Great old MBP, Hesitant to upgrade OS, cheap Chinese motherboard installed, advice?

[Cake9437]

Hey, this is my first post on the site, nice to meet you all.

Please help me determine if I can upgrade my OS, to what level I should, and if doing so will fix my problem.

I got an excellent macbook pro 8 years ago, but that was 8 years ago. Originally it had 10.9 Mavericks on it and it was fast. Now it has 10.11 El Capitan on it and it's much slower than before. I don't know if my mac can handle an upgraded OS, can it?

Here are the specs:

Model Name: MacBook Pro
Model Identifier: MacBookPro9,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 2.9 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 8 GB
Boot ROM Version: MBP91.00D3.B0C
SMC Version (system): 2.2f44

Intel HD Graphics 4000:

Chipset Model: Intel HD Graphics 4000
Type: GPU
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Dynamic, Max): 1536 MB
Vendor: Intel (0x8086)
Device ID: 0x0166
Revision ID: 0x0009

Is my computer good enough to run sierra or higher?

It only had one problem which a guy at a tech shop in China said was the motherboard, he game me a new one and put it in all for a total of just $50usd. I'm happy to get a good deal and it's been working for the last few months but because of the cheap price I was skeptical about the quality of it.

My computer crashed today doing a video conferencing call that really sounds like it really maxes out my computer (fan spinning a lot) but doesn't actually show it in system processes ( I think). Using this Chinese video conferencing app (called VooV) is very important to me because it's how I make money online and I can't decide to use a different program.

Will upgrading my OS help stop it from freezing while doing screen sharing in a call?
Will making space on my hard drive speed up my computer?
Should I reformat the computer after backing up the files because I have bogged it down with to many installations of crap software? (TPB cracks, etc)
Are programs like Firefox and video conferencing apps just more complex these days and require a higher operating system?

Thank you very much for your reply, I will watch the thread, reply, and take action based on the answers I receive.

-Cake

Below is the crash report from today.

Anonymous UUID: 75F43DBC-143E-1D90-8CE3-2F82996E8796

Fri May 8 01:26:47 2020

*** Panic Report ***
panic(cpu 1 caller 0xffffff800cfd155a): Kernel trap at 0xffffff7f8f66264c, type 14=page fault, registers:
CR0: 0x000000008001003b, CR2: 0xffffff80f313ae70, CR3: 0x000000022ca85042, CR4: 0x00000000001626e0
RAX: 0x0000000000052f9c, RBX: 0x000000001227fe70, RCX: 0x000000000000e277, RDX: 0xffffff80def86d8a
RSP: 0xffffff911806b940, RBP: 0xffffff911806b970, RSI: 0xffffff911806b870, RDI: 0x0000000000000000
R8: 0x000000000000000a, R9: 0x0000000000000000, R10: 0x0000000000000000, R11: 0x0000000000000000
R12: 0xffffff80207b9000, R13: 0x0000000000000000, R14: 0xffffff80f2fef000, R15: 0x0000000000052f9c
RFL: 0x0000000000010246, RIP: 0xffffff7f8f66264c, CS: 0x0000000000000008, SS: 0x0000000000000010
Fault CR2: 0xffffff80f313ae70, Error code: 0x0000000000000000, Fault CPU: 0x1, PL: 0

Backtrace (CPU 1), Frame : Return Address
0xffffff911806b5d0 : 0xffffff800cede792
0xffffff911806b650 : 0xffffff800cfd155a
0xffffff911806b830 : 0xffffff800cfef233
0xffffff911806b850 : 0xffffff7f8f66264c
0xffffff911806b970 : 0xffffff7f8f660d62
0xffffff911806b9b0 : 0xffffff7f8f5d0dba
0xffffff911806b9e0 : 0xffffff7f8f5d88eb
0xffffff911806ba00 : 0xffffff7f8f5d8859
0xffffff911806ba30 : 0xffffff7f8f5e674b
0xffffff911806ba90 : 0xffffff7f8f5e0ad9
0xffffff911806bae0 : 0xffffff7f8f5eb747
0xffffff911806bb50 : 0xffffff800d4e20c6
0xffffff911806bb80 : 0xffffff800d4e3990
0xffffff911806bbe0 : 0xffffff800d4e0a17
0xffffff911806bd20 : 0xffffff800cf9ae20
0xffffff911806be30 : 0xffffff800cee2ef3
0xffffff911806be60 : 0xffffff800cec68a8
0xffffff911806bea0 : 0xffffff800ced62e5
0xffffff911806bf10 : 0xffffff800cfbbd2a
0xffffff911806bfb0 : 0xffffff800cfefa56
Kernel Extensions in backtrace:
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(203.14)[CC479591-65FE-36EE-99BA-9ABFE11E8688]@0xffffff7f8f5ce000->0xffffff7f8f639fff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6ADFE830-2986-35D2-8C2F-6ABEDBC94F6A]@0xffffff7f8d72c000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f8e367000
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics(10.1.2)[CB91DD39-5349-3A91-9386-3AF7971B2276]@0xffffff7f8f648000->0xffffff7f8f6aefff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOSurface(108.0.1)[DB0623A3-6297-36E8-9F87-B868D3ED4FE5]@0xffffff7f8e212000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.9)[6ADFE830-2986-35D2-8C2F-6ABEDBC94F6A]@0xffffff7f8d72c000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.4.1)[48AC8EA9-BD3C-3FDC-908D-09850215AA32]@0xffffff7f8e367000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2(203.14)[CC479591-65FE-36EE-99BA-9ABFE11E8688]@0xffffff7f8f5ce000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer

