Update 2017 iMac to later OS

[seacliffe301]

I have: a 2017 iMac Retina 5K 27", 3.4GHz Intel Core i5, 8GB 2400 MHz DDR4, Radeon Pro 570 4096 MB currently running OS High Sierra 10.13.6. I am starting to get "incompatible upgrade" messages more frequently due to this older OS, with predictable performance results.
Are there any suggestions to newer a OS that would be reliable? If yes, from where do I obtain and how involved is this process? Thanks.

 

[rafark]

The 2017 iMacs can run Ventura natively

 

[DeltaMac]

Update from High Sierra to Ventura?
The process to upgrade is not involved, and is mostly the simple process of going to your System Preferences, then the Software Update pane. Click on the update (or updates) that are presented to you there. I think there is either an Update button, or a Continue button. It will ask for your admin password. Continue with the update. It will complete the process by downloading the update(s), then reboot to finish the process. All you need to do is wait. It will restart maybe 2 or 3 times. You will probably be asked to log in to your AppleID account (now simply called Apple Account), and you will finally return to the desktop. The update will often take 30 to 45 minutes, but normally finishes with no problem.
However, before you start the upgrade, you might make sure that you have a full backup of your drive, just in case something happens, and you get errors of some kind, or it won't boot again, or some others that I haven't remember. Things DO happen, so you want to be sure that you can back out to your old system, if the process goes "weird" on you.
But, you do need a full back up of your system, just something that most computer guys are going to recommend.
You would rather have it, and not need it, instead needing a backup, and not having one.
One more thing: 8GB of RAM memory is not a lot these days. Your iMac has 4 memory slots, and can have up to 16GB in each slot, so supports up to 64GB of RAM. You probably have 2x4GB sticks now, and you could add 2x8GB sticks in the empty slots, keeping the memory that you have now, and going to 24GB--tripling what you have now. You will then have a Mac that will be noticeably more responsive. Just a good way to treat your Mac, particularly if you are updating your Mac system software. (Takes you 5 minutes to install the RAM, even on your first time. Slots are inside a small door on the back of your iMac!)

 

[seacliffe301]

Update from High Sierra to Ventura?
The process to upgrade is not involved, and is mostly the simple process of going to your System Preferences, then the Software Update pane. Click on the update (or updates) that are presented to you there. I think there is either an Update button, or a Continue button. It will ask for your admin password. Continue with the update. It will complete the process by downloading the update(s), then reboot to finish the process. All you need to do is wait. It will restart maybe 2 or 3 times. You will probably be asked to log in to your AppleID account (now simply called Apple Account), and you will finally return to the desktop. The update will often take 30 to 45 minutes, but normally finishes with no problem.
However, before you start the upgrade, you might make sure that you have a full backup of your drive, just in case something happens, and you get errors of some kind, or it won't boot again, or some others that I haven't remember. Things DO happen, so you want to be sure that you can back out to your old system, if the process goes "weird" on you.
But, you do need a full back up of your system, just something that most computer guys are going to recommend.
You would rather have it, and not need it, instead needing a backup, and not having one.
One more thing: 8GB of RAM memory is not a lot these days. Your iMac has 4 memory slots, and can have up to 16GB in each slot, so supports up to 64GB of RAM. You probably have 2x4GB sticks now, and you could add 2x8GB sticks in the empty slots, keeping the memory that you have now, and going to 24GB--tripling what you have now. You will then have a Mac that will be noticeably more responsive. Just a good way to treat your Mac, particularly if you are updating your Mac system software. (Takes you 5 minutes to install the RAM, even on your first time. Slots are inside a small door on the back of your iMac!)

Good call on increasing RAM, I'll look into that. As for the upgrade process, unfortunately it's not as cut & dry as you've described. In System Preferences I have no visible option for "Software Update". In "about this Mac" I do have a tab for "Software Update", however there is only a list of "incompatible updates", none of them relating to an OS upgrade. I'm assuming that I will have to download "Ventura" from somewhere, just not sure where and what the process would then be. Yes I've already backed up my HD, a practice that I semi-regularly execute. Thanks for the info.

 

[apostolosdt]

I use the same iMac with you. The first I did when I bought it was to max up RAM to 64GB; it cost me $100, easily installed. As for Ventura, have you tried App Store? Or, by installing the freely downloadable Mist app, you can choose any OS from Ventura and before.

However, the method I use is this. On Terminal, type the command,

sudo softwareupdate--fetch-full-installer-full-installer-version 13.7.2

and follow instructions. It may take some time, but it will download on your Applications and will NOT run. Then, you can click on it and install it as usual. Now, there is a previous post here, stating which macOS can be received by using the Terminal method. I can't recall if High Sierra was in that list--sorry.

 

[seacliffe301]

Success. Thanks all.

 

[fsr]

I have the same model. I removed the hdd and add an ssd then installed ventura 13.7.1. Everything is OK except some minor graphical distortions. I also installed 13.7.2 again from scratch but nothing changed.

The distortions are just a horizontal line appears sometimes (very rare). It is very quick, I couldn't see it completely and no problem for working with imac. It seems it is a kind of gpu driver issue but there is no driver in nvidia we page for imac devices.

If anyone knows any solution, I will be appreciate.