• Robin

  • Post #31
  • Edited
  • GB

Kelly_E Which macOS version are you using, Kelly? I will share a link with another browser you can download.

Also consider… if you can stomach it… (carefully) installing Open Core Legacy Patcher on your Mac (I recommend getting some expert Mac help in guiding you through it). This done after first partitioning your Mac, so as to create a new space for installing another version of macOS…

The upshot is you'll be able to run any version of MacOS you like, including the latest, Sequoia.

Since you're using Macbook Pro this will likely run quite well. I presume you have at least 8Gb RAM in your older Pro. and potentially 16Gb?

So two routes to running another browser.

Let me know your current version of macOS, and your Macbook Pro specs, and I'll offer a browser option and confirm a bit more on OCLP.

      anovikov It never allowed Chrome to be installed. Something in the innards of the computer doesn't get Chrome. I know there was an error code that explained it, but it's been a long time so I don't remember anymore.

        Robin As above: The latest I have ever been able to get onto it is 10.11.6.

        You guys, getting my hopes up... kinda scaring me here...

        I actually have a partition for running Windows but I never ended up using it. Not that I remember how to get at it or have any clue what to do next...

        also scary...

        ETA: 16 GB

        ETA 2: Hmm, looking on Disk Utility, maybe I ditched the partition at some point? I don't see it there... 1 TB internal disk looks quite whole, and rather stuffed full.

        • Ravi replied to this.

            • Robin

            • Post #34
            • Edited
            • GB

            If it's the 2011 model, I think using OCLP (warning: technical noodlings required; risks ahead) would get you using Big Sur or Monterey reasonably comfortably for day-to-day tasks. Stuff that requires heavy graphics work wouldn't be so good.

            I have Sequioa installed on a few years later Macbook Air and was surprised how well it runs in 8Gb RAM. Also installed Win11 on top of OCLP (which functions as a very good bootloader, too), and that runs very nicely.

            Difference is my later Air has a later GPU, which is better, and means less cpu-intensive emulation going on to support later macOS versions, however if you have the 2011 Pro, you have a faster CPU and so that should make up for it a bit.

            There's life in the old dog yet with OCLP.

            • Robin

            • Post #35
            • Edited
            • GB

            Also a note to say that second hand Macbooks are imo the best way to buy Macbooks – very cost-effective method of upgrading. Wouldn't have to spend much to upgrade to the last Intel-based Pro, and OCLP will definitely get you happily onto Sequioa on such a model.

              Robin mid-2012 (that’s buried somewhere above)

                Robin Agreed! I always buy used… but as mentioned above, a newer Mac would entail a lot of expensive newer software… if I had the money for a newer Mac that would be less than half the battle, I’m afraid

                  • RRavi

                  • Post #39
                  • Edited
                  • Click to select your country

                  Kelly_E But it does all the work that I need it to do, and I just can't prioritize a computer over other expenses. Got to be able to fit both needs and wants in, before an upgrade can happen.

                  If an old computer/laptop/whatever can do the job, there is no need to upgrade.

                  I have been using an Intel 3rd Gen till just a week ago.

                  Now I have an Intel 12th Gen.

                  And as I had retail versions of Win 10 and MSOffice, I was able to transfer them to the newer PC.

                      Kelly_E ETA 2: Hmm, looking on Disk Utility, maybe I ditched the partition at some point? I don't see it there... 1 TB internal disk looks quite whole, and rather stuffed full.

                      You can thin down the contents and create a new partition.

                          Ravi Well, other than not being able to use Upwork right now, which is how this conversation began above... but I don't even know that a newer computer would help, because as Customer Service told me, other people are unable to open jobs this week, as well.

                          So will they fix it for people with newer computers... are all the people reporting it also on older computers... is it a Mac thing... will they fix it for everyone... who the heck knows.

                              Ravi I wish I could thin it down but looking at Disk Utility, it appears most of the "problem" must be programs and client design work. I don't store videos, I hardly take any pictures... probably not a lot on here that I could toss!