Mac OS version:
15C50

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 15.2.0: Fri Nov 13 19:56:56 PST 2015; root:xnu-3248.20.55~2/RELEASE_X86_64
Kernel UUID: 17EA3101-D2E4-31BF-BDA9-931F51049F93
Kernel slide: 0x000000000cc00000
Kernel text base: 0xffffff800ce00000
__HIB text base: 0xffffff800cd00000
System model name: MacBookPro9,2 (Mac-6F01561E16C75D06)

System uptime in nanoseconds: 2180362935434
last loaded kext at 94169123550: com.expressvpn.splittunnel 3 (addr 0xffffff7f8fb98000, size 20480)
last unloaded kext at 182174675124: com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub 900.4.1 (addr 0xffffff7f8e0e8000, size 12288)
loaded kexts:
com.Cycling74.driver.Soundflower 1.6.7
com.apple.driver.AGPM 110.20.21
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformShim 1.0.0
com.apple.filesystems.autofs 3.0
com.apple.driver.AppleOSXWatchdog 1
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver 124
com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC 1.70
com.apple.driver.pmtelemetry 1
com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager 4.4.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient 3.6.1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDA 272.51.3
com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X 7.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver 272.51.3
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight 170.8.3
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltIP 3.0.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCPDRC 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHV 1
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD4000Graphics 10.1.2
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelFramebufferCapri 10.1.2
com.apple.iokit.BroadcomBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU 208
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSlowAdaptiveClocking 4.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl 1.2.13
com.apple.driver.AppleLPC 3.1
com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor 3.0.4d1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons 245.4
com.apple.driver.AppleIRController 327.5
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard 245.4
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless 1.0.0d1
com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib 1.0.0
com.apple.BootCache 38
com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage 2.8.5
com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet 10.1.12
com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4360 1020.17.1a1
com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC 1.7.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort 3.1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI 5.5.2
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager 161.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleRTC 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleHPET 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS 2.1
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC 4.0
com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC 1.7
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient 218.0.0
com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall 163
com.apple.security.quarantine 3
com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet 8
com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement 218.0.0
com.apple.kext.triggers 1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily 11
com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib 272.51.3
com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib 525
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP 2.2.6
com.apple.driver.CoreCaptureResponder 1
com.apple.iokit.IOSurface 108.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOAcceleratorFamily2 203.14
com.apple.AppleGraphicsDeviceControl 3.12.6
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothHostControllerUSBTransport 4.4.3f4
com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily 4.4.3f4
com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert 1.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport 2.4.1
com.apple.driver.X86PlatformPlugin 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI 1.0.14d1
com.apple.iokit.IOSlowAdaptiveClockingFamily 1.0.0
com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController 1.0.14d1
com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController 272.51.3
com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily 2.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily 272.51.3
com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily 204.3
com.apple.vecLib.kext 1.2.0
com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily 6.0.0d7
com.apple.driver.AppleSMC 3.1.9
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch 250.5
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver 900.4.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHostCompositeDevice 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBHub 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.CoreStorage 517.20.1
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice 3.7.7
com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily 1.8
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter 4.1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily 4.1.3
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter 2.0.2
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI 2.6.2
com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily 3.7.7
com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI 4.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily 5.1.0
com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController 1.0.3b3
com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family 1110.26
com.apple.driver.mDNSOffloadUserClient 1.0.1b8
com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily 3.2
com.apple.driver.corecapture 1.0.4
com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily 2.8.1
com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily 4.5.8
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBEHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBXHCIPCI 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.usb.AppleUSBXHCI 1.0.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily 900.4.1
com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHostFamily 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHostMergeProperties 1.0.1
com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM 2.0
com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime 2.0
com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily 2.0.0
com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily 1.1
com.apple.security.sandbox 300.0
com.apple.kext.AppleMatch 1.0.0d1
com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore 2
com.apple.driver.AppleMobileFileIntegrity 1.0.5
com.apple.driver.AppleCredentialManager 1.0
com.apple.driver.DiskImages 417.1
com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily 2.1
com.apple.iokit.IOReportFamily 31
com.apple.driver.AppleFDEKeyStore 28.30
com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform 4.0
com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily 2.9
com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily 1.4
com.apple.kec.pthread 1
com.apple.kec.corecrypto 1.0
com.apple.kec.Libm 1
Model: MacBookPro9,2, BootROM MBP91.00D3.B0C, 2 processors, Intel Core i7, 2.9 GHz, 8 GB, SMC 2.2f44
Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Built-In
Memory Module: BANK 0/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
Memory Module: BANK 1/DIMM0, 4 GB, DDR3, 1600 MHz, 0x02FE, 0x45424A3431554638424455352D474E2D4620
AirPort: spairport_wireless_card_type_airport_extreme (0x14E4, 0xF5), Broadcom BCM43xx 1.0 (7.21.94.136.1a1)
Bluetooth: Version 4.4.3f4 16616, 3 services, 19 devices, 1 incoming serial ports
Network Service: Wi-Fi, AirPort, en1
Serial ATA Device: APPLE HDD HTS541075A9E662, 750.16 GB
Serial ATA Device: MATSHITADVD-R UJ-8A8
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: FaceTime HD Camera (Built-in)
USB Device: USB 2.0 Bus
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Hub
USB Device: Apple Internal Keyboard / Trackpad
USB Device: IR Receiver
USB Device: BRCM20702 Hub
USB Device: Bluetooth USB Host Controller
USB Device: USB 3.0 Bus
Thunderbolt Bus: MacBook Pro, Apple Inc., 25.1

