How To Install OS X Mavericks; Step By Step Guide With Tips On What To Do Before Upgrade

Updated October 24, 2013 06:33 EDT

Apple just released its OS X 10.9 Mavericks and is now available at Mac App Store for free. Here is a guide on how you could install. Requirements: 

Check first if you adhere to all system requirements. MAC computer purchased no later than mid-2007, 64 bit intel-processor and MINIMUM 8GB disk space. The following can be upgraded to OS X 10.9 Maverics: iMac (mid 2007 or later), MacBook (13" alluminom ally released late 2008 or in 13" plastic from 2009 or later), MacBook Air (late 2008 or later), Mac Mini (from 2009 or later), and MacBook Pro (from 2008 or later.) Your MAC's must already run by OS X Lion or later (such as last year's OS Mountain Lion)

1.  Make sure all applications are UPDATED. Inability to update apps after updating to OS X Mavericks may make your apps no longer compatible or worse unusable after an update.
   1.  To update, simply proceed to App Store then click on the Updates tab, then click Update All.
   2.  For updating 3rd party applications you should start by tediously opening each app and check if an auto-update option is already available. Upon the absence of an auto-update option on the app itself, proceed to the developer's website how soon an update will be available. (You could skip this part, and just re-install ups should they not work after udpating to OS X Mavericks)
   3.  Don't panic if third-party apps updates are not yet available. There is no cause for worry should most if there are no updates yet available for third-party apps. The bottom line is so long as those apps are already working on Lion or Mountain Lion, it should also work with Mavericks with no glitches whatsoeer. However, it is still preferred that an update be made on ALL apps before upgrading one's OS.
2.  Perform basic system maintenance before any changes whatsoever.
   1.  Go to and click your MAC computer's hard drive. On the left-hand column - it should be Macintosh HD by default.
   2.  Proceed to click 'Verify System Permissions' on the right-hand portion. This could take a couple of minutes or several minutes relative on how long last system update was done and amount of hard drive.
   3.  If a 'Verify System Permissions' run was successful, there should be a green confirmation message. A red message would meant a 'Restore Disk Permissions' is required.
      1.  If 'Restore Disk Permissions' is required, click to do so then the app would then proceed to conduct a repair. If the fix conducted was a successful one, a green message will appear.
      2.  Should a red message appears, it is best to visit a local Apple store near you.
   4.  Now, delete all unnecessary applications (those you have not used for at least the past three months)
      1.  Simply DRAG those apps into the bin to delete them.
      2.  Empty the bin and downloads folder. This would ensure enough if not required 8GB of disk space.
3.  Ensure That You  Back Up According to Your need or preference 
   1. You should backup your Mac. Should anything go wrong during the update - or you accidentally install Mavericks as a fresh install - you can always restore your documents, music, apps and everything else from a backup.
   2.  Apple's Time Machine app makes backing up easy. Attach an external hard drive - one with a capacity larger than that of the Mac itself - and the computer will ask if you want to make the drive a Time Machine backup drive. Ensure the external drive is empty and click OK.
   3.  Once set up, the Time Machine drive will appear as an icon on your desktop. Right click on this, then click Back Up Now. This may take some time if you've a lot of data on your Mac.
   4.  Once backed up, restart your Mac to ensure no apps or processes are running in the background, and no more updates are required.
4.  Installing  OS X 10.9 Mavericks
   1.  Now, you're ready to install OS X Mavericks
   2.  Open the Mac App Store, search for or click on Mavericks and download (it is offered free of charge) - or click on this  link https://www.apple.com/osx/apps/app-store.html?id=675248567 to be taken directly to the Mavericks page.
   3.  Once downloaded, simply tell the computer where you want Mavericks installed (the internal Macintosh HD, and not the external Time Machine backup drive), and the installation process will begin.
   4.  During installation, your Mac will restart at least once and the whole process will take around 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the machine you're updating.
   5.  Once complete, you can log back into your computer and Mavericks will be up and running.
5. Enjoy Apple's latest OS X 10.9 Mavericks

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