Upgrading Mid 2009 MacBook

[ourcore]

Hey, guys,

I have the 13" Mid 2009 MacBook (MacBook5,2) and I'm looking at upgrading it to Yosemite, but I have a few questions before I do so:
1. Since it's running Leopard 10.5.8, what's the easiest way to update to Snow Leopard 10.6.8?
2. Could I just run a clean install of Yosemite via a USB boot?
3. Once updated, can I update to Yosemite via the App Store, or does it need to be a standalone download?
4. Will the original RAM modules from my Late 2001 MacBook Pro work in the 2009 MacBook?

Thanks in advance!

 

[jamesjingyi]

1. I would clean install it from a USB drive. You can create a bootable one quite easily. Have a look here
2. Yep, see above.
3. If you can't download Yosemite because you don't have the Mac App Store, you will have to get it off somewhere else (I don't think its illegal getting it elsewhere but I wouldn't want to say to do it). Do you have a SL install disk btw?
4. I don't think they will and if they do I think that they will be old and maybe not worth it

 

[Bruno09]

Hi,

1. you can buy SL (10.6.3) DVD from the Apple Store, then upgrade to 10.6.8 by Software Update.

2. yes, and (for a clean install=disk wiped) you do not need to install SL before installing 10.10

3. you could update from 10.6.8 to 10.10 via the App Store.
This is always a standalone download : the installer is an Application which is downloaded to the Applications folder.

I personally would NOT recommend upgrading from 10.6 to 10.10 : it's a huge jump and can create some issues.

It is much much better to do a clean install of 10.10.

Remember that some of your apps on 10.5 will no longer work on 10.10.

Carefully backup your data before doing anything.

 

[ourcore]

Thanks, guys! I'm gonna do a clean install via a bootable USB, which I've done before on my own MacBook Pro with Mavericks. I haven't watched this yet, but I'm assuming it's a similar process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8mdoFuWiJE. I'm very tech savvy -- I just wanted to confirm some things in this specific scenario.

The reason for my question about the RAM is because I've upgraded my own to 16 GB, so I had my original modules as spares and since they've still more than the 2009 MacBook's, I thought I'd be worthy provided they're compatible.

 

[brdeveloper]

Thanks, guys! I'm gonna do a clean install via a bootable USB, which I've done before on my own MacBook Pro with Mavericks. I haven't watched this yet, but I'm assuming it's a similar process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8mdoFuWiJE. I'm very tech savvy -- I just wanted to confirm some things in this specific scenario.

The reason for my question about the RAM is because I've upgraded my own to 16 GB, so I had my original modules as spares and since they've still more than the 2009 MacBook's, I thought I'd be worthy provided they're compatible.

As long as they're DDR3 modules, technically they should work. However, sometimes Apple firmware refuses faster modules, but there's nothing physically wrong with them. If this happens, the only way of solving the issue is by downrating one module's spec through Thaiphoon Burner app.

In regard to Yosemite, I wouldn't install it on an older Mac. My late-2009 (6,1) Macbook seems laggier and slightly more battery-hungry. Even after installing nVidia WebDriver, it's running hotter than under Mavericks. It's not a very annoying thing, though. In short, with Yosemite you get a redesigned GUI at the cost of being more graphics intensive.