How to Update an Old Mac (OS X 10.5 Intel Xeon) for modern web (Youtube, ESPN etc...)

[Dathaeus]

I have just restored a Mac Pro (2x2.66 Ghz Dual Core Xeon 16GB [only detects 8GB ugh!!!]) with OS X 10.5.

I have done all updates, but it still wont support the installation of the latest browsers Firefox and Chrome, and with the older ones I can't fully access the modern websites.

Any solution without buying a whole new OS? This one will only be used for the simple email/web/local docs etc....

Thanks!

 

[lclev]

If you are running Leopard (10.5) you will need to upgrade to Snow Leopard (10.6) first. You can purchase it here:

http://www.apple.com/us/search/Snow-Leopard?src=globalnav

Then run update to get 10.6.8.

You do not say how old your Mac Pro is but if it is at least an early 2008 or newer you can then upgrade to El Capitan.

Lisa

 

[Dathaeus]

If you are running Leopard (10.5) you will need to upgrade to Snow Leopard (10.6) first. You can purchase it here:

http://www.apple.com/us/search/Snow-Leopard?src=globalnav

Then run update to get 10.6.8.

You do not say how old your Mac Pro is but if it is at least an early 2008 or newer you can then upgrade to El Capitan.

Lisa

Thanks, so I need to pay $20 and get Snow Leopard (I cant get Lion?) and then from that the highest I can go is 10.6.8? If so is that enough to run ALL modern websites from current browsers? Thanks!

 

[harryb2448]

You can go to Lion and that is it without turning your Mac Pro into a Hackintosh. I suggest you get Snow Leopard and stick with it. Neither Snow Leopard nor Lion are supported any longer with Apple Security Updates and the Safari browser is tied to the operating system, Firefox may be okay with a later version. Be aware malware, adware and ransomware are all modern day threats so be careful using it on the 'net, going to sites you know you should not go to, and avoid downloading anything from CNET or Softonic who add these little delicacies to your package.

Regarding the memory, removing the modules and move them. Did you add additional memory yourself? The first diagnosis is they are not Mac compatible. Suggest buying memory only from Crucial or OWC and never from eBay or a PC shop. Macs use dearer low density modules.

 

[Dathaeus]

You can go to Lion and that is it without turning your Mac Pro into a Hackintosh. I suggest you get Snow Leopard and stick with it. Neither Snow Leopard nor Lion are supported any longer with Apple Security Updates and the Safari browser is tied to the operating system, Firefox may be okay with a later version. Be aware malware, adware and ransomware are all modern day threats so be careful using it on the 'net, going to sites you know you should not go to, and avoid downloading anything from CNET or Softonic who add these little delicacies to your package.

Regarding the memory, removing the modules and move them. Did you add additional memory yourself? The first diagnosis is they are not Mac compatible. Suggest buying memory only from Crucial or OWC and never from eBay or a PC shop. Macs use dearer low density modules.

Thanks for the reply......

Ok I'll just go with Lion and get in Firefox and Chrome also?

I did move the RAM around, no avail.. I got it from some Mac shop online and the modules look pretty high end and they sure cost as much, and was for the exact model of the Mac I have so I think its the right one but are you sure its not bec of the older model PC, meaning I heard it only supports to 32bit and I know in PC's 32bit have its limitations in max RAM.

 

[toMACsh]

I think your choices are:

Stay with Leopard
Upgrade to Snow Leopard
#2 plus upgrade to El Capitan

I don't think you can get any of the other "in-between" versions any longer.

 

[lclev]

If as Harryb suspects it is a pre-2008 Mac Pro then Lion is it. I suggested Snow Leopard because it would allow for a direct upgrade to El Capitan. But if the Mac Pro is that old then Lion is the highest it can go. The link I posted previously shows both options. Most people seem to prefer Snow Leopard over Lion though.

(I missed the dual core xeons which indicates it is an original Mac Pro - pre-2008 model - good catch Harryb!)

Lisa

 

[harryb2448]

Repeat suggest you stay at Snow Leopard. It is a better operating system than Lion.

The architecture of your Mac Pro is 64bit. For some obscure reason Apple made the EFI 32bit, which is why it cannot natively run 674bit operating system, OS X.8 and higher. Did you try the two modules in positions one and two? If they work there suggest looking for memory cages. They run pretty cheap on eBay and are fairly easy to replace. Your Mac Pro can actually handle 32GB of memory. Download a little application called Mactracker. It contains details of every Mac product ever released.

 

[toMACsh]

Snow Leopard 10.6.8 will support the latest Firefox, but your browsing experience will be less than satisfying. (I had that setup until recently.) If you buy a SL disc, it will likely be an earlier version (10.6.3?) and you will need to update it. Your ultimate solution for internet use is to be up to date with the latest OS version and browser (Safari). Of course, that means buying a new Mac that will run the software.

