Apple hasreleased Mountain Lion ( OS X 10.8 ) , and while we ’ve got afull review to read , those look to establish the unexampled type O also have more - hard-nosed matters : Getting their Macsreadyfor Mountain Lion .
As with Lion ( OS X 10.7 ) last year , Apple is advertising Mountain Lion as dead - bare to install . But as with every major upgrade to OS X , there are a few thing you may do before upgrading to ensure that your Mac is ready to go .
What you need
Apple say Mountain Lion require one of the following calculator , already run OS Adam 10.6.8 or any version of OS X 10.7 :
( Note that while the above computers caninstallMountain Lion , some feature film , such as Power Nap , AirPlay mirroring , and AirDrop , have exacting requirements . )
Apple also says you demand 2 GB of RAM ( memory ) , although in my experience , you ’ll savour better results with at least 4 GB . If you have only 2 GB set up , you might debate a ironware upgrade before instal OS X 10.8 . A Son of advice here : If you do n’t buy your RAM directly from Apple , be sure you get RAM that ’s specifically insure for usance in Macs . Some third - party RAM that ’s not up to Apple ’s spectacles will make problems when you advance your group O . Most reputable vendors will make it clear which RAM they offer is specifically compatible with Macs .
In Lion, you can check your Mac’s specs using the About This Mac window (left); Snow Leopard users can use Mactracker to identify their Mac model (right).
Similarly , Apple recommend having at least 8 GB of free quad on your Mac ’s driveway , but I commend playing it safe by direct for 15 gigabit or more — the Mountain Lion installer itself is over 4 GB and you ’ll demand some room for impermanent files . You may also find , especially if you ’re upgrade from Snow Leopard , that some of Mountain Lion ’s features command more “ everyday ” costless space , as is the eccentric in Lion . If you need to free up outer space on your thrust , you could use a utility such as WhatSize or GrandPerspective to aid you find oneself full-grown file you could get rid of ; and we recentlyprovided some specific suggestions for freeing up drive space .
In Lion , you could learn your Mac ’s specs using the About This Mac window ( left ) ; Snow Leopard user can use Mactracker to key out their Mac model ( right ) .
Not sure which Mac you own or how much random-access memory or destitute drive space it has ? prefer About This Mac from the Apple Menu , and then click More Info . In Lion , the resulting window displays your computer model and year / version ; click the Storage tab to regard your drive ’s free quad , and sink in Memory to check its Aries amount . In Snow Leopard , you get a System Profiler window — choose retention to find out the random-access memory amount ; choice Serial - ATA , and then select your drive ’s name on the right , to see your free drive infinite .
In Lion, you can check your Mac’s specs using the About This Mac window (left); Snow Leopard users can use Mactracker to identify their Mac model (right).
unluckily , Snow Leopard ’s System Profiler window does n’t display your Mac ’s genuine model year / version . However , the excellentMactracker(Mac App Store link ) make it gentle to find this information . Just set in motion MacTracker and select This Mac on the left , and your Mac ’s MacTracker entryway — accomplished with its prescribed example yr / version — is expose to the right .
The requirement that your Mac be pass OS X 10.6.8 or any version of OS X 10.7 is also authoritative . The chief rationality for this restriction is that , like Lion , Mountain Lion will be available onlyvia the Mac App Store — the Mac App Store requires Mac OS X 10.6.6 , and OS X 10.6.8 ply a number of enhancements that make upgrades to 10.7 or 10.8 go more smoothly . In improver , Apple commend that you install thevery latestupdates to Snow Leopard or Lion before raise to Mountain Lion , so be certain to check Software Update for any available update . ( See“Pre - install checks , ” below . )
What if you ’ve get an otherwise compatible Mac that ’s still running Leopard ( OS X 10.5 ) ? The well-off option is topurchase Snow Leopardfor $ 29 and instal it now , then raise to Mountain Lion when it ’s unloosen . You ’ll still be paying less than $ 50 for a huge OS ascent . If that is n’t an selection for you , for whatever reason , outride tuned — we’ll explain how to install 10.8 over Leopard , assuming you have the right to do so , much as wedid with Lion last year . ( If you ’ve got one of the two Mac models that originally ship with OS X 10.4 Tigerandsupport Mountain Lion , and you ’re still running Tiger , you decidedly require to go the Snow Leopard - > Mountain Lion route — the alternative is very messy . Also , wow . )
Disk Utility can verify that your Mac’s drive is healthy.
in conclusion , although it ’s not a demand , if you ’ve got a desktop Mac , I extremely recommend picking up Apple ’s Magic Trackpad ( ) if you do n’t already have one . The systemwide gestures introduced in Lion last year are only going to become more permeant as OS X evolves , and you likely wo n’t savour the full benefit of Mountain Lion without a trackpad . ( MacBook substance abuser , of course , all have a trackpad already . ) I personally prefer a computer mouse or enceinte trackball for cosmopolitan “ mousing , ” but I keep a Magic Trackpad within reach , as well , just to take advantage of OS X ’s gesture - found feature . I call it my Magic Gesturepad .
Pre-install tasks
While Appledescribes the process of upgrade to Mountain Lionas a dim-witted download and install , those of us who ’ve been doing this for a while have sex that a major group O update is never that simple . do the following tasksbeforethe raise and you ’ll have a much better chance of actually enjoying a pain - free experience .
ensure your Mac ’s inauguration driveway is in good health : To do so , open Disk Utility ( in / Applications / Utilities ) , select your startup driving force in the list on the left , fall into place the First care tablet to the rightfulness , and then flick Verify . If Disk Utility find trouble , you ’ll need to bring up from a different bulk to perform the actual fix using the Repair Disk button . If you ’re kick upstairs from Lion and your Mac can useLion Recovery(known in Mountain Lion as OS X Recovery ) , you’re able to boot into recovery mode ( by holding down Command+R at startup ) and utilise Disk Utility from there ; or else , if you create abootable Lion - install campaign for quondam Macsorfor newfangled Macs , orcreated a disjoined Recovery movement , you’re able to boot from that drive and utilize Disk Utility . If you ’re upgrading from Snow Leopard , you may expend Disk Utility when booted from either your Snow Leopard Install DVD or the OS disco biscuit install videodisk or ovolo movement that embark with your Mac . If you ’re palpate specially conservative , you may also prefer torun Apple Hardware Test .
Disk Utility can aver that your Mac ’s driving force is good for you .
RoaringApps.com’s user-contributed list of Mountain Lion software compatibility
Back up your Mac , and test that reliever : Let me say that again : Back up your Mac , and test that support — beforeinstalling Mountain Lion . ( Seeour clause on Mac relief plansfor more info on backing up your Mac . ) I personally urge creating a bootable - dead ringer backup ( using SuperDuper orCarbon Copy Cloner ) for the task , although a Time Machine accompaniment will do , as well . To test a knockoff or other bootable backup , utilise the Startup Disk paneling of System Preferences to boot from the backup drive . To try out a Time Machine or other non - bootable backup , render restoring several files — both older ones and newer ones — to verify you may reclaim your data should calamity strike .
Snow Leopard users should disenable FileVault : If you ’re upgrading from Snow Leopard ( OS X 10.6 ) and you ’re using FileVault , OS X ’s build - in business relationship - encryption feature on any of your Mac ’s report , I recommenddisablingFileVault before upgrading to Mountain Lion . Mountain Lion , like Lion before it , use a dissimilar ( and much - improved ) feeler to encoding , called FileVault 2 . Apple enunciate you may keep using the Snow Leopard effectuation for previously - encrypt user accounts , but FileVault 2 is the good manner to go , and what better time to make the replacement than now ? ( As I noted in my Lion - upgrade guide last year , I also prefer to not test Murphy ’s Law by risking any incompatibilities between the two edition of FileVault . )
Disable third - party disk encoding : If you ’re using third - party full - disk encoding software , you may want to temporarily disable that encryption before upgrade your Mac ’s OS . Most of these product interact with your drive and the OS at a depressed level , and an repugnance with Mountain Lion could leave you unable to reboot your Mac or , bad , ineffectual to access your data at all . Once Mountain Lion is up and race and you ’ve verified ( with the developer ) that your encoding software program is compatible , you could re - enable encryption . However , given that FileVault 2 also encrypts your intact drive , you might consider this an chance to transmigrate to FileVault 2 .
Run Software Update : To be trusted you ’re running both the latest version of Mac OS X — variant 10.6.8 , for example , let in fixes to Snow Leopard that are required for upgrading to Mountain Lion — and the latest versions of any other Apple software that might be bear on by the acclivity , you should run Software Update ( from the Apple menu ) . You should alsocheck for updated microcode for your particular Mac model .
Check for Mountain Lion - compatible update to third - company software : As with any major ascent to Mac OS X , you ’ll likely determine that some of your third - political party software needs to be updated to work with Mountain Lion . If you take some prison term to check compatibilitybeforeinstalling OS X 10.8 , you ’ll be in a position to get up and running directly , rather than being thwart by your favorite apps and add - ons not put to work .
To check app compatibility , you could confabulate each developer ’s web site , but I commend first checking RoaringApps’growing list of Mac software system and Mountain Lion compatibility . ( The inclination prove both Lion and Mountain Lion compatibility — be sure to look at the Mountain Lion column . )
If an app has an update available , you ’ll need to download and instal that update . For apps you ’ve obtained via the Mac App Store , this is as simple as found the App Store app , clicking the Updates push button in the toolbar , clicking Update All , and providing your Apple ID and password when move — this will download and installallavailable updates at once . For non - Mac App Store apps , you ’ll postulate to manually install update . Some apps bring home the bacon a build - in update feature of speech ( often get at by opt checkout For Updates from the program’sApplication Namemenu or its Help menu ) ; for those that do n’t , you ’ll ask to visit the developer ’s website .
RoaringApps.com ’s user - contributed listing of Mountain Lion software compatibility
The gravid offenders here — in terms of being contrastive with Mountain Lion — will be programs and system add - ons that integrate with ( or hack ) OS X at a low stage . Kernel extensions , for example , are ill-famed for being discrepant with major novel versions of OS X , but you may also find that public utility that pick off the Finder , add - ons that enhance Mail , and other spark plug - ins and “ enhancer ” wo n’t ferment under Mountain Lion , even if they work finely under Lion . ( This will be a openhanded issue for people upgrade from Snow Leopard . ) So be certain to check vendor site for OS X 10.8 - compatible updates for your favored softwarebeforeupgrading . ( Do n’t block to check third - party System Preferences panes and Mail add - ons . ) If it work out that a particular bit of software package is incompatible with Mountain Lion and does n’t have an update available , uninstall or incapacitate it until a compatible variant is free .
Snow Leopard users only : A self-aggrandizing issue may be older Mac software that has n’t been update recently — you may find that it does n’t work out at all under Mountain Lion . Specifically , PowerPC political program — software system that was never update to run natively on Macs with Intel processors — won’t work at all under Lion or Mountain Lion . Under previous versions of Mac OS X , Apple provided software call Rosetta that allowed PowerPC computer code to run on Intel Macs . In Snow Leopard ( OS X 10.6 ) , Rosetta was no longer installed by nonpayment , but the OS would offer to download and install Rosetta if you tried to run a PowerPC platform . However , Apple kill Rosetta whole when Lion was released , and it rest unavailable in Mountain Lion . If you ’ve got of import PowerPC programs ( for deterrent example , honest-to-goodness versions of Quicken for Mac are still amazingly pop ) , you ’ll want to update those platform to Intel - processor versions , if useable , before kick upstairs to Mountain Lion . If such update are n’t available , you should find acceptable alternatives , whether those are modern Mac alternatives or , if need be , Windows versions that you may run under Boot Camp or virtualization software system such as Parallels or Fusion . ( See my colleague Christopher Breen’sseriesofarticleson Lion and PowerPC software package . ) Alternatively , you could keep an previous Mac on hand to hunt those apps when needed .
How can you tell which of your applications are PowerPC programme ? The easiest style is to launch System Profiler ( in / Applications / Utilities ) , quality Applications ( under Software in the sidebar ) , and then click the Kind chromatography column header , which sorts the list of applications by central processor case . Any programs number asPowerPCwill not work under Lion or Mountain Lion . ( If you ’ve let any listed asClassic , well , that ship sailed long ago . )
Maybe have an extra drive handy : While most people will simply install Mountain Lion over Lion or Snow Leopard , there are situations in which you might desire to put in onto an empty ride . For instance , if you want to instal Mountain Lion on a second crusade to screen the OS before upgrading your independent private road , or if you desire to delete your Mac ’s startup ride and get down afresh . ( The latter might be a skillful theme if your Mac has been receive issues , or if your effort is nearly full or in need of repair . ) As I ’ll cover in an upcoming article on instal Mountain Lion , installing onto a petty private road is simple . However , erasing your Mac ’s startup drive and starting impertinent means cause a ripe , tested relief ( see above ) as well as a bootable Mountain Lion install drive , so now ’s the prison term to start preparing .
Ready and waiting
Thanks to the Mac App Store , the unconscious process of buying , obtaining , and establish Mac OS X is firm and easier than ever — Mountain Lion inherit Lion ’s advantage over optical disks and mail - parliamentary law delivery . But the better work your Mac is in before Mountain Lion arrives , the good experience you ’ll have during and after the upgrade . Now that your Mac is right prepped , bide tuned toMacworld — once the new OS is officially released , we ’ll have a hatful of article on installing and tweaking it .
[ Dan Frakes is a Macworld senior editor and a compulsive installer . ]
Updated 7/11/2012 , 5/15pm , to include simple Mactracker statement for determining your Mac ’s mannikin . Thanks to commenter fds for the peak . Updated 7/24/2012 to note that Lion Recovery is called OS X Recovery with the unveiling of Mountain Lion . update 7/25/2012 to reflect the release of Mountain Lion .
