Getting Ready for Lion: Mac OS X 10.7 - Before you install
I've waited long enough! Lion is now up to version 10.7.2, and it's time to make the move. Also, I want to connect my computer to iCloud, which is currently (only) supported in Lion. It's time to install Lion, but before I jump in, I want to make sure my Mac is ready.
Check Your Hardware
My MacBook Pro Core Duo with 2 GB of RAM is about the least powerful Mac I could install Lion onto, although according to MacWorld, any Mac released after 2006 should be able to handle it. It's strongly recommended that you upgrade to 4 GB if you can.
Prepare
Download
Lion is only available through the App Store, which means you need at least Snow Leopard (10.6) to download it, even. It's about a 3.8 GB download, so you may want to set it to download overnight if you have a slower connection.
When you purchase Lion from the App Store, you'll download a 3.81 GB file to your Application folder called Install Mac OS X Lion. I strongly suggest you back up this file to an external hard disk or network volume before you proceed with the installation, or follow the instructions on How to make a bootable Lion install disc or drive. You can use this to install Lion to another partition, to ensure Lion will work with your system.
Other Resources
Check Your Hardware
My MacBook Pro Core Duo with 2 GB of RAM is about the least powerful Mac I could install Lion onto, although according to MacWorld, any Mac released after 2006 should be able to handle it. It's strongly recommended that you upgrade to 4 GB if you can.
Prepare
- Update your Apple software using Software Update. Use the App Store to download updates for other apps, and check to see if your favorite apps are also up-to-date if you didn't install them through the app store.
- Check your startup disk with Disk Utility and ensure that permissions are set correctly.
- Ensure your Time Machine backup is current.
Download
Lion is only available through the App Store, which means you need at least Snow Leopard (10.6) to download it, even. It's about a 3.8 GB download, so you may want to set it to download overnight if you have a slower connection.
When you purchase Lion from the App Store, you'll download a 3.81 GB file to your Application folder called Install Mac OS X Lion. I strongly suggest you back up this file to an external hard disk or network volume before you proceed with the installation, or follow the instructions on How to make a bootable Lion install disc or drive. You can use this to install Lion to another partition, to ensure Lion will work with your system.
Other Resources
- The definitive OS X 10.7 Lion installation checklist - from GigaOm, this guide covers all the stuff you should do before you upgrade.
- Get your Mac ready for Lion - MacWorld's pre-installation guide.
- How to burn a Lion boot disc - If you want to create a installation DVD from your download.
- How to make a bootable Lion install disc or drive - You can also make a bootable Lion flash drive or hard disc volume
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