SOLVED Updating Catalina on late 2013 iMac

[ColinBird]

Microsoft Update tells me that I need to update MacOS before I can update my Office applications, so I thought I should at least move from Catalina to Monterey, but the available information says that only post-2015 iMacs can be updated to Monterey. Thinking that Big Sur might be enough to appease Microsoft Update, I tried that but apparently that package is no longer available. Am I therefore obliged to saty with Catalina or is there another route by which I can upgrade? Thanks - Colin

 

[Lufbrarunner]

Old macOS versions are available HERE

 

[ColinBird]

Thanks, but unfortunately, even that route says it's not available (screenshot attached). Guess I'll stay with Catalina ...

 

[Lufbrarunner]

Not sure why that would be, it is definitely there for me.

 

[ColinBird]

Yes ... the message in my screenshot came up after I pressed 'Get'.

 

[Lufbrarunner]

That's interesting as I do get the file.

 

[ColinBird]

OK, I'll try agian - after my next SuperDuper!

 

[ColinBird]

As promised, I've tried again, but get the same message: "The requested version of macOS is not available." Since my first attempts in December to update the OS, I've also discovered a possible need for Pages and Numbers (maybe Keynote too), but these Apps are also no longer available for Catalina. I've looked at the suggestions for getting round that issue, but no joy there either.

So ... I'm going to accept that I'm unlikely to win this one, so will mark this thread as Solved (even though not entirely true) and at some time in the future bite the bullet and buy a new iMac. Confession time, I do have the use of a MacBook running Monterey, so all is not lost.

 

[TonyAguila]

As promised, I've tried again, but get the same message: "The requested version of macOS is not available." Since my first attempts in December to update the OS, I've also discovered a possible need for Pages and Numbers (maybe Keynote too), but these Apps are also no longer available for Catalina. I've looked at the suggestions for getting round that issue, but no joy there either.

So ... I'm going to accept that I'm unlikely to win this one, so will mark this thread as Solved (even though not entirely true) and at some time in the future bite the bullet and buy a new iMac. Confession time, I do have the use of a MacBook running Monterey, so all is not lost.

The late 2013 iMac (21" and 27") will only go up to macOS 10.15 Catalina. You may want to try getting it using App Store… from the  menu. In the search field, enter macOS Catalina and see if it will present you with the installer, and a GET button. Click and it will start downloading the file into your Applications folder. When finished, it will launch automatically. I recommend quitting for now. Make a copy of the installer file to another location apart from Applications.

Assuming the download worked, relaunch the app by clicking on the one in Applications. The process should install the maximum (for Catalina) versions of iWork (Pages, Numbers, Keynote).

 

[ColinBird]

Thanks for the suggestion, but ... probably unsurprisingly ... a macOS Catalina search offers only "Old Menu Bar" and a USB data leak app; macOS Catalina iWork gives "No Results". Thanks again, though.

 

[psybear]

I managed to install Monterey on my 2012 iMac by using the Open Core Legacy patcher. The site is here and it's fairly straightforward. Further guidance is available here.

Obviously it's not supported by Apple and you do this at your own risk. So far at least (one month on) mine has been very stable.

 

[ColinBird]

Many thanks for that suggestion, which could well be just what I need. In a couple of days time, I'm going to be away from home for a while, but the Open Core Legacy patcher is going in my To Do folder for when I get back.