Usable browser for an old iMac

[TonyC]

Hi All,
My Mum has an older iMac 21.5 inch, late 2012
OS X Yosemite
V10.10.5

It has Safari V10.1.2

Some time ago Safari was failing to load some web sites due to the browser being to old, I installed Firefox and all was good.

About two weeks ago it came up with an error with Mail trying to connect to the ISPs mail server.

I had a play with it and couldn't sort it (I'm no IT person by any stretch of the imagination)

She had the person who set her up with this ISP, have a look at it, he has stated the computer is to old and needs to be replaced.

Last night I turned it on to turn on the WI-FI in the modem, and her email is now working, Firefox won't start saying it needs OS X 10.12 or later.
Safari still works but still won't open a lot of sites.

Can I install a later version of OS X?
Is there an up-to-date browser I can install that will work with OS X V10.10.5?

Thanks
Tony

[BradC]

Can I install a later version of OS X?

If it's a 2012 then it should supported by MacOS 10.13.

We're still running the latest firefox on that on a pair of 2011 iMacs.

I don't believe there's anything near a recent firefox release that'll run on anything older than 10.12.

[TonyC]

If it's a 2012 then it should supported by MacOS 10.13.

We're still running the latest firefox on that on a pair of 2011 iMacs.

I don't believe there's anything near a recent firefox release that'll run on anything older than 10.12.

Thanks Brad,
How do I get 10.13 on it.
Through the App Store?

Tony

[BradC]

Thanks Brad,
How do I get 10.13 on it.
Through the App Store?

I don't honestly recall. I have vague memories of downloading the installer from a link I found on the net somewhere and putting it on a USB, then booting from that to do the upgrade. It was a few years ago now.

Have a look here : How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support (https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372)

Follow the link for High Sierra. That one leads to the app store.
You should also just be able to download that and run it from the machine in question.

[simonmelb]

Links here: How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support (AU) (https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT211683)

Cheers
Simon


Thanks Brad,
How do I get 10.13 on it.
Through the App Store?

Tony

[TonyC]

Links here: How to get old versions of macOS – Apple Support (AU) (https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT211683)

Cheers
Simon

Thank Simon and Brad,

Looks like the hardware should run MacOS Mojave 10.14

It'll be a week or so before I get a chance to get back to it.

Tony

[Tins]

Hi All,
My Mum has an older iMac 21.5 inch, late 2012
OS X Yosemite
V10.10.5

It has Safari V10.1.2

Some time ago Safari was failing to load some web sites due to the browser being to old, I installed Firefox and all was good.

About two weeks ago it came up with an error with Mail trying to connect to the ISPs mail server.

I had a play with it and couldn't sort it (I'm no IT person by any stretch of the imagination)

She had the person who set her up with this ISP, have a look at it, he has stated the computer is to old and needs to be replaced.

Last night I turned it on to turn on the WI-FI in the modem, and her email is now working, Firefox won't start saying it needs OS X 10.12 or later.
Safari still works but still won't open a lot of sites.

Can I install a later version of OS X?
Is there an up-to-date browser I can install that will work with OS X V10.10.5?

Thanks
Tony

If you have any tech skills at all then I would suggest trying Open Core Legacy Patcher. I hav a similar vintage iMac and it’s running macOS Monterey 12.5.1. It is flawless. Follow the steps here to get it up to 12.4

Monterey on Unsupported Mac [2008-2015] OpenCore Legacy Patcher!!! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/go6RTCHv4GA)

Check his other vids for more.

[Tins]

If you have any tech skills at all then I would suggest trying Open Core Legacy Patcher. I hav a similar vintage iMac and it’s running macOS Monterey 12.5.1. It is flawless. Follow the steps here to get it up to 12.4

Monterey on Unsupported Mac [2008-2015] OpenCore Legacy Patcher!!! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/go6RTCHv4GA)

Check his other vids for more.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/4d43751cf378c5d0b668c10bebaa14e4.jpg

[TonyC]

If you have any tech skills at all then I would suggest trying Open Core Legacy Patcher. I hav a similar vintage iMac and it’s running macOS Monterey 12.5.1. It is flawless. Follow the steps here to get it up to 12.4

Monterey on Unsupported Mac [2008-2015] OpenCore Legacy Patcher!!! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/go6RTCHv4GA)

Check his other vids for more.

Thanks,
I'll have a look.

Tony

[350RRC]

Geez.............I bought a newer Mac because the old one couldn't run anything newer than Snow Leopard at the time.

DL

[BradC]

Geez.............I bought a newer Mac because the old one couldn't run anything newer than Snow Leopard at the time.

