2014 iMac.
I believe it will run right up to Mojave (10.14).

You didn't tell us WHAT KIND OF DRIVE is inside.
If it's a platter-based hard drive, or a fusion drive, it may be slowing down on you.

You can GREATLY IMPROVE the overall performance by buying a USB3 SSD, plugging it in, installing a later version of the OS, and then making it your boot drive.

This is NOT DIFFICULT and ANYONE can do it.
Won't cost you much $$$, either.

I'd suggest you go online (amazon might be a good start) and check out 2.5" SATA SSDs.
Look at 1tb and 512gb drives.
Don't shop for "the fastest".
I'd suggest Crucial or Sandisk.

Also, get one of these:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

tinyurl.com

($9.00 -- you can afford that!)

When you've got the components, put the drive into the enclosure.
Plug it in.
Open disk utility.
Erase/format it to "Mac OS extended with journaling enabled, GUID partition format".

Then come back here, and we'll tell you what to do next.

 

[Tony Cipriano]

Hello everyone....so I toke your advice and I downloaded big sur ,totally new game now is like having a new desk top ,thank you so much ,now my next step is to download load window 10 using bootcamp, hopefully I won't have issues....

 

[r6mile]

Great, well done! I assume you are running it from an SSD?

 

[Tony Cipriano]

Yes actually I just replaced like 2 weeks ago becouse of major failure, I installed a ssd