Age of OS influences compatibility and performance?

[DKL123]

Do newer versions of Mac OS have better compatibility in general? But are they "heavier"? I have a vaio notebook with a pretty weak processor (P6000) so I thought about installing snow leopard for better performance. Would I have more stuff working if I used mountain lion, for example?

Computer is a vaio e series (vpcea20fb)

 

[RehabMan]

Do newer versions of Mac OS have better compatibility in general?

Not "in general".
Newer versions have better compatibility with newer hardware, less compatibility with older hardware.

But are they "heavier"?

Yes.

I have a vaio notebook with a pretty weak processor (P6000) so I thought about installing snow leopard for better performance. Would I have more stuff working if I used mountain lion, for example?

Computer is a vaio e series (vpcea20fb)

What is the graphics chip?

 

[DKL123]

Not "in general".
Newer versions have better compatibility with newer hardware, less compatibility with older hardware.



Yes.



What is the graphics chip?

Thank you for answering so fast.
My graphic chip is Intel HM55 Express

The computer came bundled with Windows 7 Home Premium. It has 4gb of ram.

 

[RehabMan]

My grapfic chip is Intel HM55 Express

That is the chipset, not graphics. Post output of 'lspci -nn' from Linux Terminal.

 

[DKL123]

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor DRAM Controller [8086:0044] (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)
00:1a.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b3c] (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio [8086:3b56] (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:3b42] (rev 05)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:3b44] (rev 05)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:3b46] (rev 05)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 6 [8086:3b4c] (rev 05)
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b34] (rev 05)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev a5)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Mobile 5 Series Chipset LPC Interface Controller [8086:3b09] (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA AHCI Controller [8086:3b29] (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset SMBus Controller [8086:3b30] (rev 05)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Thermal Subsystem [8086:3b32] (rev 05)
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
03:00.0 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller [1180:e822]
03:00.1 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5U2xx (R5U230 / R5U231 / R5U241) [Memory Stick Host Controller] [1180:e230]
03:00.4 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller [1180:e822]
04:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Yukon Optima 88E8059 [PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Controller with AVB] [11ab:4381] (rev 11)
3f:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-core Registers [8086:2c62] (rev 02)
3f:00.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder [8086:2d01] (rev 02)
3f:02.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 [8086:2d10] (rev 02)
3f:02.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Physical 0 [8086:2d11] (rev 02)
3f:02.2 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d12] (rev 02)
3f:02.3 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d13] (rev 02)

 

[RehabMan]

00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor DRAM Controller [8086:0044] (rev 02)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0046] (rev 02)
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset HECI Controller [8086:3b64] (rev 06)
00:1a.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b3c] (rev 05)
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio [8086:3b56] (rev 05)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 1 [8086:3b42] (rev 05)
00:1c.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 2 [8086:3b44] (rev 05)
00:1c.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 3 [8086:3b46] (rev 05)
00:1c.5 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset PCI Express Root Port 6 [8086:3b4c] (rev 05)
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset USB2 Enhanced Host Controller [8086:3b34] (rev 05)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge [8086:2448] (rev a5)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation Mobile 5 Series Chipset LPC Interface Controller [8086:3b09] (rev 05)
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset 4 port SATA AHCI Controller [8086:3b29] (rev 05)
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset SMBus Controller [8086:3b30] (rev 05)
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset Thermal Subsystem [8086:3b32] (rev 05)
02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Qualcomm Atheros AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) [168c:002b] (rev 01)
03:00.0 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller [1180:e822]
03:00.1 System peripheral [0880]: Ricoh Co Ltd R5U2xx (R5U230 / R5U231 / R5U241) [Memory Stick Host Controller] [1180:e230]
03:00.4 SD Host controller [0805]: Ricoh Co Ltd MMC/SD Host Controller [1180:e822]
04:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Marvell Technology Group Ltd. Yukon Optima 88E8059 [PCIe Gigabit Ethernet Controller with AVB] [11ab:4381] (rev 11)
3f:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture Generic Non-core Registers [8086:2c62] (rev 02)
3f:00.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QuickPath Architecture System Address Decoder [8086:2d01] (rev 02)
3f:02.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Link 0 [8086:2d10] (rev 02)
3f:02.1 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor QPI Physical 0 [8086:2d11] (rev 02)
3f:02.2 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d12] (rev 02)
3f:02.3 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Core Processor Reserved [8086:2d13] (rev 02)

You have 1st gen Intel HD graphics (8086:0046). It is covered in the guide...

Follow the Clover guide linked from the FAQ.

http://www.tonymacx86.com/el-capita...faq-read-first-laptop-frequent-questions.html