Gain confidence and stay in control as Mac guru Joe Kissell explains how to ensure that your hardware and software are ready for Yosemite, prevent problems by making a bootable duplicate of your main drive, eliminate digital clutter, prepare your Mac, and decide on the best installation method for your particular situation. You’ll also find full installation directions plus advice on over a dozen things to do immediately after installation and troubleshooting techniques.
The book covers upgrading from 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, 10.6 Snow Leopard, 10.5 Leopard, and even 10.4 Tiger. It also looks at upgrading from the Yosemite public beta and at upgrades that involve moving your data to a new Mac from an old Mac or Windows PC.
You’ll experience an easy upgrade and quickly deal with post-installation quirks with these topics:
Start quickly: A two-page Quick Start overview has links to detailed content behind each topic, letting you read lightly or more deeply, depending on your specific needs.
Take in the view: Find out what you can look forward to in Yosemite, and why this upgrade is important for Apple.
Catch-up upgrade: If you’re upgrading from 10.4 Tiger, 10.5 Leopard, or 10.6 Snow Leopard, you’ll want to know about a few special compatibility issues and decide on the most effective way to upgrade.
Compatibility check: Make sure your hardware and software are ready for Yosemite (and for the new Continuity features that work with iOS 8), and consider if this might be a good time for new hardware, even if it’s not essential for your upgrade.
Backing up: Avoid upgrade calamities by ensuring you can return your Mac to its previous state—and that you can boot your Mac from a backup. This crucial step can save a lot of trouble, and Joe recommends software that can make a bootable duplicate with minimal hassle.
Cleaning up: Your operating system is getting a fresh start, but what about the rest of your stuff? Whether you need the disk space or just want to delete some digital detritus, you’ll find helpful tips. You’ll also run either Apple Hardware Test or Apple Diagnostics as well as Disk Utility, to be sure your disk is good to go.
Prepping your disk: For those who need it, this chapter covers special cases relating to disk encryption and partitioning.
Picking a plan: Most people can go with an easy in-place upgrade, but some will want the more complex clean install. Yosemite beta testers will find a special sidebar, 10.5 Leopard users will find special help, and those still on 10.4 Tiger will learn about the extra steps they’ll have to go through.
Installing: Find out the smartest way to download and store the installer, with special tips for people who want to install on multiple Macs or who have bandwidth limitations. And, although running the installer will be easy for many people, you’ll get full instructions on what to click and when.
Post-installation tune-up: Make sure your new system is running smoothly by answering questions posed by Yosemite, specifying your Apple ID in all the right places (and perhaps setting up Family Sharing), checking your Handoff status, and handling translucency. You’ll also find advice on Spotlight, Java Runtime, iBooks, enhanced dictation, and more. Plus, learn how to unhide the user Library folder.
Troubleshooting: Yikes! It’s possible that something will go wrong during installation, or once you’ve booted up under Yosemite that you’ll discover an incompatibility with an essential piece of software. Find time-tested troubleshooting advice to get your system working again. Joe also explains what the Recovery HD volume can do for you.
Migrating to a new Mac: If your upgrade includes moving from an older computer (Mac or Windows PC) to a new Mac that’s running Yosemite, learn the best way to move your user account to the new Mac.
About Joe Kissell
Take Control publisher Joe Kissell has written more than 60 books about technology, including many popular Take Control books. He formerly wrote for publications such as Macworld, Wirecutter, and TidBITS. He lives in Saskatoon with his wife, his two children, and his cat.
