Trying to set up an old Macbook Air

September 19, 2023 7:08 AM

I have an older Macbook Air (2013, I believe) that I freshly installed the OS on (Mountain Lion). When I try to update to a later OS, it tells me it "cannot access the App Store". When I google this, none of the solutions work. I just want to be able to run Google Docs and use this as a writing machine. More issues inside.

When I use Safari to go to docs.google.com it displays funny and says the browser isn't supported. When I try to download Chrome it tells me this version of the OS is no longer supported.

Apple says this model can run Big Sur, which I imagine would solve these issues.

The laptop is 1.7ghz Intel Core i7 with 8gb of ram, if that matters.

How do I fix this?

posted by dobbs to Technology (19 answers total)

This page from Apple on How to install Mac OS might help. It lists several options, including using a web browser instead of the Mac app store.
posted by Alensin at 7:14 AM on September 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: It's likely that the security certificates in Mountain Lion have expired, making it problematic for that Mac to connect to the App Store to pick up further updates.

You should try downloading and installing the last version of macOS available via direct download from Apple, macOS Sierra. Apple has a direct download link available to the Sierra installer on their site if you click here.

From Sierra, you will likely be able to update to a later version of the OS that will support Chrome and modern web apps.
posted by eschatfische at 7:21 AM on September 19, 2023 [5 favorites]

Response by poster: Apple has a direct download link available to the Sierra installer on their site if you click here.


Thanks. I'd found that page already and forgot to mention it.

When I try and visit it on the Air, it tells me it can't open it because it "can't establish a secure connection to the server".
posted by dobbs at 7:21 AM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks, eschatfische, am downloading that now. Will post status when done.
posted by dobbs at 7:23 AM on September 19, 2023

Great! I had reposted the link in response to your issue accessing the other page, but it sounds like you have things going. Good luck!
posted by eschatfische at 7:24 AM on September 19, 2023

Yeah, it's going to be old security certificates, and then also outdated SSL/OpenSSL. Not sure how to fix it. :7(
posted by wenestvedt at 8:04 AM on September 19, 2023

Yeah, it's going to be old security certificates, and then also outdated SSL/OpenSSL. Not sure how to fix it. :7(

The worst case scenario here if the Sierra leapfrog doesn't work is to create a bootable (ie, USB) installer of Big Sur on a modern machine and then use it to install to this machine. It's not clear whether OP has another machine they could use to create the bootable installer with, but it's likely someone nearby or a repair shop could.
posted by eschatfische at 8:26 AM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: I do have a modern machine as well.

The Sierra DMG is downloading on the old machine now so will run it and check back in.

Since you folks seem to be Apple-informed... any chance an 3rd Gen iPad (MD371LL/A) can be updated beyond 9.3.6? Would also just love to use it to connect to a simple writing app like google docs. It also doesn't seem to want to connect to a Bluetooth keyboard (never discovers it).
posted by dobbs at 9:05 AM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: Hmm. I'm a bit confused.

I downloaded the file eschatfische linked to, which took a while, like it was a OS. And that gave me a InstallOS.DMG which I opened and ran and it said it needed to check if it could be installed, which it did, and then asked me for the password, which I gave it, and it seemed to install something, said it was successfull... but it didn't restart and the OS appears to be the same.
posted by dobbs at 9:18 AM on September 19, 2023

Best answer: Check your Applications folder to see if there's now an app named "Install macOS Sierra" (or something very similar) and then run that to install Sierra.

To your other question, I think it's very unlikely that you're going to be able to make a 3rd-gen iPad generally useful today.
posted by eschatfische at 9:22 AM on September 19, 2023 [3 favorites]

I suggest you make a bootable installer on a flash drive, by following these instructions.

(I don't know why Apple doesn't provide a download link for MacOS Big Sur. Until recently I had a Big Sur bootable installer, so I know it's possible. If you can find out where to download it, it should work. If not, you can start with Sierra and then upgrade from there.)
posted by Winnie the Proust at 9:22 AM on September 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Check your Applications folder to see if there's now an app named "Install macOS Sierra" (or something very similar) and then run that to install Sierra.

Yup. Running now. Thanks!
posted by dobbs at 9:23 AM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: Okay, that worked! Now, when I go to software updates it tells me there are no updates so should I assume this is the most modern version of the OS the machine can run?

Thanks, all!
posted by dobbs at 9:56 AM on September 19, 2023

Seems likely, yes.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:59 AM on September 19, 2023

Best answer: What does it say when you try to visit the App Store to install Big Sur?
posted by eschatfische at 9:59 AM on September 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: What does it say when you try to visit the App Store to install Big Sur?

The Download button is available! Downloading now. Thanks again!
posted by dobbs at 10:04 AM on September 19, 2023 [1 favorite]

You can confirm the OS compatibility of your system here. It will tell you the versions of OS X that are compatible with your hardware.

If you're not clear on which model you have, you can use the command "system_profiler SPHardwareDataType" from the terminal program (It's in your utilities folder). The model identifier is what you want to use.
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:49 AM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: Okay, it's all up to date...

Now there's one more problem. In order to put the OS on the computer, I had to log in with my AppleID. But I want to give it to a friend to use for writing and do not want it associated with my AppleID. Online instructions are telling me to blank it and reinstall the OS, which I don't want to do for obvious reasons (because it's erased but for OS anyway).

How do I disassociate the computer from my ID and make it so she can add her own AppleID? Googling tells me to do it through the Music app, which makes no sense. I tried it anyway and it did not work. All it did was disassociate it from Music.

Thanks.
posted by dobbs at 12:28 PM on September 19, 2023

Response by poster: Nevermind. I figured it out.

Thanks everyone, especially eschatfische!
posted by dobbs at 12:42 PM on September 19, 2023 [1 favorite]