DL

You have to be careful and read the release notes carefully though. Our iMacs are 2011 and have the AMD 5xxx & 6xxx GPUs. They are pretty much useless with any of the newer operating systems because of the lack of any GPU acceleration. The 2021 Tins has with the nVidia GPU is ok.

Yes, I could upgrade to a newer GPU, but looking at Gumtree it's about cost neutral with buying a slightly newer (and still supported) model second hand.

[incisor]

linux..... [bigwhistle]

[BradC]

linux..... [bigwhistle]

Yep, even my mum has a Linux machine for internet use. Certainly it was great on my 2011 iMac until the GPU turned up its toes.

Linux is user friendly, it's just choosy about who its friends are.

[TonyC]

linux..... [bigwhistle]

That thought did go through my head, but Mum has enough trouble using her computer when it's exactly the same as last time she used it.

I don't think trying to teach her an new operating system , no matter how "user friendly" will result in the best outcome 😇

But don't worry as soon as I find some suitable hardware, I'll be here asking all sorts of dumb Linux questions.

Tony

[BradC]

But don't worry as soon as I find some suitable hardware, I'll be here asking all sorts of dumb Linux questions.

"Suitable hardware" for Linux is pretty much anything. I've run it on anything from a Mac IIsi with 8MB of ram through to whatever is "modern". It runs on pretty much anything you have lying around.

There are no dumb questions either. Like Landrovers there are many variants of Linux and some people get comfortable with their favourite and get fervently religious about it.

[Tins]

Geez.............I bought a newer Mac because the old one couldn't run anything newer than Snow Leopard at the time.

DL

Lol. Well, it does help if you upgrade to SSDs and a bit more RAM. So my 27” iMac cost me nearly $1K for the upgrades. I think it was worth it but others mightn’t. That $1K includes 3TB of SSD though.

[Tins]

Lol. Well, it does help if you upgrade to SSDs and a bit more RAM. So my 27” iMac cost me nearly $1K for the upgrades. I think it was worth it but others mightn’t. That $1K includes 3TB of SSD though.

Oh, and upgrading the HDDs to SSDs can’t be too hard. After all, I did mine. Lol

[Tins]

If it's a 2012 then it should supported by MacOS 10.13.

We're still running the latest firefox on that on a pair of 2011 iMacs.

I don't believe there's anything near a recent firefox release that'll run on anything older than 10.12.

Older Macs can run TenFourFox but I’m not sure if that supports intel macs.

[TonyC]

"Suitable hardware" for Linux is pretty much anything. I've run it on anything from a Mac IIsi with 8MB of ram through to whatever is "modern". It runs on pretty much anything you have lying around.

I have an old Mac Mini OS X 10.5.8, that I'm sure would be fine with Linux.
Problem is it has no spare space to install Linux, and I'm not confident about moving some stuff off it, to install and learn Linux, then get stuff back into it, possibly upgrading storage in the process, all without stuffing it up ☹️.


There are no dumb questions either.

We'll see if I can't come up with some dumb IT questions 😜



Like Landrovers there are many variants of Linux and some people get comfortable with their favourite and get fervently religious about it.

Just because I'm quite comfortable with the electronic complexity of my 300 Tdi, what are you saying 🤣

Tony

[Tins]

Oh, and upgrading the HDDs to SSDs can’t be too hard. After all, I did mine. Lol

I used SSDs from here: OWC DIY Drive Upgrade/Install Kits for Apple iMac Models (https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/imacdiy/)

Mine had a Fusion drive. The SSD component of that fits a PCIE slot that in true Apple fashion is proprietary so you need the right one. ‘Course, you don’t have to use it. Macs of that vintage can easily cope with larger SSDs.

[Don 130]

My Mac is late 2013 and the operating system is up to date. I don't know if yours can be upgraded to that level, but you'll get the right answers and help to go through the process by ringing AppleCare on 1300 321 456. There is no cost.

Don.

[Arapiles]

The iMac on which I'm typing this is a 27 inch mid-2011 running macOS High Sierra 10.13.6. The hard drive disintegrated last year so it got a new one and an upgrade to 16GB of RAM. As a result it runs really well. I haven't had any software incompatibility issues but it's not compatible with macOS Monterey - at the moment that's not a concern. If it becomes a concern I'll simply use the iMac as a monitor for a Mac Mini - this version of the iMac is able to be used as a monitor, apparently later ones don't.

I am finding that the similarly old MacBook (one of several lying around the house due to kids growing out of them) that I'm using for working from home can't run the camera or speakers on my new 49" monitor, so the MacBook will need replacing at some point.

Edit: oh, and the best thing to do with Safari is dump it - it's too glitchy. Chrome works much better.

