Is it still possible to download mavericks or Yosemite?

[B2RPW]

I'm getting ready to upgrade my mac that is still running Mountain Lion 10.8.5, primarily so I can upgrade to Pro Tools 11 or 12. I'm currently on Pro Tools 10. I do not want to upgrade to El Capitan. The computer guy who I'm planning to do all the upgrades says that because I haven't been downloading Mac OS updates for years, I may not be able to get Mavericks or Yosemite now. It seems in the app store the only OS I'm offered is El Capitan. So I have two questions:

1. Can I still get a legal version of Mavericks or Yosemite to upgrade from Mountain Lion?

2. If not and I have no choice but to upgrade to El Capitan, do you see any issues with it running on my mid 2011 27" imac with 32GB memory? The compatibilty issue concerns I have are with the DM4800 and its firewire card, all my plugins and Pro Tools. Everything else I can live without.

Thanks for any advice, I'm not strong with Mac tech.

 

[Gerk]

Unfortunately he's correct, if you haven't previously downloaded them you won't be able to download them yourself from the app store. That said you can get a copy from anyone else who has previously downloaded them (they will show up still in their download history). He probably even has a copy of it around if he's a computer guy and works on Apple machines regularly. Since they are both free downloads there should be no problem using a copy that someone else downloaded from their iTunes store account (I don't think it puts the user info or anything into that package).

I have no idea bout pro Tools and El Capitan though, sorry.

 

[B2RPW]

Thanks for the response. My Mac guy said he's had problems using his own OS downloads from his account on other machines. I'm really worried about upgrading to El Cap. I'm hearing and reading stories of pro tools running much slower with lots of the Beachball of Death spinning. So frustrating and impossible to get a clear answer.

 

[AudioWave]

Yes, still possible but depends on your App store account and how you download and installed OS X in the past.

First look in your Applications folder for a large file named something like Install_OSX_Mavericks if you see that file, copy it somewhere as once it is used and installed it is either deleted or hidden.

Second, go to the App Store, Purchased tab and see if a previous OS X version is listed available for download. If it is, download it. It will reside in the Apps folder. Do as suggested above so that you have a backup copy. With the copy you can create OS X partitions or install on external drive partition.

Note that what specific version downloads will likely only be the current or last released OS X version so Mavericks would likely be 10.9.5 and El Capitan would likely be 10.11.2 since that was released a weeks ago.

Apple does't allow or least makes it very difficult (for very good reasons) to install a version of OS X that is less than what came pre-installed with the MacBook so most people are much better off just going forward instead of trying to go back to a previous OS X version. Desktop Mac Pro's don't have the same exact restrictions.

Avid has qualified PT 12.2 with OS X 10.11.1 PT 12.4 is in Beta now. Might be released before year end.

 

[B2RPW]

Right, but as I said in my original post I never downloaded all the new os versions to my imac (not macbook). So I'm looking to get at Mavericks or Yosemite despite not having the downloads aleady in my account. I should also add that both of those would be a step forward, not backwards as your post suggests. I'm currently on Mountain Lion 10.8.5 which is what came preinstalled on the imac.

So as far as you know there is no way to get at 10.9 or 10.10 if I don't already have the download files? That is what I feared.

 

[AudioWave]

If you have not downloaded them then they are likely in the Purchased tab awaiting to be downloaded. Did you check there as I suggested? The other comments are just general FYI comments to educate you and anyone else that happens to read this thread.

 

[B2RPW]

Ok thanks for clarifying. Yes that was the first place I checked. The only OS software there available for download is the latest version of El Capitan. What I've been told is that Apple only allows you to download the current version of OS, not prior versions. So unless you download them when they are current you can't get them again, at least not from Apple. That's why I was hoping there was some source of legal versions of the prior OS's that I'd be able to use under my Apple ID.

 

[AudioWave]

Apple offers the current OS X version in the Updates Tab but has allowed previous OS X versions to be downloaded in the Purchased Tab. Perhaps that has recently changed.

I do remember reading some users complaining that they could no longer see and download Yosemite about a month ago and then a few days latter a few mention that it was available again.

Perhaps someone you know with a different Apple ID might have them available to download and then they could copy them for you. The downloads are just generic installers not tied to any one Apple ID.

In any case, the safest most trusted way to get it would be from Apple directly. I'd suggest you contact Apple support and/or vist an Apple store and see if they can help as I know of other users that have down that.

 

[B2RPW]

ok thank you.

 

[dimobr]

It's easy to find the image of OS X to download via torrent in any version of your interest. You simply must be careful to download the correct version, the modified version is intended for Hackintosh, and you don't want this, just read the description to make sure you are downloading an image from the App Store.
Any copy of OSX downloaded via App Store or torrent will work properly no matter which account is downloaded, since you are using on a Mac, it's all ok.

 

[Gravity Jim]

I have to say: if you feel like screwing up your computer beyond recognition, by all means, go find an OS installer available via torrent. I wouldn't trust a torrented file to install a desktop clock, let alone the OS.

 

[dimobr]

Well, I will not disagree with what you say, but when you know what you are doing risks go to zero, and that's why I said "be careful to download the correct version." Many people provide exactly the same version of the App Store via torrent precisely because sooner or later someone will need as she needed one day.

 

[Gravity Jim]

The risk from a torrent NEVER goes to zero, no matter how clever one thinks one is. Pirates suck and are not to be trusted.

 

[dimobr]

Let me explain you something: every person who has a Mac (iMac, air, pro ... whatever) has the right to receive the OSX and updates when supported for free. The fact that you download a copy of the system via App Store or via torrent for use in a product manufactured by Apple does not make it an illegal operation and does not make your system in a pirated copy or will void the warranty since it is linked to serial number of the equipment, which is unique and non-transferable.
If I download a copy via App Store and install it on my Mac and then your Mac or anywhere else you want, as often as necessary, also does not make it an illegal operation.
Remember, I'm referring to the copy of an original image downloaded from the App Store and intended for use in equipment manufactured exclusively by Apple.
Not everyone who uses torrent is an evil being willing to destroy the film/music industry or are interested in knowing what you do when you use your computer, and I believe it's a great tool and very useful in various situations.

 

[Arjan P]

I think the point Jim is rightfully making, is that nothing you download via torrent can be trusted. Even though the technology can be used for legit reasons, you cannot know whether the file you download was the untouched original.

 

[Gerk]

It's incredibly easy for pirates to "inject" or otherwise tamper with stuff is the point Jim was trying to make.

Well, I will not disagree with what you say, but when you know what you are doing risks go to zero, and that's why I said "be careful to download the correct version." Many people provide exactly the same version of the App Store via torrent precisely because sooner or later someone will need as she needed one day.

And some other provide slightly modified versions (and I'm not talking about the Hackintosh enabled ones). It's incredibly easy to make a tiny modification of any one of the base packages that OSX installs to install keyloggers, DNS spoofers or just about anything else you want and most of those types of hacks are so small that you're not going to be able to tell that they have been modified.

 

[B2RPW]

Yesterday I finally did the full upgrade. In the end my tech guy managed to log into his apple account from my imac and download yosemite directly from apple so i managed to avoid 3rd party sites.

I can report that on my mid 2011 imac I am smoothly running Mac OS 10.10.5 along with Pro Tools 12.3, Live 9 and a bunch of VI's and plugins. Performance seems better than 10.8.5 but there are many variables that changed including memory upgrade, switch from firewire external drive to thunderbolt hybrid drive and pro tools from 10 to 12 that I can't isolate it to any one thing. One interesting point to note is that the DM 4800 worked after the upgrade even before I updated the driver. I eneded up inalling the latest driver anyway, but it was working with the driver from about 18 months ago.

Thanks for all the help.