Upgrading from 10.5 worth it?

[bekx]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum but not to Macs, although I haven't kept up to date with everything over the last few years, hence why I'm posting on here.

I have a 2006 iMac 1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo which came with Tiger but has been running on Leopard 10.5.8 for the last 5ish years. Until recently I hadn't had any problems..but now I've started to see some websites asking me to update Safari (eg. outlook) - which of course, I can't do unless I update the OS.

(I also have an old iBook G4 PowerPC - but I won't go there!!🙂)

I would love to hear your opinions on upgrading or not. Is it worth it? At the end of the day, if I change OS I'd also have to update my programmes too.

Am I right in understanding that I can only upgrade to Snow Leopard anyway because of my processor?

I can't stand the way they're trying to get us to spend more money on new machines when it's not really necessary!!!

Any help or comments will be greatly appreciated 🙂

 

[S.B.G]

I think with your current machine, I'd keep it on Leopard. If you want to upgrade to a new OS, I'd get a newer or new machine.

 

[maflynn]

You can try to go to SL, but I wonder if that will full resolve the problem of using such an old OS. Personally I like SL over Leopard anyways and so I think that provides a better user experience imo 🙂

 

[S.B.G]

You can try to go to SL, but I wonder if that will full resolve the problem of using such an old OS. Personally I like SL over Leopard anyways and so I think that provides a better user experience imo 🙂

I like SL too, and miss it sometimes when I think about it. Especially Expose and Spaces being their own separate feature. I really liked that a lot. I had my Logitech Performance MX mouse configured with buttons for each and I was able to navigate around apps and spaces very fast. Mission Control just isn't the same or as nice, IMO.

 

[bekx]

I have to admit the leopard was never the greatest...quite a few bugs, hence why I never did the 10.5.9 update.

So I'm right in saying that I 'max out' processor wise at Snow Leopard?

 

[S.B.G]

I have to admit the leopard was never the greatest...quite a few bugs, hence why I never did the 10.5.9 update.

So I'm right in saying that I 'max out' processor wise at Snow Leopard?

Well, 10.5.8 was the last version of Leopard; they never made a 10.5.9.

It depends on which particular model 2006 iMac you have. Some of the later models can go up to 10.7.5.

 

[maflynn]

I have to admit the leopard was never the greatest

I found Leopard to be bloated, it was a turning point for me at least where Tiger had a lot of features but was svelte and fast. Leopard was neither of which, but I did think SL was an improvement over Leopard.

 

[S.B.G]

I found Leopard to be bloated, it was a turning point for me at least where Tiger had a lot of features but was svelte and fast. Leopard was neither of which, but I did think SL was an improvement over Leopard.

I've been contemplating downgrading my PowerMac G5 from Leopard to Tiger for just those reasons. I just need to go out and buy a copy of it. There is nothing on it really and it hesitates and is slow to use.

 

[Gregg2]

I think that Snow Leopard is still available from Apple, even on their web site. (It used to be available only by calling Apple.) And it's only $20!

 

[bekx]

I've been contemplating downgrading my PowerMac G5 from Leopard to Tiger for just those reasons. I just need to go out and buy a copy of it. There is nothing on it really and it hesitates and is slow to use.

Sorry for side stepping a bit on this thread, but if I was to stay with Leopard or Tiger (In the case of the PPC iBook) - What's the best way around the OUTLOOK issues with the browser?

 

[S.B.G]

Sorry for side stepping a bit on this thread, but if I was to stay with Leopard or Tiger (In the case of the PPC iBook) - What's the best way around the OUTLOOK issues with the browser?

I'm not really sure. What is the Outlook browser issue?

 

[Fishrrman]

I have a late-2006 white Intel iMac that does quite well on Snow Leopard.

Actually, if you decide to do the upgrade, I'd suggest you do it this way:
1. Clone the contents of the internal HD to an external HD using CarbonCopyCloner
2. Boot from the clone by restarting and holding down the option key until the startup manager appears (then select external drive and hit return).
3. Re-initialize the internal drive using Disk Utility (HFS+, journaled)
4. Install a completely fresh copy of 10.6.x onto the internal drive.
5. When the installation is complete, create a NEW, temporary account (call it "administrator", for example)
6. Log into the new account, go to software update and apply all updates (you want to use the 10.6.8 "combo" updater, available here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399)
7. Once all updates are applied, connect the external drive and use Migration Assistant to "bring over" your old account(s), apps, data, etc.
8. Once this is done, you can log out of the "administrator" account and into your regular account.

Additional steps (optional)
a. If after doing the above, everything looks ok, you can do one more thing to eliminate any fragmentation that occurs by updating the original 10.6 installation:
b. Re-initalize the external drive.
c. Use CCC to do another "clone" of the internal drive (10.6.8) to the external
d. Again, boot from the external, make sure the clone went ok
e. Now, re-initialize the internal drive a second time
f. Next, re-clone the contents of the external (10.6.8) BACK TO the internal drive
g. The re-copying will eliminate any fragmentation (files are copied contiguously), giving you a really "clean start"...

 

[bekx]

Wow, thanks for the detailed response!! If I do go for Snow Leopard, I'll bear what you said in mind 🙂

With regards to Outlook, on the iMac with Leopard, each time I log in first I have to pass through a page telling me that my current version of Safari is out of date and some things may not work as they should (so far though, no problems, but I guess the writing's on the wall, so to speak.) As for the machine running on Tiger, Outlook appears as it does on some mobiles - which is a pain in the arse, as some of the functions don't work.

I've never bothered to set up the mail client on the Mac as it was simpler just to log in online...It was Hotmail for pete's sake!!!

🙂