 

[Dathaeus]

Repeat suggest you stay at Snow Leopard. It is a better operating system than Lion.

The architecture of your Mac Pro is 64bit. For some obscure reason Apple made the EFI 32bit, which is why it cannot natively run 674bit operating system, OS X.8 and higher. Did you try the two modules in positions one and two? If they work there suggest looking for memory cages. They run pretty cheap on eBay and are fairly easy to replace. Your Mac Pro can actually handle 32GB of memory. Download a little application called Mactracker. It contains details of every Mac product ever released.

I will try moving the mods around again... in the profiler I see 2x4GB, all the other slots are "empty."


toMACsh

Snow Leopard 10.6.8 will support the latest Firefox, but your browsing experience will be less than satisfying. (I had that setup until recently.) If you buy a SL disc, it will likely be an earlier version (10.6.3?) and you will need to update it. Your ultimate solution for internet use is to be up to date with the latest OS version and browser (Safari). Of course, that means buying a new Mac that will run the software.

What do u mean "less than satisfying." Are the main sites with flash etc not accessible or..... If this can last for another 1-2 years then it will have served its purpose, not looking for a miracle but bec we already spent money on this rig, just trying to squeeze a bit more out of it.

So far it seems like Snow Leopard is the winner, but what about the upgrade to El capitan from that, easy useful free up for me or not?

 

[toMACsh]

I found that some sites were slow, or would not load at all. It was random, but audio/video was hit and miss.

 

[lclev]

You will not be able to upgrade to El Capitan because of the 32-bit EFI (your systems boot instructions). As for the issue with Snow Leopard or any older operating system, with the advances in web content had come more demand on the computer and it's operating system. Video codex has changed and are not necessarily handled well by older systems. Webpages cram more content with more flash running on newer platforms that were not available when Snow Leopard was written. Regardless of what browser you use it still pulls resources from the OS.

Lisa

 

[lclev]

If you have the 2006/2007 Mac Pro with the 32-bit EFI you can modify it to be a 64-bit EFI and then you can run El Capitan. It is a bit of a process and you will have to do some reading but it can be done.

Instructions: http://lowendmac.com/2014/modernizing-the-mac-pro-11-and-21/

Tiamo's modified Boot.ini link: http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-2-1-and-os-x-mavericks.1598176/page-2

I have not tried this and if I were I would be very cautious. I have upgraded my Mac Pro 4.1 firmware to a 5.1 firmware so I could update to two 6-core processors which was a lot easier to do.

Lisa

 

[Dathaeus]

What is the specs of your Mac Pro?

It seems like its this one:

Apple Mac Pro "Quad Core" 2.66 (Original) Specs
Identifiers: Mac Pro - MA356LL/A - MacPro1,1* - A1186 - 2113

It says in the info in the computer:

Mac OS v. 10.5
2 x 2.66 ghz dual core Intel Xeon
8GB 667 mhz DDR2 FB DIMM (even tho I have 16Gb in there)
Macintosh HD
TM 1983-2007

 

[Dathaeus]

If you have the 2006/2007 Mac Pro with the 32-bit EFI you can modify it to be a 64-bit EFI and then you can run El Capitan. It is a bit of a process and you will have to do some reading but it can be done.

Instructions: http://lowendmac.com/2014/modernizing-the-mac-pro-11-and-21/

Tiamo's modified Boot.ini link: http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mac-pro-2-1-and-os-x-mavericks.1598176/page-2

I have not tried this and if I were I would be very cautious. I have upgraded my Mac Pro 4.1 firmware to a 5.1 firmware so I could update to two 6-core processors which was a lot easier to do.

Lisa

Ok, so I am an IT guy, although I delve much more into PC's than Apple, and I root and mod Android phones all the time so I understand the "care" needed to do these kinda things, so if I had precise instructions and just follow them, it's fine for me, I just need to know this worked for at least someone else here with a model similar to mine.... anyone else?

 

[pm-r]

. … … … Be aware malware, adware and ransom ware are all modern day threats so be careful using it on the 'net, going to sites you know you should not go to, and avoid downloading anything from CNET or Softonic who add these little delicacies to your package.
… … …

Not to sidetrack the thread but just going back to what Harry warned about here, I spent some time today looking into why so many warn about "lack of security and support" when using older "unsupported Mac OS X " versions and software, as far as even the latest OS X versions go, the OS won't provide much more protection that the older software did or still does, and the best protection regardless is just what Harry said. User beware…

PS: Even OS X SL 10.6.8 users still get the same or similar XProtect updates as the latest OS X version users it seems, and even they may be a bit slack it seems.



- Patrick
======

 

[lclev]

I have already indicated I have never done an upgrade like what I posted. Flashing firmware with a utility is nothing compared to what you would have to do. The one link is from Macrumors.com and that would be an excellent place to start a search and read. There are several on there that have updated their Mac Pro 1.1's.

Lisa