Pages need help - won't open.

[treekram]

Patt,

So, yes, I'd also like to know if Pages is working (if you've had a chance to try it).

If the partition/volume you were originally using is the the one with the skull and crossbones, then that is not a good thing.

However, if you used CC to copy over your backup to your unused partition and that's the one with the skull and crossbones, then you probably didn't select the right option in CC to copy it over (I don't use CC but there's probably an option to copy over and make a partition bootable and that's the one you'll need).

If you backup is the one with the skull and crossbones, then that's also not good (since it seemed like you were able to boot from this before).

Depending on what programs you use, migrating to El Capitan may be easy or not. For me, going from Mountain Lion to Yosemite took some work and going from Yosemite to El Capitan also took some work as well. But the apps that presented the most problems aren't used by a lot of Apple users. You'd have to let us know what programs you use and then we can let you know how easy/difficult it would be. It looks like iWork '09 does work but we'd have to know the specific version you're using.

 

[Patth9]

Isn't it scary, how easy it is to miss understand each other using the same word, but haveing different definitions and not realizing the difference; this is why there are so many arguments, but I digress.

The 150 GB won't be backed up anymore, but just in case I can't find some thing on the new HD Mac, I can go to the old "Macintosh HD" and find it there.

Thanks for the OS X El Capitan "ok". Just got to get the nerve to do a clean install and perhaps Pages will work on El Capitan.

As mentioned, the Pages on my Macintosh HD backup was working fine, so I added the contents of Macintosh HD backup into an empty partition. Now I use that partition now known as Mac HD.
That is not easy to explain...

The scull and cross bones is a clipart, replacing the blue folder supplied by Apple, nothing to do with the OS. Most all of my folders have clipart, just for fun.

Just to show my age, I don't use the word "cool" when I think that something is good, rather I use "neat". Crazy, isn't it, never used the word groovy, either.

 

[casperes1996]

The scull and cross bones is a clipart, replacing the blue folder supplied by Apple, nothing to do with the OS. Most all of my folders have clipart, just for fun.

Great! Figured that was probably the case, since I couldn't figure out any other reason it'd be a skull and crossbone, but wanted to make sure that there wasn't anything misbehaving, and it was in fact just your own customisation.

Just to show my age, I don't use the word "cool" when I think that something is good, rather I use "neat". Crazy, isn't it, never used the word groovy, either.

I don't think that shows your age at all. People just use different words. It can be because of where they are from, age, or other things, but age isn't the only factor involved. I say "neat" as well. Mostly "brill" or "wicked" though.

 

[Patth9]

Just for the fun of it, I included a picture of the partitions, and yes, at this time, one partition is empty.

Patt,

So, yes, I'd also like to know if Pages is working (if you've had a chance to try it).

If the partition/volume you were originally using is the the one with the skull and crossbones, then that is not a good thing.

However, if you used CC to copy over your backup to your unused partition and that's the one with the skull and crossbones, then you probably didn't select the right option in CC to copy it over (I don't use CC but there's probably an option to copy over and make a partition bootable and that's the one you'll need).

If you backup is the one with the skull and crossbones, then that's also not good (since it seemed like you were able to boot from this before).

Depending on what programs you use, migrating to El Capitan may be easy or not. For me, going from Mountain Lion to Yosemite took some work and going from Yosemite to El Capitan also took some work as well. But the apps that presented the most problems aren't used by a lot of Apple users. You'd have to let us know what programs you use and then we can let you know how easy/difficult it would be. It looks like iWork '09 does work but we'd have to know the specific version you're using.

Hi treekram, Didn't forget, just slow on the uptake.

Kind of hard to use the skull and crossbone partition, since that's where the trouble started (no Pages). :0)

Appreciate your willingness to help. At this time I am doing fine, though I have to reset some things like mouse, security & privacy, and probably others as I go along. Thought my mouse needed new batteries, until I remembered that it is a USB mouse. I do make myself laugh at times; adjustments were necessary.

The iWork '09 is 09.0.3

What about this? Once I'm sure I didn't screw up and leave some files behind in the Skull and crossbones partition, could I just do a clean install of El Capitan but still keep the current files now living in HD Mac? It's been a LONG time since I played around with updated an OS.

Hope you are having a smooth day,
Patt

 

[treekram]

So I didn't quite understand that the skull & crossbones icon was something you put on.

In any case, a "clean" install is one where you start from scratch and then install programs and copy files. It sounds like you want to install El Capitan over your existing Mountain Lion installation.

There's some risk in installing El Capitan over your existing Mountain Lion installation but it's the easier than doing a clean install. There can also be issues in doing a clean install and migrating apps and data over. So neither method is guaranteed to be problem-free. If you can tell use what programs other than iWork Pages that you use, we can make a better determination on what issues there may be.

At this point, make sure your current Mountain Lion volume (the one you copied from your backup) is working correctly. If you have new data there, do a backup. You may even want to make clone of the new volume to the old volume since it appears that the only bad thing that happened there was to some iWork files (it doesn't appear that your disk is bad). That way, you have a second backup. Then you can try an install over either of your Mountain Lion volumes (which should be identical at that point) and see if that works. If it doesn't, you do a clean install and then migrate over.

El Capitan is not readily available on the App Store since they want you to use Sierra instead. If you click on the following link, it will ask to open the App Store app and then once you open the app, it will open the El Capitan download page.

https://itunes.apple.com/app/os-x-el-capitan/id1147835434?mt=12

When the install program asks you where to install, it will look at the partition/volume and there's an existing OS, it will install over it, otherwise if it's empty, it does a clean install. You don't need to specify one or the other.

 

[Patth9]

Hi
treekram,

Every partition as been backed up, even learned how to set CCC so it backs up when I first turn on the computer. Pretty neat!

treelra offered: "There's some risk in installing El Capitan over your existing Mountain Lion installation but it's the easier than doing a clean install."

Patt offering: Yes, I understand what you are sharing. Upgrading the old Apple updates, had their mishaps too, but not so much as updates today, I would think.

I had already downloaded the install OS X EL Capitan.app a while back.

HD Mac (once known as HD Mac Backup) is working just fine.

treelra offered: When the install program asks you where to install, it will look at the partition/volume and there's an existing OS, it will install over it, otherwise if it's empty, it does a clean install. You don't need to specify one or the other.

Thanks, that helps a lot.

My many thanks to you all!
Patt

 

[casperes1996]

Patt offering: Yes, I understand what you are sharing. Upgrading the old Apple updates, had their mishaps too, but not so much as updates today, I would think.

I'd actually say that 99% of the time, upgrading from one OS to another works flawlessly and has no drawbacks compared to doing a clean install, and whilst I do still personally do a clean install about once per two-three years, (with 2-3 major OS upgrades in between) it's never really because it is strictly necessary, just for organisational purposes. I know a lot of people who don't even know that you can do a clean install, and have upgraded all the way from Snow Leopard to Sierra one OS at a time and have had no issues with anything throughout the entire process. There are generally no problems to speak of if you ask me.