MacBook Air 2011 OS?

[Rocko99991]

Is it possible to install any of the older versions of your liking on a 2011?

 

[cincygolfgrrl]

I have MacBook Air'13, 2011 (256 GB, i7) running the latest Sierra version. I have turned off all transparency features, but don't like two things:
1. White Notification Center, and
2. Unexpected, abrupt shutdowns. Two weeks ago I was working with Word, Excel open fullscreen and the Mac shutdown 4-5 times a day.

Six years worth of OS updates can cause flakey behavior. My iMac was doing strange things. My solution was a "nuke & pave." One week in and it's running like new. If you've got good backups, and a record of your passwords and app activation codes (and a day to work through the process). a fresh start should make your MBA run great. I know of nothing that will turn your Notification Center space gray.

 

[Boyd01]

Is it possible to install any of the older versions of your liking on a 2011?

You can find what operating system originally shipped at everymac.com. For example: http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...acbook-air-core-i5-1.7-13-mid-2011-specs.html

The 2011 MBA shipped with 10.7, "Lion". I kept mine on that version untill selling it in 2013. It may be possible to install something earlier with a hack, but I sort of doubt it and don't know why you would want to.

 

[Rocko99991]

You can find what operating system originally shipped at everymac.com. For example: http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...acbook-air-core-i5-1.7-13-mid-2011-specs.html

The 2011 MBA shipped with 10.7, "Lion". I kept mine on that version untill selling it in 2013. It may be possible to install something earlier with a hack, but I sort of doubt it and don't know why you would want to.

Thanks. I imagine keeping it withing 1-2 versions of what it came with would yield fasted performance?

 

[Boyd01]

Don't know, you will probably get a variety of opinions on that. Some people feel the operating system originally shipping on a Mac model performs best, since Apple would have optimized it for their current products.

Probably has a lot to do with what software you plan to run. Newer software may have problems on older operating systems. Frequently I see software saying that you need at least 10.10, however I found they usually still run under 10.8.5. I think companies just CYA and don't want to support a product on an operating system that Apple no longer supports.

When I got my MBA in 2011 I was just amazed by how fast it was, it ran circles around my 2008 15" MBP. If you are happy running 2011 era software, then I think Lion would be fine. Where you'll have trouble however is with applications like recent versions Safari and Chrome that won't run on old operating systems, and that raises some security concerns. There may be another browser that works however, not sure.

Apple stopped updating Lion and Mountain Lion, so any bugs or security holes will not be fixed (not sure about Mavericks?). The Mountain Lion update added a number of new features IIRC. I don't think 10.7 has an app store for example, and I don't think it support the Messages app either. I remember these being two nice upgrades when I got the 2013 MBA with Mountain Lion pre-installed.

 

[imasterus]

Six years worth of OS updates can cause flakey behavior. My iMac was doing strange things. My solution was a "nuke & pave." One week in and it's running like new. If you've got good backups, and a record of your passwords and app activation codes (and a day to work through the process). a fresh start should make your MBA run great. I know of nothing that will turn your Notification Center space gray.

Well, believe it or not, but I torture my mac every year installing macOS like, as you put it, "nuke & pave"
Earlier I was experimenting with two systems: one was Mountain Lion (for work mainly) and the other - El Capitan. Thinking about returning to that scheme.
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Apple stopped updating Lion and Mountain Lion, so any bugs or security holes will not be fixed (not sure about Mavericks?). The Mountain Lion update added a number of new features IIRC. I don't think 10.7 has an app store for example, and I don't think it support the Messages app either. I remember these being two nice upgrades when I got the 2013 MBA with Mountain Lion pre-installed.

Mavericks (10.9) stopped receiving security updates with the release of Sierra last fall. Lion (10.7) does have a Mac App Store, but, yes, doesn't have Messages. I love Mountain Lion, by the way.

 

[Beachguy]

High Sierra has been excluded from the poll as it is still in beta testing.

But I run High Sierra on my Air. How can you accurately get impressions if you exclude one release? Beta or not, it is available and I (and others) run it on some of my computers- including my Air.

 

[Mike MA]

Just as a curiosity for all MacBook Air users still using the 2011 model, which OS do you currently have installed and use?

What is your reasoning for not upgrading to the newest supported OS?

High Sierra has been excluded from the poll as it is still in beta testing.

I currently run Mac OS Yosemite for continued security update support, however will be updating to El Capitan by the end of the year.

EDIT: After much debate I've decided to downgrade to a fresh installation of Lion, I'm planning on taking this MacBook to the Falklands next year and just want to use it for light emulation and video playback. I also have Parallels installed with a VM containing a few Linux distros to play around with.

El Capitan. For me every OS was a progress in performance. For the next OS I'm out of the game though. Need to see what I will do...