How To Update From Mountain Lion

How To Update From Mountain Lion

How To Update From Snow Leopard To Mountain Lion
How To Update From Mountain Lion To Yosemite
Mac Lion Update
Mountain Lion Vs African Lion
How To Update From Lion To Mountain Lion
macOS Big Sur elevates the most advanced desktop operating system in the world to a new level of power and beauty. Experience Mac to the fullest with a refined new design. Enjoy the biggest Safari update ever. Discover new features for Maps and Messages. And get even more transparency around your privacy.
Check compatibilityMountain Lion Installation Obstacles. There are three issues that keep these unsupported Macs from running Mountain Lion: Although 32-bit EFIs were supported in early builds, Apple removed support for systems that have a 32-bit EFI during the development process and only 64. A 28-year-old man who was reported missing in a rural area of North Texas was found dead from a possible mountain lion attack earlier this week, authorities said.
I used this method last week and I was able to successfully update a my early 2009 macbook that had been sitting in storage for years from 10.5.8 to 10.8.2 using a DVD image of Mountain Lion purchased from the appstore on an up to date macbook.
How can I upgrade or 'hack' an incompatible Intel Mac to run OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion'? Is it even possible? As noted elsewhere within EveryMac.com's Mountain Lion Q&A, Mountain Lion entirely drops support for many 'older' Macs, some of which were sold as new only a little over three years ago.
If you're running any release from macOS 10.13 to 10.9, you can upgrade to macOS Big Sur from the App Store. If you're running Mountain Lion 10.8, you will need to upgrade to El Capitan 10.11 first. If you don't have broadband access, you can upgrade your Mac at any Apple Store. Learn more about how to upgrade.
macOS Big Sur is compatible with these computers:
MacBook introduced in 2015 or later
MacBook Air introduced in 2013 or later
MacBook Pro introduced in late 2013 or later
Mac mini introduced in 2014 or later
iMac introduced in 2014 or later
iMac Pro
Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later
View the complete list of compatible computers.
If upgrading from macOS Sierra or later, macOS Big Sur requires 35.5GB of available storage to upgrade. If upgrading from an earlier release, macOS Big Sur requires up to 44.5GB of available storage. To upgrade from OS X Mountain Lion, first upgrade to OS X El Capitan, then upgrade to macOS Big Sur.
Make a backupBefore installing any upgrade, it's a good idea to back up your Mac. Time Machine makes it simple, and other backup methods are also available. Learn how to back up your Mac.
Get connectedIt takes time to download and install macOS, so make sure that you have a reliable Internet connection. If you're using a Mac notebook computer, plug it into AC power. 
Download macOS Big SurIf you're using macOS Mojave or later, get macOS Big Sur via Software Update: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Or use this link to open the macOS Big Sur page on the App Store: Get macOS Big Sur. Then click the Get button or iCloud download icon.
Begin installationAfter downloading, the installer opens automatically.
Click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions. You might find it easiest to begin installation in the evening so that it can complete overnight, if needed. 
If the installer asks for permission to install a helper tool, enter the administrator name and password that you use to log in to your Mac, then click Add Helper.
Allow installation to completePlease allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. Your Mac might restart, show a progress bar, or show a blank screen several times as it installs both macOS and related updates to your Mac firmware.
Stay up to dateAfter installing macOS Big Sur, you will be notified when updates to macOS Big Sur are available. You can also use Software Update to check for updates: Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Software Update.
Or get macOS Big Sur automaticallyHow To Update From Snow Leopard To Mountain LionIf you're using OS X El Capitan v10.11.5 or later and your App Store preferences or Software Update preferences are set to download new updates when available, macOS Big Sur will download conveniently in the background, making it even easier to upgrade. A notification will inform you when macOS Big Sur is ready to be installed. Click Install to get started, or dismiss the notification to install later. When you're ready to install, just open the file named Install macOS Big Sur from your Applications folder.
Learn moreIf the installer shows a list of apps that are not optimized for your Mac, learn about 32-bit app compatibility, then choose whether to proceed with the installation.
For the strongest security and latest features, upgrade to macOS Big Sur. If you have hardware or software that isn't compatible with Big Sur, you might be able to install an earlier macOS.
You can also use macOS Recovery to reinstall the macOS you're using now, upgrade to the latest compatible macOS, or install the macOS that came with your Mac.
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How can I upgrade or 'hack' an incompatible Intel Mac to run OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion'? Is it even possible?
As noted elsewhere within EveryMac.com's Mountain Lion Q&A, Mountain Lion entirely drops support for many 'older' Macs, some of which were sold as new only a little over three years ago.
Some users may view this increasingly short support timeline unimportant, as they wish to purchase a new computer or a newer computer every couple of years and have little need for 'legacy' software or document support. Others may be quite happy with the computer they have -- even if it is a few years old -- and are not interested in upgrading to Mountain Lion, regardless.
However, for those who would like to run the latest operating system and have a Mac officially capable of running Lion, but not Mountain Lion, there are obstacles to overcome. 
Mountain Lion Installation Obstacles 
There are three issues that keep these unsupported Macs from running Mountain Lion:
Although 32-bit EFIs were supported in early builds, Apple removed support for systems that have a 32-bit EFI during the development process and only 64-bit EFIs are supported in the final release. 
Even for Macs that have a 64-bit EFI, Apple does not provide drivers for Intel GMA 950 or X3100 graphics amongst several other graphics cards.
The installer performs an identification check and refuses to install on an unsupported system. 
Installing Mountain Lion on an unsupported Mac involves defeating these issues. Where there is a challenge, it is a safe bet that hardworking hackers will rise to the occasion.
However, please note that any attempt to install or use an unsupported operating system could wipe out all of your data and/or cause other software or hardware problems. 
Do not attempt to install Mountain Lion on an unsupported Mac if it is 'mission critical' or data is important. Any hacks are performed at your own risk. Be absolutely sure to backup everything before proceeding with any experimental hacks (or before proceeding with any official operating system upgrades, for that matter). 
Upgrades & Hack Options for the Original Mac Pro
Most of the attention has focused on the original Mac Pro -- the Mac Pro 'Quad Core' 2.0 (Original), 'Quad Core' 2.66 (Original), 'Quad Core' 3.0 (Original), and 'Eight Core' 3.0 (2,1) -- as these models are quite powerful and can be substantially upgraded. How to play minecraft java edition.
Although the process of installing Mountain Lion on these Macs is complex, and involves a hardware upgrade of the graphics card, a second hard drive, and an assortment of 'Hackintosh' tactics, the diligent hacker 'Jabbawok' prepared a straightforward tutorial (archive copy, original no longer online).
Software Hack Options for Other Intel Macs
How To Update From Mountain Lion To YosemiteThe equally diligent hacker 'hackerwayne' has provided a detailed tutorial to install Mountain Lion on other unsupported Macs, including custom kexts (drivers) from hackers 'kylegray' and 'trunkz' for partial support of GMA 950 and X3100 graphics. 

