LION vs HIGH SIERRA vs CATALINA

[JustAnExpat]

I’ve seen a 15 inch 2012 running Sonoma dual boot with Catalina for 150 bucks. I might just get that and transplant my 16gb and my 1tb SSD over? Will that be possible?
My 2011 is very very beat up to be honest. Here’s a pic just for the comedy value. 😂 You not seen the ubderside

According to MacTracker, the 15" 2012 can run MacOS 10.15.17, which is macOS Catalina. I don't know if it'll run the programs you're trying to run on it. *I DO NOT THINK* ABLETON 12 and WhatsApp will run on Catalina, but more websites should be able to load.

For moving RAM over, I don't think it works. MacTracker says the 15" 2012 requires 1600 MHz Ram, while your machine requires 1333 MHZ RAM. The hard drives should be compatible (you will need to reinstall MacOS, since the machine and graphic cards are different).

The Mid 2012, 15" also had problems with the external graphic cards as well, if my memory serves me right.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

I’ve seen a 15 inch 2012 running Sonoma dual boot with Catalina for 150 bucks. I might just get that and transplant my 16gb and my 1tb SSD over? Will that be possible?
My 2011 is very very beat up to be honest. Here’s a pic just for the comedy value. 😂 You not seen the ubderside

Depends. If it’s a unibody, that might work.

If it’s Retina, no. You can still replace the SSDs in those, but they’re no longer the SATA SSDs used in the unibody Pros. RAM is soldered in the Retinas.

Refer to the iFixit guides for the 15” 2012 Pros:
Unibody
Retina

 

[mrk123]

Depends. If it’s a unibody, that might work.

If it’s Retina, no. You can still replace the SSDs in those, but they’re no longer the SATA SSDs used in the unibody Pros. RAM is soldered in the Retinas.

Refer to the iFixit guides for the 15” 2012 Pros:
Unibody
Retina

Yes it’s uni body.
So that means I can add in my 1tb SSD in my 2011. I guess I can slowly upgrade the new ram soon.
So the uni body is the better bet for upgrades??

 

[mrk123]

According to MacTracker, the 15" 2012 can run MacOS 10.15.17, which is macOS Catalina. I don't know if it'll run the programs you're trying to run on it. *I DO NOT THINK* ABLETON 12 and WhatsApp will run on Catalina, but more websites should be able to load.

For moving RAM over, I don't think it works. MacTracker says the 15" 2012 requires 1600 MHz Ram, while your machine requires 1333 MHZ RAM. The hard drives should be compatible (you will need to reinstall MacOS, since the machine and graphic cards are different).

The Mid 2012, 15" also had problems with the external graphic cards as well, if my memory serves me right.

I can buy new ram. This is the unibody it says so that’ll be good ?
It has 1tb SSD already so good there.

 

[JustAnExpat]

I can buy new ram. This is the unibody it says so that’ll be good ?
It has 1tb SSD already so good there.

Without knowing if this is Retina or not, I would buy the 2012 15" MacBook Pro with eyes wide open, because of the graphic card failure rate. See

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mid-2012-15-macbook-pro-gpu-failure.2384278/

Failed GPU on MacBook Pro 2012 - is it worth repairing or should I cut my losses?

Hi there My MacBook Pro 2012 has recently been having problems (it crashed while I was using Photoshop and since then I’m getting no screen activity when I boot up, even though I am hearing the startup noise). The local repair guy says he’s 95% sure it’s a failed GPU and has quoted £265 /...

forums.macrumors.com

GPU failure 2012 macbook need help

Mid 2012 Macbook pro 15" Retina 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 After updating to mac os serria 10.13.3 At random times the screen goes black however the keyboard lights are on. I need to do a hard restart to turn it back on however, sometimes screen goes black during log in screen. Here is the...

forums.macrumors.com

2012 Macbook Pro 15 inch... is the 650M a dealbreaker?

Have read a few posts on various forums about the failure rate of the dedicated Nvidia 650M thats in the 15inch MacBook Pro from mid-2012. Did this iGPU come in ALL the 15 inch models? Or do some of the lower end configurations have only the HD 4000? Also, is this more of a "when" it will fail...

forums.macrumors.com

From iFixit:

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/557057/Does+the+2012+model+have+the+same+GPU+issues+as+the+2011

From your earlier post, it sounds like you want to use some music making software that might push the computer to its limits. If there's weak solder joints on the graphics card (something you can't see), it'll cause the graphics card to failure.

