Updating to OS X 10.6.6

[NFreak007]

I have been using my first ever Mac for a few months now and I love it! The thing is, it's still running OS X 10.6.3 and I haven't updated the OS before. I thought it was about time I updated, particularly with the Mac App Store, but I have a few questions.

Firstly, how long will the process take? I know the length of time the download will take depends on my internet connection, but how long does it take to install once the update has downloaded?
Also, is there any danger of something going wrong? Should I back up everything before I try updating and, if so, what would be the best way to do that?
Finally, I still have some old versions of various applications that I haven't felt the need to update, such as still using iTunes 9 as I don't feel I need any of the new features in iTunes 10. Will this matter or should I update those to the newest versions first?

Sorry for being such a noob! Hope you can give me some advice!

 

[chrismacguy]

I have been using my first ever Mac for a few months now and I love it! The thing is, it's still running OS X 10.6.3 and I haven't updated the OS before. I thought it was about time I updated, particularly with the Mac App Store, but I have a few questions.

Firstly, how long will the process take? I know the length of time the download will take depends on my internet connection, but how long does it take to install once the update has downloaded?
Also, is there any danger of something going wrong? Should I back up everything before I try updating and, if so, what would be the best way to do that?
Finally, I still have some old versions of various applications that I haven't felt the need to update, such as still using iTunes 9 as I don't feel I need any of the new features in iTunes 10. Will this matter or should I update those to the newest versions first?

Sorry for being such a noob! Hope you can give me some advice!

It shouldnt take that long - although it depends which Mac you have, how full your HD is etc. Id say about 10 minutes should easily cover it. If you need to update the application, it will "force" you to do it before the update will appear in Software Update (Its clever like that). Although having the most up-to-date applications is generally a good-ish idea (iTunes 10.1.2 I think is the latest now)

You should always have a backup regardless - Time Machine (built into your Mac) is the easiest way, but I doubt it would do anything (Ive never had it do anything to any of my Macs since OS X came out, but you never know - backups are something everyone should always have).

 

[miles01110]

Finally, I still have some old versions of various applications that I haven't felt the need to update, such as still using iTunes 9 as I don't feel I need any of the new features in iTunes 10. Will this matter or should I update those to the newest versions first?

The previous poster answered your other two questions, but updating to iTunes 10.whatever will only matter if you have or plan on buying an iOS device. All of the latest iOS devices require the latest version of iTunes.

 

[Tumbleweed666]

Firstly, how long will the process take? I know the length of time the download will take depends on my internet connection, but how long does it take to install once the update has downloaded?

Maybe 5 or 10 minutes.

Also, is there any danger of something going wrong?

Of course. Low but its there.

Should I back up everything before I try updating and, if so, what would be the best way to do that?

Big alarm here. Do you imply you are NOT backing up?

Because forget the danger of an OS upgrade (touch wood I have had zero issues with Mac upgrades so far) what about the dangers of finger trouble, disk fail, coffee spill, theft, etc etc. If you are not backing up, then you will lose data. So do that first.

The best way? Well, the simplest and easiest is just buy an external HD and plug it in and click yes on the prompts that ask you if you want to use it for Time Machine. Then just let TM do its thing, zero work on your part, has saved my *ss a few times..

You might also consider online backups, there are various services which let you backup to somewhere "in the cloud". The idea there is, what if fire flood or theft strike?

I don't know what you have on your Mac, but from time to time some bozo turns up here bemoaning the fact they just lost all their music or their photos or their college work for the last 2 years or whatever. Don't be a bozo Here's a BIG bozo

Finally, I still have some old versions of various applications that I haven't felt the need to update, such as still using iTunes 9 as I don't feel I need any of the new features in iTunes 10. Will this matter or should I update those to the newest versions first?

Doesn't really matter. I held off iTunes 10 for a while but in the end just did the upgrade to stop the nagging You may find it easiest just to look at the detail of the upgrade, all the bits and pieces, click the boxes for what you want but do as much in one hit as you can and only exclude stuff you really don't want.

 

[NFreak007]

Big alarm here. Do you imply you are NOT backing up?

I should point out that I have backed up everything that's very important, but not everything on the machine as I don't have anything to store it all on! I am buying an external hard drive this weekend, though, so I'll probably be able to use that.

Question about Time Machine: if I used that would I be able to use the disk it keeps the backup on for other things, like transferring and backing up files from different computers?

 

[miles01110]

Question about Time Machine: if I used that would I be able to use the disk it keeps the backup on for other things, like transferring and backing up files from different computers?

Yes, but you should partition it in Disk Utility to set aside space for your other files.

 

[Andeavor]

I have both updated as well as upgraded an OS and have never experienced any data loss. For the time it downloads and installs, though, you can simply go take a shower, make a sandwich or do something else productive - time will fly that way.

 

[Fishrrman]

"I should point out that I have backed up everything that's very important, but not everything on the machine as I don't have anything to store it all on! I am buying an external hard drive this weekend, though, so I'll probably be able to use that."

As an alternative to buying an "external hard drive" (that is, a drive mounted in an external enclosure), you might consider something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=usb+sata+dock&x=0&y=0

Then, just buy a "bare drive" to put into it.

Makes it easy to "add capacity" without having to buy many external drives. Also makes it easier when a drive starts to "go bad on you" (they all will, eventually). Just get another bare drive and keep right on going.

Insofar as updating the software is concerned:
You might consider downloading the full "combo update" for 10.6.6, which is available here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1349

It's a -BIG- download (over 1gigabyte), but will get you upgraded properly. Might even be worth burning the .dmg file to a DVD to keep around.