Upgrading to OS X Mavericks

Upgrading to OS X Mavericks is definitely easy, but you probably love to keep a copy of the huge download plus want some tips to have a hassle free upgrade. Take that normally are using a MacBook Pro of Mid 2012 or MacBook Pro of Late 2012. Only for these two time stamps, you can have a lot of variations – 13″, 15″, Retina, Non-Retina, With Super Drive (Non-Retina) or without plus amount of RAM is highly variable. Normally a serious computer user keeps the computer updated – probably you will have OS X 10.8.5. You will get OS X Mavericks as upgrade fully free of cost, unlike the previous versions where needed a Coupon for the free option. So, it is understandable that, Apple wants – majority of the users switches to OS X Mavericks. Upgrading to OS X Mavericks, again is very easy even for a newbie – you just need to go to App Store and download the 5.29 GB stuff. It sounds very big file and time taking but actually it gets downloaded quite faster. We are not sure how it happens. Possibly it is served via content delivery network with some compression.

Whatever the underlying mechanism is does not matter – you must read the next paragraphs while upgrading to OS X Mavericks.

Upgrading to OS X Mavericks : Software Updates

Today, on 23rd October, 2013, 12:57 PM (IST) you should get at least three software update options apart from the Java update which underwent few days back. What we normally think – we have downloaded the upgrade, it is prompting – let us click the yummy icon for upgrading to OS X Mavericks. No. Pause here. Check all softwares for updates including the Third Party software. That upgrading to OS X Mavericks will not die even if you have restarted, fully shut down the Mac etc. XCode will undergo a pathetic big update of 1 GB plus will suck time. These are normal to make any user to think to skip.

Do NOT Skip Any Software Upgrade Before Upgrading to OS X Mavericks

This is a quite major upgrade of OS X after Mac OS became OS X – means pure UNIX. You must invest time to upgrade even the Web-browser plug-ins. It will take a day. More time you will allow, there can be more updates. If any app remains non-updated, it might not be compatible with OS X Mavericks.

Here is a screenshot which some Photoshopped work to emphasize – Updates might be available for your current OS (normally 10.8.5) while you are downloading OS X Mavericks. You must update the softwares first instead of upgrading to OS X Mavericks as a response to the completed download bounces. Apple actually said these in very minimalistic way :

It might make you feel that you are downloading more (that means your bandwidth is getting sucked) than needed, but this is the safest way. We calculated, its around 2 GB extra if you have XCode, iBooks Author etc. installed.

Upgrading to OS X Mavericks : Checking the Hardware

You must check the Hardware from here if you have bought your Mac very recently (June 2013) :

Else you should go here :

Apple repeatedly says a phrase which we possibly miss for MBPs :

hard, flat, stable work surface that allows for adequate air circulation

Possibly these creates lot of issues which none knows to solve – this is for long term, not only for this upgrade. MBPs are probably not designed to keep it on a laptop cooler, months after months. Normally take that, you will need 4 GB of RAM (at minimum) for normal responsiveness.

Upgrading to OS X Mavericks : The Practical Part

OK, take that your Mac has passed all the exams. Now you can go for the upgrade. It is obvious that you will just want to keep the installer on hand to avoid downloading again for another Mac or reinstalling on the same Mac in future, at least you should copy the installer to another drive”copy it out of the Applications folder better to a Pen Drive. Well, you can create installer later from it, you need not to think now.

Double-clicking the Install OS X Mavericks App will give you option Window. It is very minimalistic and nice. Well, you will get two options – installing where your current OS is – that is the upgrading to OS X Mavericks, to be very much clear. Another option for Macs with multiple drive is to install on a separate blank hard drive. We will suggest to :

1. Create a Bootable Media (like with a 8GB to 12 GB Pen Drive) with OS X
2. Take a Full backup

before upgrading to OS X Mavericks, although these are optional but of highly important for older Macs. Upgrade itself takes around 7 minutes (total including restart) on average from our experience.