Upgrade A Mac Desktop Computer.

[Bigbad]

My Mac desktop computer is now over 6 years old. I have never had a problem with it but the operating system is rather out of date. (10.5.8). I had to get a new printer recently, and found it hard to get one that I liked, which would work on this system.
Can I upgrade the operating system? If so, to what? How do I do it? (I’m no techie). And will it affect the things I have installed on and saved to the computer?
Thanks.

[Zacs-Master]

In the absence of our resident techies:
http://www.macupdate.com/desktop

[fadeout73]

Have you done a software update? Click the apple top left hand corner, software update. Mine is running on Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5.

[Gromit]

It needs to be an intel Mac to run Yosemite.
Go to the Apple menu to find out if your machine has an Intel chip.
If it is, under the Apple menu there should be Update or App store.
The update is free.
Don't forget to do a back up before you install the new OS.

[Gromit]

please ignore Zacs link. That is just junk.

[Gromit]

Right, just checked, and the App Store did not debut until 10.6. You will need to buy a snow Leopard disk, your best bet is Ebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR6.TRC1.A0.H0.Xsnow+leopard&_nkw=snow+leopard&_sacat=0

Once you have 10.6 installed, you can then get the free Yosemite downlaod from the store.

[Bigbad]

Thank you Gromit. I have now ordered a Snow leopard disk.