[BradC]

The iMac on which I'm typing this is a 27 inch mid-2011 ...... this version of the iMac is able to be used as a monitor, apparently later ones don't

That ability relies on an Apple specific thunderbolt protocol, so it won't work in target display mode without OS support on the originating end as well.
Apple removed the ability to do that in later versions of MacOS (starting with 10.16), so while the Mac might believe its a monitor, later versions of MacOS won't talk to it.

We have 2 of those, and a 21.5". All mid-2011. They won't work in target display mode with my wifes Macbook Air because the OS is too new (yes, I have the TB3->TB1/2 adapter).

If the operating system on your mini is Catalina or older then it'll work.

Loved my iMac. 1TB of SSD, 32GB of ram and paired with a couple of Thunderbolt displays it was a great work surface. Shame the GPU gave out.

[Arapiles]

That ability relies on an Apple specific thunderbolt protocol, so it won't work in target display mode without OS support on the originating end as well.
Apple removed the ability to do that in later versions of MacOS (starting with 10.16), so while the Mac might believe its a monitor, later versions of MacOS won't talk to it.

We have 2 of those, and a 21.5". All mid-2011. They won't work in target display mode with my wifes Macbook Air because the OS is too new (yes, I have the TB3->TB1/2 adapter).

If the operating system on your mini is Catalina or older then it'll work.


That'd be this:

Use your iMac as a display with target display mode – Apple Support (AU) (https://support.apple.com/en-au/HT204592#:~:text=You%20can%20use%20more%20than,%2C %20press%20Command%2DF2%20again).

Alright, so I can't use an M1 Mini with it ....

Edit: have to say though that my new monitor has a better screen, so the iMac may finally become archaic. But 11 years and counting is a good run.

[Tins]

You have to be careful and read the release notes carefully though. Our iMacs are 2011 and have the AMD 5xxx & 6xxx GPUs. They are pretty much useless with any of the newer operating systems because of the lack of any GPU acceleration. The 2021 Tins has with the nVidia GPU is ok.

Yes, I could upgrade to a newer GPU, but looking at Gumtree it's about cost neutral with buying a slightly newer (and still supported) model second hand.

The thing about OCLP is that it has graphics acceleration. Macs as old as 2008 can be upgraded to run High Sierra. Metal capable Macs can run every OS up to Monterey. Obviously some features will not be available as some depend on M# architecture.

BTW, I imagine it’s a typo but my iMac is 2012, not 2021.

Here’s my MacBook Pro of the same year.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/df011c2f78e3bd2649a9b6e761fa0f90.jpg

[Tins]

The thing about OCLP is that it has graphics acceleration. Macs as old as 2008 can be upgraded to run High Sierra. Metal capable Macs can run every OS up to Monterey. Obviously some features will not be available as some depend on M# architecture.

BTW, I imagine it’s a typo but my iMac is 2012, not 2021.

Here’s my MacBook Pro of the same year.

https://www.aulro.com/mobile-gallery/df011c2f78e3bd2649a9b6e761fa0f90.jpg

Actually it seems 2008-2011 macs can run BigSur. This is an older video. OCLP has been updated a few times since it was published. Currently it is at 0.4.10 That version is FAR simpler to use. It also overcomes a big problem running 12.5 on machines with Kepler GPUs, such as my NVIDIA, which caused it to not run, or not let me in, or caused unrecoverable kernel panics.
Anyone who wants to go down this path would be well advised to get the latest version no matter what mac they want to patch.

NEW 2022! Big Sur on Unsupported Macs [2008-2013] OpenCore Legacy Patcher!!! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/flQRKWBKC60)

[Tins]

Actually it seems 2008-2011 macs can run BigSur. This is an older video. OCLP has been updated a few times since it was published. Currently it is at 0.4.10 That version is FAR simpler to use. It also overcomes a big problem running 12.5 on machines with Kepler GPUs, such as my NVIDIA, which caused it to not run, or not let me in, or caused unrecoverable kernel panics.
Anyone who wants to go down this path would be well advised to get the latest version no matter what mac they want to patch.

NEW 2022! Big Sur on Unsupported Macs [2008-2013] OpenCore Legacy Patcher!!! - YouTube (https://youtu.be/flQRKWBKC60)

BTW, Monterey is great, but it’s a steep learning curve from SL.

[TonyC]

We, I got back to it this afternoon.
I've installed Mojave 10.14.
Mums Apple ID no longer worked, so I had to create a new one.
After that the upgrade was easy, if somewhat slow.
Mail is working, Safari seems to be working again.
It's all still familiar to Mum, which is important.

Thanks to all who contributed.

Tony