Getting a Mac Ready for Mountain Lion

As a friendly PSA, I thought I would share tips on how to ready your Macintosh for Mountain Lion.
Because I had to watch the key note speech this year, I'm Really excited for the Mac OS upgrade. Mountain Lion is geared toward more of an iOS type feel on a computer and many iOS features are being rolled into the Mac OS X platform.

It is being dropped this month and will be available as an app purchase/download through the Mac app store.

Before you download it here are some things you might want to do:

Make a backup of your existing system as it is before completing the download. Time Machine is how this is accomplished and should you have any problems with the upgrade, you can restore you OS with that application.

When downloading the actual upgrade, it can be down over wireless, but having a hard wired connection can help prevent any problems with the upgrade before they occur. Wi-fi connections can time out during the install. This won't hurt your system (or it shouldn't) but it can be frustrating.


Check your current hardware to see that it supports Mountain Lion specs. If you are running 10.7 this should not be an issue.
Basically, Mountain lion won't run any anything before 2007. You can check your specs on the Mac and then compare that to what apple lists as spec compatible for Mountain Lion.

Check any status update for the Apps you use the most and make sure that they are Mountain Lion ready. If it isn't, you might want to hold off on the upgrade until those apps that you cannot live with out are ready to run in the Mountain Lion environment.


Since its an app purchase, double check that you apple ID and password are correct and that the billing information for your account is up to date.

If your computer was bought after roughly June '11 apple might offer free upgrades. You have to check your status to see if you are eligible.

The new upgrade will likely be dropped on the 25th although as of yet, I don't think apple has announced a definitive date.

Hope this helps and happy mac(k)ing!

 

Thank you and I dont even own a mac. You said that so well that I feel like if I did buy a mac and have any problems... Alinoa to the rescue...smile.

 

You're welcome jay. I don't know the percentage of Mac users on this site but for those who use newer models this might come in handy.

 

Ah, a fellow Macophile.

I use Mac Alinoa.

But I have to wait to update my hardware in order to install Mountain Lion since my specs are outdated on my current Mac.

 

So we aren't talking about a cougar?

 

Hai.

2 things:

Ram and processor type are the specs you need to look into.

At least 2GB RAM and core 2 duo processor and you should be all gravy baby.

 

That made me hungry.

 

I just checked out the Macintosh Mountain Lion Operating System or is it really just an App that runs under Operating System X?? Either way... WOW!! Integration on steroids for sure!!! The Macintosh has really come a long long way from what I remember when I was a mac user. I stopped using mac only because all of my classes were based around the Windows Operating System. I am seriously considering buying another mac as long as the privacy settings are in detail and user friendly for adjustments.

Incredible!!!

 

It's it own operation system. Or the latest version of X

 

Why you :smt077

 

Does it gobble up a lot of RAM? What's been your experience with it thus far? I'm still running 10.5.8, lol.

 

LOL, you're still on the original Leopard.

I'm on 10.6.8 Snow Leopard.

Have to get a whole new Mac to be able to use Lion.

Such is life as a Mac user.

 

I'm sticking with this one. And I'm running 10.5.8 on my desktop as well, but that's a G4! I'm keeping that around because I'm sure that one day it'll be a collector's item!

 

You have a major security risk with that system bc apple doesn't support leopard anymore. It won't be a collectors item if it won't run.

I have 4gigs of 1660 ddr3 and no problems. I don't run any heavy processor programs tho. But it's all integrated so one will tap the other if needed.

 

I'm worried about my laptop getting a virus, because it uses those Intel chips, like the other newer macs. That was one of the good things about the old G4s, no one ever bothered to make viruses for them, because they were such a small share of the market. In all my years of having Apple machines, I never got a virus. But I hear the Intel Macs are regular targets, especially with Apples so ubiquitous these days. Alinoa, have you or GQBrotha had any security problems with your Intel Macs?

 

I haven't but thats because it is still supported by apple. The OS that is. When the flashback malware spread like wildfire...they may have moved slowly, but Apple did release a patch to take care of it. None of this third party nonsense bullshit.

And if having a virus is your main concern..well...you are not supported against not having one on the OS you currently run.

 

Thanks for the tips!

 

Neh, not even once.

Having before owned Windows for years I ran into viruses on probably a couple of occasions even though I was very careful with Anti-virus and all that.

Never had any issues with that on the Mac though.

No Blue Screen Of Death to sort out.

 

I am SO dying to do a kernel panic screen saver on the Mac Techs I know.

Only problem is they are all techs and are like meh.

I need to find an unsuspecting asshat.

 

I've only owned Macs and have never had any trouble, but this is the first time I've purchased an Intel-powered one. I've only used Windows PCs in work environments, so they always had tech support handy.