Mountain Lion update page confirms incompatibility with older Macs

Posted:
in macOS edited January 2014
As first hinted in February, Apple's upcoming OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion operating system update will not include support for certain models of Macs with older Intel chipsets with integrated graphics.

A "How to Upgrade" page on Apple's website (via The Verge) contains a list of Mac models that qualify for Mountain Lion:
  • iMac (Mid 2007 or newer)
  • MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer)
  • MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer)
  • MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer)
  • Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer)
  • Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer)
  • Xserve (Early 2009)
After verifying that a Mac is eligible for the upgrade, users are instructed to check that they have OS X Lion or the latest version of Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6.8) installed. The third step is simply to "download OS X Mountain Lion when it becomes available in July" and follow the onscreen instructions to install it.



Apple announced OS X Mountain Lion in February, specifically mentioning newer Macs as qualifying for the upgrade. At the time, it was suspected that Macs with Intel's GMA 950 and GMA X3100 integrated graphics processors would not be capable of running OS X 10.8.

By distributing new versions of OS X solely on the Mac App Store, Apple has also drawn a line in the sand, since Macs not capable of installing at least OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8 won't be able to access the App Store.

The Mac maker appears on track to release Mountain Lion this month as promised. Developers received the Golden Master version of the OS on Monday and an invitation from Apple to submit applications for the update to the Mac App Store. The $19.99 upgrade contains over 200 new features, such as closer integration with iCloud, new security checks and voice dictation.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 94
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    Why is virtually the same story that was posted on CultOfMac… also linking to the less-informative page where this stuff is detailed?

    http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/

    That's where you can learn everything. How to upgrade is just… how… to upgrade.
  • Reply 2 of 94
    Oooo... Right on the cusp of eligibility!
  • Reply 3 of 94


    so no black macbook?

  • Reply 4 of 94
    Oooo... Right on the cusp of eligibility!
    Which side of the cusp?
  • Reply 5 of 94
    macinthe408macinthe408 Posts: 1,050member


    I am going to have one splintered OS family in my household.


     


    My 2006 MacPro 1,1 will end its journey at Lion. My MacBook Air currently runs Mountain Lion (DP). However, I need to keep my company MacBook Pro at Snow Leopard.


     


    I'm sure all those cats will get along. 

  • Reply 6 of 94
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    I'm sure all those cats will get along. 

    I've an idea for 10.9.

    Snow Mountain Leopon. Works sort of like 'Snow Mountain Syndrome'.

    Take the best things about Mountain Lion (feature set) and the best things about Snow Leopard (it's wicked fast and incredibly optimized) and combine them. One last spectacular hurrah for the mouse+keyboard combo before…
  • Reply 7 of 94

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by macinthe408 View Post


    I am going to have one splintered OS family in my household.


     


    My 2006 MacPro 1,1 will end its journey at Lion. My MacBook Air currently runs Mountain Lion (DP). However, I need to keep my company MacBook Pro at Snow Leopard.


     


    I'm sure all those cats will get along. 



    I'm in a similar boat. My original intel 20" iMac's last eligible upgrade was SL...no Lion or ML for me. I do have an iP4s and an iPad 2 though.


     


    I recently went into an Apple store to look at my website on an iMac and I have to say...the subtle changes to the OS in Lion, Safari, etc., are really neat. But I don't think another iMac is in my future. Maybe an 11" MBA though. Shame.

  • Reply 8 of 94
    orlandoorlando Posts: 601member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post



    Why is virtually the same story that was posted on CultOfMac… also linking to the less-informative page where this stuff is detailed?

    http://www.apple.com/osx/specs/

    That's where you can learn everything. How to upgrade is just… how… to upgrade.


     


    The "How to upgrade" page also tells users how to check which Mac they have so they know if they will be able to upgrade. 

  • Reply 9 of 94
    andysolandysol Posts: 2,506member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by christopher126 View Post


    I'm in a similar boat. My original intel 20" iMac's last eligible upgrade was SL...no Lion or ML for me. I do have an iP4s and an iPad 2 though.


     


    I recently went into an Apple store to look at my website on an iMac and I have to say...the subtle changes to the OS in Lion, Safari, etc., are really neat. But I don't think another iMac is in my future. Maybe an 11" MBA though. Shame.



    I love my iMac much more than my Air- but of course, I sit at a desk 95% of the time.  The cloud features are fantastic if you use your contact and calendars often.  I use them daily for business, and I can't tell you the convenience I now have updating client information in my address book, and my wife scheduling my appointments (or telling me when I have to be at a family function) on my calendar. 