How can I upgrade or 'hack' an incompatible Intel Mac to run OS X 10.8 'Mountain Lion'? Is it even possible?
As noted elsewhere within EveryMac.com's Mountain Lion Q&A, Mountain Lion entirely drops support for many 'older' Macs, some of which were sold as new only a little over three years ago.
Some users may view this increasingly short support timeline unimportant, as they wish to purchase a new computer or a newer computer every couple of years and have little need for 'legacy' software or document support. Others may be quite happy with the computer they have -- even if it is a few years old -- and are not interested in upgrading to Mountain Lion, regardless.
However, for those who would like to run the latest operating system and have a Mac officially capable of running Lion, but not Mountain Lion, there are obstacles to overcome. 
Mountain Lion Installation Obstacles 
There are three issues that keep these unsupported Macs from running Mountain Lion:
Although 32-bit EFIs were supported in early builds, Apple removed support for systems that have a 32-bit EFI during the development process and only 64-bit EFIs are supported in the final release. 
Even for Macs that have a 64-bit EFI, Apple does not provide drivers for Intel GMA 950 or X3100 graphics amongst several other graphics cards.
The installer performs an identification check and refuses to install on an unsupported system. 
Installing Mountain Lion on an unsupported Mac involves defeating these issues. Where there is a challenge, it is a safe bet that hardworking hackers will rise to the occasion.
However, please note that any attempt to install or use an unsupported operating system could wipe out all of your data and/or cause other software or hardware problems. 
Do not attempt to install Mountain Lion on an unsupported Mac if it is 'mission critical' or data is important. Any hacks are performed at your own risk. Be absolutely sure to backup everything before proceeding with any experimental hacks (or before proceeding with any official operating system upgrades, for that matter). 
Upgrades & Hack Options for the Original Mac Pro
Most of the attention has focused on the original Mac Pro -- the Mac Pro 'Quad Core' 2.0 (Original), 'Quad Core' 2.66 (Original), 'Quad Core' 3.0 (Original), and 'Eight Core' 3.0 (2,1) -- as these models are quite powerful and can be substantially upgraded. How to play minecraft java edition.
Although the process of installing Mountain Lion on these Macs is complex, and involves a hardware upgrade of the graphics card, a second hard drive, and an assortment of 'Hackintosh' tactics, the diligent hacker 'Jabbawok' prepared a straightforward tutorial (archive copy, original no longer online).
Software Hack Options for Other Intel Macs
How To Update From Mountain Lion To YosemiteThe equally diligent hacker 'hackerwayne' has provided a detailed tutorial to install Mountain Lion on other unsupported Macs, including custom kexts (drivers) from hackers 'kylegray' and 'trunkz' for partial support of GMA 950 and X3100 graphics. 
Should you be interested in installing Mountain Lion on any of the other unsupported Macs, be absolutely sure to pay close attention to the 'What works, what doesn't' section in the tutorial. 
In particular, note that some systems have significant RAM capacity limitations that are not an issue running an earlier version of the operating system or have issues with sound and graphics, as is common for Hackintosh systems. It is very important to understand these limitations.
Mountain Lion Hacks Summary
Mac Lion UpdateUltimately, it is quite possible to install OS X Mountain Lion on many Macs that Apple no longer supports, although as is often the case for 'hacks,' these systems may not be fully functional and many users with these older Macs likely would be better off sticking with Snow Leopard or Lion or alternately switching to Windows. 
Mountain Lion Vs African LionAt least some of the Macs that are not supported running Mountain Lion likely could run the operating system without difficulty had Apple simply not removed support for 32-bit EFIs as well as written graphics drivers to support the hardware. In an odd twist of fate, Microsoft provides everything needed to natively run Windows 8 on these Macs.
It's certainly a strange world where Microsoft provides better support for older Macs than Apple does.

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