Home > Software for Older Macs > Upgrading Older Macs to OSX Sierra: Part 1

Upgrading Older Macs to OSX Sierra: Part 1

February 3, 2017

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My Mac Tower is finally at a point where it can’t be upgraded. At least that’s what Apple says.

The curious thing is – it can be upgraded – with a little help.

Our MacRecycleClinic guru Lorin Evans found a great website that offers a number of solutions for those of us with older Macs (within reason) that want to use Apple’s latest OS.

The website is pretty plain but has the info you need:

http://dosdude1.com/sierrapatch.html

The owner of dosdude1.com does ask for a donation if you use his tools to do the deed. But to start – here are the requirements:

Requirements:
-Early-2008 or newer Mac Pro, iMac, or MacBook Pro (MacPro 3,1 and 4,1, iMac 8,1 and 9,1, MacBook Pro 4,1, 5,1 5,2, 5,3, 5,4, and 5,5)
-Late-2008 or newer MacBook Air or Aluminum Unibody MacBook (MacBookAir 2,1, MacBook 5,1)
-Early-2009 or newer Mac Mini or white MacBook (MacMini 3,1, MacBook 5,2)
-Early-2008 or newer Xserve (Xserve 2,1)

Machines that ARE NOT supported:
-2006-2007 Mac Pros, iMacs, MacBook Pros, and Mac Minis (MacPro 1,1 and 2,1, iMac 4,1, 5,1, 5,2, 6,1 and 7,1, MacBook Pro 1,1, 2,1, and 3,1, MacMini 1,1 and 2,1)
*
The 2007 iMac 7,1 is compatible if the CPU is upgraded to a Penryn-based Core 2 Duo, such as a T9300.
-2006-2008 MacBooks (MacBook 1,1, 2,1 3,1 and 4,1)
-2008 MacBook Air (MacBookAir 1,1)

I have NOT done this upgrade YET but will give it a shot on a backup drive and let you know what happens. In the meantime – give it a try if you’re up to it and let us know how it goes.

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