To ask mnetters to help fix my mac? Mac experts please!

[itsbetterthanabox]

Posting here for traffic.
I have an iMac which I have had for about 4 years. I am not technical and didn't realise how important it is to update the operating system...
I need to update and I never have! Its currently OS X version 10.5.8
What do I need to buy to update to the newest one? Do I have to go through all the updates or can I just put in the new OS if I buy it? I'm quite confused. Please help!

10.5.8 is leopard apparently. If that's helpful in any way.

www.macworld.com/article/2056564/how-to-install-mavericks-over-leopard.html although you would be best checking whether your computer will run well on a new OS, do you know when it was bought and what type of mac it is?

Click on the apple pic on the upper left hand corner of your screen. Select "Software Update".

For any future tech problems you may need help with, there is a topic called Chat that also has lots of traffic.

It won't update to a new OS from the software update, you will need to have the App Store to update to a new OS. App Store was available on Lion or as a separate install on Snow Leopard, 10.5.8 is Leopard not Snow Leopard so you would need to upgrade that first.

Nannynome I think 2009/10. Where could I find out what kind of Mac it is?
I don't need the newest OS if it won't run well just a newer one because it's starting to be restrictive.
Côte the software updates don't update the operating system. I wish it were that easy lol, stupid mac

First, buy Snow Leopard from here.

Then, upgrade to Mavericks from here.

Is mavericks the one after mountain lion?
So if I have snow leopard I can then update to the newest? Sorry I need to be sure!

It's all explained in Apple Store, if you would like to check what I have posted.

Yours has probably already got snow leopard on. You need to buy lion to get access to the App Store and then update to mavericks from there (which is free). My MacBook is a 2010 model and runs mavericks with no problems (with much lower spec that an iMac will have) and it came with snow leopard (it's OSX 10.6). They went snow leopard, lion, mountain lion and mavericks. I skipped mountain lion as I didn't bother paying for the upgrade. Should only be about £25ish to get lion.

Ahh just realised I missed your version. Don't get snow leopard. Get lion. It's easier to do the mavericks update with lion. All in the App Store.

It's definitely 10.5.8 which is leopard . I THINK it came with the disk to update to snow leopard but where I was moving a lot at the time being a student I stupidly lost it.
I want to buy as little as possible. Could I go straight from Leopard to lion?
I'm looking on the mac store website but as of yet haven't found the info but will keep looking.

Here is the info from Apple Store (UK) website:

How To Upgrade

Upgrading from OS X Leopard
If you’re running Leopard and would like to upgrade to OS X Mavericks, first you’ll need to upgrade to OS X Snow Leopard. You can purchase OS X Snow Leopard here.

Yep you can. I am trying to find a download link for you rather than buying the disk. The disk is the same price as snow leopard so cheaper than I thought.

I went from lion to mavericks so you can def skip updates.

^^ what Cote said then you can update online and onto Mavericks if you wish to.

I'm also looking for a Mac expert.... our 7 year old iBook has died No power when you press the power button, no signs of life. Is there any way to get the photos and docs off it?

I'll ask DH later (he cooked, in the oven, his PowerBook to get it working again) but can you open it up and get the hard drive out? Then you should be able to pull pictures etched off it.

Cool thanks everyone.
Because two of you have said different things. Does anyone know can't go straight from leopard to lion?Or can I only go leopard to snow leopard? And then of course I can go to mavericks from either.

Yes, you can go to Mavericks from either.

But can I go from leopard to lion and bypass snow leopard?