Try upgrading macOS on the laptops (test geth v1.4.0 and v1.4.8 compatibility)

[ancientalert]

Updated context

The laptops are currently on macOS 10.7 (Lion), which is too old for Mist:

• Mist 0.7.4 requires macOS 10.9 (Mavericks) minimum
• Mist 0.2.6 requires macOS 10.8 (Mountain Lion) minimum
• Lion (10.7) can only run geth via console — no Mist GUI

The upgrade target

Per the compatibility table in running-mist/README.md, the sweet spot is macOS 10.12 (Sierra):

• All Mist versions work ✅
• Old Geth (1.3.x, 1.4.x) should still work (Go runtime issues start at 10.13) ✅
• Usable browsers for general tasks ✅

Fallback options if Sierra doesn't work on these machines:

• 10.9 Mavericks through 10.11 El Capitan — all support Mist + old Geth
• Need to check what macOS versions these specific laptops support (depends on model/year)

Steps

1. Identify the laptop models (year, model identifier) to determine max supported macOS
2. Target macOS 10.12 Sierra if supported, otherwise highest ≤10.12
3. Use Cmd+Shift+Option+R for Internet Recovery (installs original shipped macOS), then upgrade from there — or use a USB installer (see README for FAT32 splitting instructions)
4. Test geth v1.4.0 and v1.4.8 + Mist 0.7.4 after upgrade

[ancientalert]

Additional context from Bob: Mist 0.7.4 has not been successfully run on Mac yet. This is another thing to investigate alongside the macOS upgrade testing — it may be hitting the same Go runtime issue, or there could be a separate Electron/Chromium compatibility problem with the .app bundle on the current macOS version.

[ancientalert]

Hardware constraint: max macOS is 10.13 High Sierra

The mid-2010 white plastic MacBook (MacBook7,1) maxes out at macOS 10.13 High Sierra — it's the last macOS version Apple supports for the polycarbonate unibody MacBook.

This is a problem: per the compatibility table, Go runtime issues begin at 10.13. So we can't hit the sweet spot of Sierra (10.12) and stay at max supported — but we CAN install Sierra since it's below the max.

Options

1. Install macOS 10.12 Sierra (recommended) — below the max, so definitely installable. Best Geth compatibility, all Mist versions work. Download: http://updates-http.cdn-apple.com/2019/cert/061-39476-20191023-48f365f4-0015-4c41-9f44-39d3d2aca067/InstallOS.dmg
2. Install macOS 10.13 High Sierra (risky) — max supported, but Go runtime crashes may affect geth v1.3.x/v1.4.x. Worth testing anyway — the crashes may be intermittent or avoidable with GODEBUG flags.
3. Install macOS 10.11 El Capitan (safe fallback) — if Sierra has any issues, El Capitan is a safe bet for old Geth + Mist.

Recommendation

Install Sierra (10.12) first. It's the documented sweet spot and avoids the Go runtime minefield entirely.