Simply follow the link to the OS X Yosemite download page at the Mac App Store and follow the onscreen instructions to get your free software upgrade. If you don't have broadband Internet access, you can also upgrade your software by bringing your iMac into any physical Apple Store.
A 2008 iMac with 4GB is worth no more than $300 unless it has a newly upgraded hard drive. Running 10.8 and with only 4GB there's no way you could reasonably run up to date graphics or animation software.
If the Mac is no longer functional, or if it's too old, you can recycle it. Apple's recycling program will take any of your devices and recycle them. They may even give you a gift card if the computer still has some value.
Officially, Apple does not intend for the processor in any Intel-based iMac models to be upgraded.
Adding memory will generally not speed up your computer however it will keep it from slowing down as more apps use memory and you get near your maximum amount of ram your computer will starting swapping memory to the hard disk. If you have a hard drive adding a solid state drive (SSD Drive) will greatly increase speed.
The Early 2008 iMac ships with Mac OS X 10.5. 2 Leopard and iLife '08. The Early 2008 iMacs support OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Although it is not officially supported, the Early 2008 iMac can run macOS Sierra using Colin Mistr's Sierra Patch Tool.
No MacBook and iMac models prior to Late 2009 and no MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and Mac Pro models prior to 2010 are officially supported by macOS Sierra, although workarounds have been developed for most unsupported 2008 and 2009 Macs.
As of November 2019, the best version of Mac OS X ever and with no doubt is MacOS 10.14. x also known as MacOS Mojave.
The top-end 3.06 GHz iMac has a 1 TB hard drive and GT 130 graphics with 512 MB of VRAM. The Early 2009 iMacs ship with OS X 10.5. 6 Leopard, and they are compatible with OS X 10.11 El Capitan. Although it is not officially supported, the Early 2009 iMac can run macOS Sierra using Colin Mistr's Sierra Patch Tool.
Which versions of macOS does your Mac support?
- Mountain Lion OS X 10.8.x.
- Mavericks OS X 10.9.x.
- Yosemite OS X 10.10.x.
- El Capitan OS X 10.11.x.
- Sierra macOS 10.12.x.
- High Sierra macOS 10.13.x.
- Mojave macOS 10.14.x.
- Catalina macOS 10.15.x.
These Mac models are compatible with macOS High Sierra:
- MacBook (Late 2009 or newer)
- MacBook Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- Mac mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Mid 2010 or newer)
El Capitan as an OS is still secure and a good operating system. It's very old and if your machine can be upgraded you should do it. El Capitan has an out of date Safari version and lacks the latest security updates. If you spend a lot of time on the Internet, an updated OS version would be safer.
A fundamental pillar of computer security is the regular maintenance of your code, operating system and application software Any older versions of MacOS either receive no security updates at all, or do so for only a few of the known vulnerabilities!
How to upgrade to macOS High Sierra
- Check compatibility. You can upgrade to macOS High Sierra from OS X Mountain Lion or later on any of the following Mac models.
- Make a backup. Before installing any upgrade, it's a good idea to back up your Mac.
- Get connected.
- Download macOS High Sierra.
- Begin installation.
- Allow installation to complete.
macOS High Sierra is compatible with any Mac that's capable of running macOS Sierra, as Apple hasn't changed the system requirements this year. Here is the official list of supported hardware: MacBook - Late 2009 or later. iMac / iMac Pro - Late 2009 or later.
You can download and install macOS High Sierra OS for free in 2009 or later. Basically, if your Mac is currently running macOS Sierra system (macOS 10.12), you can smoothly upgrade to macOS High Sierra. The following is the device compatibility information released by Apple: iMac (Late 2009 or newer)
And as for the Late 2009 iMac, it might be considered vintage, but it is still compatible with macOS Sierra so you will have access to the latest Mac operating system. Upgrading the hard drive or memory in your iMac is a great way to boost its performance and extend its lifespan.
According to the estimated value is $700 to $900. Similar to selling a car, it will very according to location, condition and extras. When you do sell it be sure to prepare it for sale according to this Apple document: What to do before selling or giving away your Mac - Apple Support.
How to Make a Slow iMac Faster
- Optimize iMac Startup.
- Close Apps Running in The Background.
- Clean up iMac Hard Drive.
- Run The Right macOS Version.
- Remove Unwanted Applications and Extensions.
- Add More RAM.
- Replace Your iMac Hard Drive with an SSD.
The older macOS High Sierra had a little more scope. Apple said that would run happily on a late 2009 or later MacBook or iMac, or a 2010 or later MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, Mac mini or Mac Pro. This means that if your Mac is older than 2012 it won't officially be able to run Catalina or Mojave.
A product is considered obsolete if it was discontinued more than seven years ago. Taking a look at macOS compatibility (discussed below), we can see that generally, Macs are eligible for the latest macOS version for about seven years. Apple generally supports each macOS version for three years.
This page will help you find out what you need.
- Step One: Disassemble Your iMac. Unplug everything from your iMac and lay the machine down on a flat surface with the screen pointing up.
- Step Two: Remove the Original Hard Drive.
- Step Three: Install the SSD.
- Step Four: Reassemble Your iMac.
