1. Installation and Configuration: Lesson One

Question 1

What are the minimum hardware requirements for upgrading a Mac to OS X El Capitan?

Answer 1

The minimum requirements for upgrading OS X El Capitan are:
• Mac OS X v10.6.8 or later
• 2GB of memory
• 8.8GB of available space
• Some features require an Apple ID
• Some features require a compatible Internet service provider
• Compatible Mac model (as listed on http://www.apple.com/osx/how-to-upgrade/)

Question 2

Which four steps must you take before upgrading a Mac to OS X El Capitan?

Answer 2

Four steps you should take before upgrading a Mac to OS X El Capitan are:

1. Verify app compatibility.
2. Back up important files and folders.
3. Document critical settings.
4. Install Apple software and firmware updates.

Question 3

How can you identify whether a Mac requires a firmware update?

Answer 3

You can identify a Mac firmware version by opening the full system report System Information or System Profiler.
You can verify whether the Mac firmware is up to date by visiting the Apple support website, which shows available firmware updates. (See: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201518)

Question 4

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using a single-partition disk with OS X? How about a multiple-partition disk?

Answer 4

Single-partition drives are easier to set up initially, but they aren’t as flexible for administration and maintenance.
Multiple-partition drives require repartitioning during setup but provide several separate partitions, which can be used to segregate user data and host multiple operating systems.

Question 5

How can you acquire the OS X El Capitan installer?

Answer 5

You can download the OS X El Capitan installer from the App Store for free.

Question 6

Which options can you select from during the OS X El Capitan installation?

Answer 6

During OS X installation, the only optional choice is to define an installation destination other than the Mac computer’s current default system disk.

Question 7

When troubleshooting issues with the OS X Installer, how can you get more information about the installation progress?

Answer 7

During OS X installation, you can view detailed installation progress by choosing Window > Installer Log from the menu bar.