 

[BanjoDudeAhoy]

Yes it’s uni body.
So that means I can add in my 1tb SSD in my 2011. I guess I can slowly upgrade the new ram soon.
So the uni body is the better bet for upgrades??

For updates, yes. Apple got progressively more solder-happy over the years.

I started my Mac journey with a 2012 13” unibody and swapped out a bunch of things. It’s quite easy to do.
But the screen resolution is not great. Then again, with your 2011 you’re probably at 1280x800 as well, so no change there

 

[mrk123]

Without knowing if this is Retina or not, I would buy the 2012 15" MacBook Pro with eyes wide open, because of the graphic card failure rate. See

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/mid-2012-15-macbook-pro-gpu-failure.2384278/

Failed GPU on MacBook Pro 2012 - is it worth repairing or should I cut my losses?

Hi there My MacBook Pro 2012 has recently been having problems (it crashed while I was using Photoshop and since then I’m getting no screen activity when I boot up, even though I am hearing the startup noise). The local repair guy says he’s 95% sure it’s a failed GPU and has quoted £265 /...

forums.macrumors.com

GPU failure 2012 macbook need help

Mid 2012 Macbook pro 15" Retina 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 After updating to mac os serria 10.13.3 At random times the screen goes black however the keyboard lights are on. I need to do a hard restart to turn it back on however, sometimes screen goes black during log in screen. Here is the...

forums.macrumors.com

2012 Macbook Pro 15 inch... is the 650M a dealbreaker?

Have read a few posts on various forums about the failure rate of the dedicated Nvidia 650M thats in the 15inch MacBook Pro from mid-2012. Did this iGPU come in ALL the 15 inch models? Or do some of the lower end configurations have only the HD 4000? Also, is this more of a "when" it will fail...

forums.macrumors.com

From iFixit:

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/557057/Does+the+2012+model+have+the+same+GPU+issues+as+the+2011

From your earlier post, it sounds like you want to use some music making software that might push the computer to its limits. If there's weak solder joints on the graphics card (something you can't see), it'll cause the graphics card to failure.

It’s unibody.
I just bought it. For £130 can’t go wrong I don’t think. Has 1tb SSD and 8GB whixh I’ll swap up to 16gb soon.
It’s running Catalina with dual boot Sonoma. Not sure I need Sonoma. It’s 15 inch unibody with i7. Has to be better than my Mac now. My 2011 has been used so much that the lettere on the top line have work off.
It even has a load of holes on the bottom tray as some sort of air ventilation dust attraction system or something 😂

 

[AlixSPQR]

I never used Lion, but used Mountain Lion Briefly. I hated it. I liked Snow Leopard so much better (But I think Tiger is the best).

Nothing has been the same since Cheetah.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP howls in frustration:
"I’m beginning to hate Apple even more now. There’s no need for this at all. Totally shutting my system down like this.
Why is it so easy for everyone else. I see loads of ‘refurb macs’ with latest operating systems. What am I doing wrong!?"

Go back and re-read my reply 34 to you above.

You may need a more recent version of Safari.
The version that comes with Mojave (I'm using it to connect right now) works well enough -- for now.

OR...
You could try a DIFFERENT browser.
There are several out there that might work.
I'm thinking Firefox, Waterfox, Brave, Epic, perhaps others.

Really, a 2011 Mac (ANY 2011 Mac) is getting too long in the tooth for usability or reliability.

Ahem... you bought a 2011 15" MacBook Pro?
Do you know what "RadeonGate" is?
If not, YOU HAD BETTER LEARN WHAT RadeonGate is.

It's the failure of the internal discrete GPU.
For all practical purposes, it's no longer "fixable".

You wrote:
"For £130 can’t go wrong"

Au contraire.
For that money, you could have gone VERY wrong.
As you cried out above...