Thank you very much for your reply, I will watch the thread, reply, and take action based on the answers I receive.

-Cake

 

[velocityg4]

It'll run Catalina fine. It's a 2013 MBP. I couldn't imagine the motherboard is a fake. It's probably so cheap because it's an old computer. If the shop does a lot of Macs. They probably had a motherboard sitting around from a MBP which had other problems.

 

[Cake9437]

I hadn't thought of that, thank you! Will the upgrade in the OS bring enhanced system performance and speed?

 

[velocityg4]

I hadn't thought of that, thank you! Will the upgrade in the OS bring enhanced system performance and speed?

Well anything is better than crashing all the time. Be sure to do a clean install.

A newer macOS won't perform faster than an older macOS. It'll just be up to date OS wise. As you are on Mavericks. There's already a lot of current software no longer compatible with Mavericks.

Now you can run High Sierra or Mojave and still run all current software. But they are older and support for them will end sooner. Also if you are going to update the OS. You may as well go with the latest and get it over with.

Speedwise, system performance should still be decent with Catalina. I updated my 2009 Core 2 Duo iMac from High Sierra to Catalina. It still performs fine for me. I didn't notice any performance difference. The biggest issue is if you have an SSD or not. Modern macOS is pretty miserable on a HDD. It needs an SSD. I'd say it started to shift that way around El Capitan. You can get an SSD for pretty cheap. It's something to consider. You can even get an optical drive bay adapter. So, you can keep your HDD and use a small SSD for OS and apps.

Whatever you do. Do a clean install. Since you are having issues with crashing. I'd do at least High Sierra for software compatibility. Still Catalina should do quite well on your i7.

 

[DeltaMac]

Your listing shows that you have a 2012, not a 2013 MBPro. (MacBookPro9,2)
And, it has a hard drive, a spinning hard drive.
Mavericks ran better than El Capitan, because ... it has a hard drive.
If you want better performance with El Capitan, swap the hard drive out for an SSD.
It will do most tasks faster than you remember from new.
I can say that you must upgrade to an SSD if you want to upgrade further.

 

[Cake9437]

I really appreciate everyone's advice. Thank you, sincerely