  • Reply 10 of 94
    cash907cash907 Posts: 893member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post





    I've an idea for 10.9.

    Snow Mountain Leopon. Works sort of like 'Snow Mountain Syndrome'.

    Take the best things about Mountain Lion (feature set) and the best things about Snow Leopard (it's wicked fast and incredibly optimized) and combine them. One last spectacular hurrah for the mouse+keyboard combo before…


     


    No way.


     


    OSX 10.9 Liger!


     


     


    Also: what amazing new graphical improvements are to be found in Mountain Lion versus Lion, that would make 2008 models no longer compatible? Aside for the ridiculous and useless notification bar, what's changed?

  • Reply 11 of 94
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    Uh-oh.. Not supporting some three years old hardware sounds like heavy code to me.. :(
    Anyone running Mountain Lion here?
    Is it snappy and optimised?
  • Reply 12 of 94

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by diplication View Post





    Which side of the cusp?


     


    MacBookPro 3,1 = Mid/Late 2007.


     


    I got it on close-out in early 2008 and saved several hundred dollars, but at the risk of getting something a tad out of date (it was superseded by an identical-looking MBP with a minor processor spec bump). In this case, my MBP meets the minimum requirement. Still a great laptop.

  • Reply 13 of 94
    richlrichl Posts: 2,213member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cash907 View Post


     


    No way.


     


    OSX 10.9 Liger!



     


    There's only one logical choice for OS 10.9:


     


    felidae.png

  • Reply 14 of 94
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    Leopard (it's wicked fast and incredibly optimized) and combine them. One last spectacular hurrah for the mouse+keyboard combo before…
    Yeah, snow leopard had optimimised code at its heart! Lion is incredibly sloppy compared to Snow Leopard. I hope they get the attitude back with Mountain Lion... rather than waiting for 10.9 pink panther or whatever.
  • Reply 15 of 94
    palegolaspalegolas Posts: 1,361member
    richl wrote: »
    There's only one logical choice for OS 10.9:

    LL
    He he.. Makes me wonder.. Are iOS versions named after birds?
  • Reply 16 of 94
    cash907cash907 Posts: 893member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by palegolas View Post



    Uh-oh.. Not supporting some three years old hardware sounds like heavy code to me.. image

    Anyone running Mountain Lion here?

    Is it snappy and optimised?


     


    Running the GM of Mountain Lion now on my 2009 13" MBP, and while it's not what I'd call snappy, it's miles ahead of Lion in the fact that it doesn't crash every five minutes, and it seems like they've finally fixed that photo scrolling bug, in which pictures would go all whacky while scrolling down the webpage. The best analogy I can come up with is Mountain Lion is to Lion what Windows 7 was to Vista.


     


    The only real annoyance is the new Sandbox architecture for apps, which while good for security in the long run, sucks right now because most apps haven't been updated to support it. Case in point: Toast can't see my superdrive, so I can't burn DVD's at the moment. Once the program API's are updated, everything should be right as rain.

  • Reply 17 of 94
    extremaextrema Posts: 1member


    Cost to Apple to update integrated graphics drivers to 64-bit: $50,000


     


    Cost to 1000 customers forced to upgrade their still useful hardware: $1,000,000


     


    Benefit of this policy to Apple executives and shareholders: $1,050,000


     


    Apple to customers: "Screw you."


     


    Customers to Apple: ?????

  • Reply 18 of 94
    The MacPro1,1 and MacPro2,1 do not have integrated Intel graphics and cannot run Mountain Lion. The problem is primarily the 64-bit kernel needing 64-bit EFI. Apple has stated this and has not stated it having anything to do with specific GPU's.
  • Reply 19 of 94
    bugsnwbugsnw Posts: 717member
    Great chart! I hope Apple moves away from cats and starts aiming towards Science and/or Astronomy. Lots of cool names to choose from!

    I also liked that black hole for the trash icon in the NeXT OS.
  • Reply 20 of 94
    lightknightlightknight Posts: 2,312member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Cash907 View Post


     


    No way.


     


    OSX 10.9 Liger!


     


     


    Also: what amazing new graphical improvements are to be found in Mountain Lion versus Lion, that would make 2008 models no longer compatible? Aside for the ridiculous and useless notification bar, what's changed?





    OSX 10.9 Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausführung H !

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