(Sorry if you don't like this post)

 

[LuisN]

I don

I don’t know what to do now.
Safari won’t let me go on ANY websites. So I can t download High Sierra. Can’t even get this GitHub browser to get it. App Store won’t load up.
I’m beginning to hate Apple even more now. There’s no need for this at all. Totally shutting my system down like this.
Why is it so easy for everyone else. I see loads of ‘refurb macs’ with latest operating systems. What am I doing wrong!?

Download Firefox from here: https://parrotgeek.com/
Use Firefox to download Catalina patcher for here: https://dosdude1.com/catalina/

Catalina works well with your Mac using the patcher.

I have an iMac 2007 with Catalina installed. It WORKS!!!

 

[Ta_whirimatea]

I have a Mac mini 2023 M2 & an old Mini 2011 i3 with High sierra.

I 100% prefer my 2011 high sierra OS, sure it’s a bit slow but today I swapped the 500gb data HHD out for a 2TB SSD. Version will be used purely for offline bulk photo editing (Timelapse’s etc) on Lightroom (pre subscription etc). Also a bit of after effects old school software!

I hate my 2023, it’s pretty much been a paper weight the last year so shall trade in for iPad Air 13” for my email/casual stuff.

Apple (& MS tbh) has lost its way with its software, so many annoyances nowadays that make me think it’s designed by school kids that think everything should be touch based dumbed down subscription based.

Apple if your listening:
- open up iPadOS so it’s not a glorified iPhone
- let me sync Apple Watch with ipad
- slim down your product lines (too many versions of iPads/phones/laptops.
- focus on quality & not shareholder greed/profits

 

[mrk123]

Download Firefox from here: https://parrotgeek.com/
Use Firefox to download Catalina patcher for here: https://dosdude1.com/catalina/

Catalina works well with your Mac using the patcher.

I have an iMac 2007 with Catalina installed. It WORKS!!!

Thanks.
I ordered a new MacBook now.
Well, a 2012 unibody with Sonoma and Catalina on. For £130. Not bad. And seems solid.
When I get that in a few days I’ll come back here and for the sake of having it working I’ll download Catalina or High Sierra on usb and boot that on. Instead of trying to fix safari.

 

[kc9hzn]

Nothing has been the same since Cheetah.

Eh, more like Mac OS 9

Actually on topic, you’ll almost certainly want a newer computer if you want to run WhatsApp and Ableton 12 on it. While there are workarounds involving patches to upgrade the OS past the support cut-off, I wouldn’t really recommend using them for work-critical purposes if you can help it. Plus, Ableton 12 would probably be pretty doggone slow on a 13 year old MacBook Pro (even on a high end model).

You’d probably be better off investing in a 2014 Mac mini (or maybe a 2018 model) unless a laptop is strictly necessary. Seems like you want a laptop and you have a hard budget cutoff? You may need to flex your hardware budget a little to get a newer computer, then. The web (and web-dev) moves so quickly these days (maybe unnecessarily so, most of it is just bloat and lazy devs) and is a bigger driver of e-waste and upgrades than “planned obsolescence” ever was.

 

[JustAnExpat]

Eh, more like Mac OS 9

Actually on topic, you’ll almost certainly want a newer computer if you want to run WhatsApp and Ableton 12 on it. While there are workarounds involving patches to upgrade the OS past the support cut-off, I wouldn’t really recommend using them for work-critical purposes if you can help it. Plus, Ableton 12 would probably be pretty doggone slow on a 13 year old MacBook Pro (even on a high end model).

You’d probably be better off investing in a 2014 Mac mini (or maybe a 2018 model) unless a laptop is strictly necessary. Seems like you want a laptop and you have a hard budget cutoff? You may need to flex your hardware budget a little to get a newer computer, then. The web (and web-dev) moves so quickly these days (maybe unnecessarily so, most of it is just bloat and lazy devs) and is a bigger driver of e-waste and upgrades than “planned obsolescence” ever was.

I completely agree with this.

Using a laptop that old is just asking for disaster. Especially for music creation.