El Capitan is Apple’s marketing name for OS X version 10.11, the latest update to your Mac’s system software. If your Mac is running Yosemite (10.10), Mavericks (10.9), or Mountain Lion (10.8. Sep 29, 2015 El Capitan is Apple’s marketing name for OS X version 10.11, the latest update to your Mac’s system software. If your Mac is running Yosemite.
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If you try to start up your Mac from a hard disk, network volume, or Time Machine backup that contains an incompatible version or build of macOS, you might experience one or more of these symptoms:
- Your Mac doesn't finish starting up, or displays a prohibitory symbol at startup.
- You see a message that you're using an unsupported or incorrect version of the Mac operating system.
- Your Mac doesn't respond to your trackpad, mouse, or keyboard.
- Apps unexpectedly quit.
- Your Mac doesn't sleep or wake.
- You don't hear any sound from your Mac.
- The fans in your Mac are louder, because they're spinning faster.
- The image on your display appears to shrink, has black bars around it, or appears tinted.
- You can't use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.
Which Mac operating systems are compatible?
Best Operating System For 2009 Imac Yosemite Or El Capitan Os
The version of macOS that came with your Mac is the earliest version compatible with that Mac. To find out whether your Mac is compatible with a later version of macOS, check the system requirements:
If your Mac won't start up from a compatible version of macOS, it might require a specific build of that version. To get the correct build, reinstall macOS or upgrade to a later version of macOS.
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- To restore a Time Machine backup that was created on a different Mac, use Migration Assistant.
After you start your iMac for the first time — or if you just upgraded from an earlier version of OS X — your iMac will likely automatically launch the El Capitan setup procedure. The setup process takes care of several tasks:
- Setup provides El Capitan your personal information. Your iMac ships with a bathtub full of applications, and many of those use your personal data (like your address and telephone number) to automatically fill out your documents.
If that personal stored information starts you worrying about identity theft, you are a smart user. If you’re using your common sense, it should. Macos and change ring for facetime number. However, Apple doesn’t disseminate this information anywhere else, and the applications that use your personal data won’t send it anywhere, either. And the Safari web browser fills out forms on a web page automatically only if you give your permission — and security-conscious iMac owners prefer to enter things manually.
- Setup configures your language and keyboard choices.OS X El Capitan is a truly international operating system, so Setup offers you a chance to configure your iMac to use a specific language and keyboard layout.
- Setup configures your email accounts within Apple Mail.If you already have an email account set up with your Internet service provider (ISP), keep that email account information handy to answer these questions. (The list should include the incoming POP3/IMAP and outgoing SMTP mail servers you’ll be using, your email address, and your login name and password. Don’t worry about those crazy acronyms, though, because your ISP will know exactly what you mean when you ask for this information.) El Capitan can even automatically configure many email accounts for you — including web-based services such as Google Mail, Yahoo! Mail, and AOL Mail — if you supply your account ID and password. Sweet.
- Setup allows you to sign up for an iCloud ID and Apple’s iCloud service. iCloud makes it easy to share data automatically between your iMac and devices like an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, along with Apple email accounts (through both web mail and the Apple Mail application). For now, just create your iCloud ID (also often called an Apple ID), sign up for iCloud, and take the opportunity to feel smug about owning an Apple computer.
- Setup sends your registration information to Apple. As a proud owner of an iMac, take advantage of the year of hardware warranty support and the free 90 days of telephone support. You have to register to use ‘em, but rest assured that all this info is confidential.
- Setup launches Migration Assistant. This assistant guides you through the process of migrating (an engineer’s term for copying) your existing user data from your old Mac or PC to your new iMac. Naturally, if your iMac is your first computer, you can skip this step with a song in your heart!