What is OS X 10.10 Yosemite? OS X is the Operating System software for your Mac. This is a major software update that everyone should do… eventually. It’s possible that some older Macs may not have the hardware needed to support this update, but I would expect many Macs out there to be capable. A few things to know before you complete this update;
1. If you have a laptop, make sure your Mac is plugged in and charging before you begin. Running out of power mid update could create some potentially large problems. You will also need to be connected to the Internet.
2. Major updates like this one will always add in some new and interesting features which can be exciting, but in these updates Apple may change the way things look and potentially move buttons around. So don’t panic, this just means being diligent and patient to scan the entire screen if by chance you can’t find the button you’re looking for in the place where it was before. Yosemite brings in a significant visual overhaul, changing a lot of the icons and buttons to a much flatter appearance. It won’t look completely different, but a bit different should be expected.
3. The software update process has two steps; The Download and then the Install, both of which can take some time. Your Mac screen will display various things (all black, all white, Apple logo, etc.) on it’s own during this process and that’s OK, it will power back on when the Install has completed. Please do NOT turn off your Mac while it’s conducting the update, which could prove seriously problematic. It may take a while to do the update, hard to say how long, depends on the speed of your internet connection, maybe 30 min, maybe several hours. My Mac completed the Download and Install in about one hour each, totaling a 2 hr process. The Mac is usable during the Download, but during the Install the Mac will be unusable. I suggest initiating this long process before you go to bed at night so it has plenty of time. If the Mac screen has been black for a while, tap the space bar once to see if it wakes up for you so you can see where the Mac is in this process. During this process, you’ll be asked for 2 passwords. Initiating the Download will require your Apple ID password, and initiating the Install will require your Mac administrator user account password, which is the same password you use to sign into the Mac whenever it starts up. Be sure you have both of these passwords handy before you begin the process.
4. A general rule I usually follow when running major software updates; Wait for the ‘.1.’ The version of OS X that was just released is numbered at version 10.10. I always wait a few weeks after the initial release date (which was Oct 16, 2014) to update my Mac until the first software patch releases. Waiting for that first software patch would allow the Mac to update to version 10.10.1 all at the same time, skipping over any bugs that came in with version 10.10. I wait for the ‘.1’ patch in order to hear what the public reaction is to the new software and to see what bugs people are experiencing. A good place to read about these issues is; macrumors.com. After a major update like this one to version 10.10, the ‘.1’ software patch is usually released fairly quickly in order to address any initial bugs in the software.
UPDATE 4/2/15 – Apple has updated Yosemite now to 10.10.2 with 10.10.3 due out any time. Unfortunately, there was a big bug in 10.10, and the patch that arrived in 10.10.1 did not resolve the issue. But with the release now of 10.10.2, all is well. One big change to be aware of is that iPhoto is being discontinued this Spring. Apple has a new app to take its place, and that is an app called Photos, and it has the same look and feel of the Photos app on your iPhone and iPad. This is expected to be a part of the 10.10.3 update coming very soon, so don’t be shocked when iPhoto disappears. If you’re not ready to let go of iPhoto, hold off on doing this update.
So how do I do this update?
1. Click the Apple logo in the top left of your screen. Click ‘Software Update…’ in the menu that appears.
2. The previous two clicks will open the ‘Updates’ section of the App Store application. Here you’ll see a large graphic of Yosemite park, and on the right side of this image is a button that says ‘Free Upgrade.’ Click ‘Free Upgrade’ and then Sign in with your Apple ID and password. Click ‘Sign In.’ Some people may not see a ‘Free Upgrade’ button, but rather ‘Download’ or ‘Get.’ These will all get the process going.
3. Those few steps there should initiate the Download! If you want to track the progress of your download, click ‘Purchases’ at the top of the App Store window where you’ll be able to see a blue progress bar indicating your progress of the software update download.
4. When your Mac has completed the Download, it should ask you for permission to begin the next phase of the update; the Install. Click ‘Continue’ at the bottom to initiate the Install. At this point, you’ll need to agree to the Software License Agreement. Click ‘Agree’ at the bottom and then click ‘Agree’ once again at the top.
5. After you agree to the License Agreement, click ‘Install.’ You’ll now be asked for your Mac Administrator password, which may be a different password than your Apple ID password. If your Mac asks you for a password when you turn it on or wake it up from sleep, this is the same password being asked for now. Enter the password and click ‘OK.’
6. The screen will now cycle through a few phases while the Install completes. The screen may go completely white or black, and at times you’ll see an Apple logo with a thin progress bar or a large circle with an X in the middle of it. You may see each of these screens more than once during the Install. When the Install completes, your Mac will ask you a few questions;
1. Sign in with your Apple ID… again. Do so and then click ‘Continue.’ Doing this ensures that you will already be logged into iTunes, iCloud and the App Store.
2. You may be asked; ‘Allow this Mac to be used with Find My Mac?’ If it does, click ‘Allow’ to enable this function, which will allow your Mac to be tracked if it’s lost or stolen.
3. You’ll need to agree to the ‘Terms and Conditions’ of the new software. Click ‘Agree’ at the bottom and then click ‘Agree’ once again at the top.
4. You’ll also be asked to upgrade to iCloud Drive. You may not need this right away, and you can skip it if you like, but storing important documents in the cloud is growing ever so more popular. I recommend doing the upgrade. Select the button in front of ‘Upgrade to iCloud Drive’ and click ‘Continue.’ You’ll see a reminder to also update your iPhone and/or iPad to iOS 8 and then you’ll be asked for confirmation on the upgrade to iCloud drive. Click ‘Continue.’
4. Last question is about sending Diagnostics information to Apple. Click ‘Continue.’
At this point, the Mac should say ‘Setting Up Your Mac’ and then start up and automatically open the App Store. Click ‘Updates’ at the top right of this window to see if there are any additional smaller updates to complete. Click ‘Update All’ at the top right if you have the option, which will enable any other smaller apps requiring an update to initiate their own Download and Install.
You may also be asked to ‘Turn on Auto Updates?’ in the top right of your screen. Click ‘Turn On.’
That’s it, you’re all done. Close the App Store application if you haven’t done so already by clicking the red dot at the top left of the App Store window.