Updating an Oldish iMac

[Voxelx]

So my friend gave me his iMac from his office, since their office upgraded all their machines.

I've always used Windows, so I'm totally lost with this :/..

The iMac I have now I think was made in 2006,
Specs are:
iMac5,1
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.33 GHz
1 Processor
2 Cores
2GB Memory
OS X 10.4.11


I wanted to upgrade to Mountain Lion, since this OS cannot even run Google Chrome... but to upgrade to ML I'll need Snow Leopard right? But then I saw that you need a 2007 model to run ML, so should I upgrade to SL only?

I also wanted to upgrade the RAM, since 2GB really isn't that much.. but I read that my model would only be able to max out with 6GB of RAM.

Can anyone help me? Should I upgrade RAM? To what should I upgrade to?

and how can I go about upgrading my OS?

 

[GGJstudios]

The iMac I have now I think was made in 2006,
Specs are:
iMac5,1
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.33 GHz
1 Processor
2 Cores
2GB Memory
OS X 10.4.11


I wanted to upgrade to Mountain Lion, since this OS cannot even run Google Chrome... but to upgrade to ML I'll need Snow Leopard right? But then I saw that you need a 2007 model to run ML, so should I upgrade to SL only?

The most recent OS your iMac will support is Lion (10.7.5). It will not support ML. Call Apple to buy a SL install disc (roughly $20). Also explain that you'd like to upgrade to Lion and they can help you.

I also wanted to upgrade the RAM, since 2GB really isn't that much.. but I read that my model would only be able to max out with 6GB of RAM.

The maximum RAM your model will support is 4GB.

Here are the specs for your model.

You can find specs on all Apple products, including maximum RAM:

• By visiting EveryMac.com: Actual Maximum RAM
• By selecting your model on the Crucial Memory Advisor™ Tool to find RAM information
• By using Mactracker
• By entering your serial number here to find specs for your model.
  (Be aware that some models can use more RAM than Apple shows. Check EveryMac to verify actual usable RAM.)

 

[CASLondon]

So my friend gave me his iMac from his office, since their office upgraded all their machines.

I've always used Windows, so I'm totally lost with this :/..

The iMac I have now I think was made in 2006,
Specs are:
iMac5,1
Intel Core 2 Duo
2.33 GHz
1 Processor
2 Cores
2GB Memory
OS X 10.4.11


I wanted to upgrade to Mountain Lion, since this OS cannot even run Google Chrome... but to upgrade to ML I'll need Snow Leopard right? But then I saw that you need a 2007 model to run ML, so should I upgrade to SL only?

I also wanted to upgrade the RAM, since 2GB really isn't that much.. but I read that my model would only be able to max out with 6GB of RAM.

Can anyone help me? Should I upgrade RAM? To what should I upgrade to?

and how can I go about upgrading my OS?

I just want to say that you might want to research before choosing between Lion and Snow Leopard. I skipped from SL to ML, because the amount of negative news around Lion (someone called it Apple's Vista). Snow Leopard is probably the most solid OSX in recent years.

The only disadvantages with not going to ML is the integration with iCloud and iOS devices. There are ways around these, you can make Calendar/Contacts work with iCloud on Snow Leopard with some tweaks.

Also, you could stick a SSD in this computer if you wanted to, and use firewire/usb 2 external storage for additional room if needed.

A few good resources for info about upgrades

http://macsales.com

http://lowendmac.com

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/index.html