                              With all this partitioning talk, I'm wondering whether I could put a newer OS (& browser) on an external HD and make the computer work for me a while longer that way. Isn't that very similar to a partition?

                              When the only thing misbehaving is the web browser (since obviously I don't have any newer software, haha)... if it IS the problem, I mean I don't even know that's the issue... It's pretty annoying to have to consider this. But maybe I could give that a try.

                                  Kelly_E I wish I could thin it down but looking at Disk Utility, it appears most of the "problem" must be programs and client design work. I don't store videos, I hardly take any pictures... probably not a lot on here that I could toss!

                                  You can back up some data on an external drive.

                                  Kelly_E With all this partitioning talk, I'm wondering whether I could put a newer OS (& browser) on an external HD and make the computer work for me a while longer that way. Isn't that very similar to a partition?

                                  Yes, you can have a dual boot with one drive external.

                                  While the internet has plenty of info, ChatGPT might be helpful.

                                      Well, @Robin, @anovikov, @Ravi, @MariaT et al.:

                                      The Brave browser IS allowing me to open Upwork job listings. I'm talking to you through it, right now. What a delight. How come I never heard of Brave before?

                                      YOU GUYS!!!! Thanks for all the suggestions.

                                      It seems to call every website (so far, 15 min playing with it) "not secure" and I have to override it, but since I virtually never do anything I don't understand fully, I'll have to go with that.

                                      Not sure if that's Brave itself, or an interaction between Brave and this old-dog computer.

                                      However, Maria—the constant Captcha-ing (Cloudflare-ing) that began all this discussion, is continuing for me. It's just that the page fully loads now, so I can at least "verify that I'm human" and get all the way through the problem to a job listing.

                                      From "OMG Upwork is over!" to "OMG Upwork is annoying." About which we all agree!

                                      I'll take it.

                                      BIG SIGH of relief. Thanks so much, @Robin!

                                        Kelly_E Wow - yes big sigh of relief. That was worrying. Great community help here :)

                                          By the way, should anyone look in here some time later and wonder about Brave... I got a little help in their forums today and was told that while the linked version above will install for my antique machine, and do some stuff (like what I needed!), it's not "supported" for anything earlier than Mac OS 10.15, as of 2024.

                                          Meaning of course that not everything works the way it would if... my computer were newer. (Ay-yi!) And it won't get better.

                                          It does what it needs to, at this moment. No complaints at all. Upwork's being a pain with infinite captchas, calling me inhuman repeatedly—but now, I can get past it.

                                          Kelly_E I have seen the newer behaviour (which is crap, but I get the bot-scraping protection angle), but haven't had the cloudflare page becoming unresponsive. Brave Browser on Mojave, mostly.

                                            Kelly_E With all this partitioning talk, I'm wondering whether I could put a newer OS (& browser) on an external HD and make the computer work for me a while longer that way. Isn't that very similar to a partition?

                                            Yes, you could do that, and with OCLP installed only on the external drive. You have USB3 on the 2012 Pro apparently, so it might be ok with an SSD in a cheap USB3 enclosure. A bit better in a Thunderbolt setup.

                                              • Robin

                                              • Post #50
                                              • Edited
                                              • GB

                                              Kelly_E It seems to call every website (so far, 15 min playing with it) "not secure" and I have to override it, but since I virtually never do anything I don't understand fully, I'll have to go with that.

                                              Glad to help! Glad that works.

                                              The unsecure website thing is a TLS issue. Remember SSL (Secure Sockets Layer)?

                                              Yeah, well that's now called TLS (Transport Layer Security), only nobody told you 😄. And nobody told El Cap.

                                              You're reminding me that I faced this issue with my 2011 Air with El Capitan, which I did fix. Can't remember how I did so, so I'm re-googling it. If I can whittle it down into some simple steps for you, I'll post back onto the thread.

                                                By using Freelancer.Forum, you agree to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines.