2013 MacBook Air not updating anything from Lion 10.8.5.

[smms]

I have this MacBook Air from 2013 with 1.3 GHz intel core i5 and 4GB 1600 MHz DDR3.

I was getting alert to upgrade from Catalina to Monterey. But due to not having enough space, I erased my HD and reinstalled Lion 10.8.5.

Now can’t update Safari, iTunes or macos. Any suggestion please? Thanks in advance!

 

[Jack Neill]

A 2013 can max at 11.16.2 supported. Try this:

On an Intel-based Mac, if you use Shift-Option-Command-R during startup, you're offered the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available. If you use Option-Command-R during startup, in most cases you're offered the latest macOS that is compatible with your Mac. Otherwise you're offered the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.

This should net you a Big Sur install.

 

[smms]

I got Lion using Com+R. I tried several times with the hope of a new OS but it was always Lion every time. Even iTunes won’t update on the old Safari.

 

[Jack Neill]

I got Lion using Com+R. I tried several times with the hope of a new OS but it was always Lion every time. Even iTunes won’t update on the old Safari.

Option-Command-R

 

[DeltaMac]

Did you try the Option-Command-R ?

If you do want to upgrade to a newer system (Option-Command-R SHOULD get you something newer), then this Apple support page will help you...

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers.

support.apple.com

 

[Sikh]

CMD + R loads recovery from your hard drive. Option + Command + R uses the internet recovery and will load the recovery for the latest OS for your machine.

So I would try what Jack said and see if it works for you

 

[smms]

Thanks for the correction. With Option+CMD+R, went to this far where I made the Hard Disk selection. However, when clicked continue, it prompted error “The operation could not be …..” (Photo attached).

 

[wkw]

you might need to option cmd r then run disk utility and erase the drive. then try to install.

 

[smms]

you might need to option cmd r then run disk utility and erase the drive. then try to install.

Ok erased and tried. Now getting “failed to download…(UpdateBrain.zip)” (photo attached).

 

[smms]

Finally at the third attempt, now the Big Sur is downloading! Thanks everyone for your support!

 

[Sikh]

Ok erased and tried. Now getting “failed to download…(UpdateBrain.zip)” (photo attached).

Ive always encountered this when the internet dropped. So could be your wifi connection on the mac, could be the access point / router you are connected to etc.

I use to run into this issue when imaging lots of macs at my old old job. I would wire the ones I could but management was too cheap to buy me 2 usb to ethernet adapters for the airs. I brought my own in one day and wired up the airs and never had this issue again. I knew it wasnt our access points because we had plenty of them spread throughout the office and IT had its own that was behind me on the wall. I also knew it wasnt the accesspoint cause I could be connected and see if the connection dropped and what the logs said and the logs always said "connected <name> .... disconnected <name>"

Anyway, glad it finally worked for you