Apple recently circulated its second pre-release 'Golden Master' build of OS X Yosemite among developers, signalling introduction of the new Mac software is close. If you've not been using the public beta, what can you do today to get your Mac ready for the new OS?

Compatibility

The following Macs are compatible with OS X Yosemite:

MacBook Pro: mid-2007 or newer

MacBook Air: late 2008 or newer

iMac: mid-2007 or newer

Mac mini: early 2009 or newer

Mac Pro: early 2008 or newer

MacBook: late 2008 aluminum, early 2009 or newer

Xserve: early 2009

This may also be a good point to buy your Mac some extra RAM.

Get in shape

If your Mac is compatible then you should run Software Update to ensure your current system is up-to-date before you install the new OS. It makes sense to check the Mac App Store to ensure you have the latest versions of your apps installed. This is also an excellent time to go through your apps and check your larger files -- do you still use them? Spring clean your Mac to maximize available space as you prepare for the new OS.

Back-up

Please don't install the new OS on your Mac without backing up first. While it is true the software has been going through extensive public beta testing, there is always the potential for unexpected problems when installing system software, so back up your files first. If you have an external drive it makes sense to create a bootable clone backup using CarbonCopyCloner.

Wait

Do you need to be the first on your block to install Apple's new OS? The traditional pattern sees millions of Mac users attempting to download and install new system software on day one, which often means downloads are particularly slow, so why not wait to download and install the software 24-hours later when things calm down?

Installation

Launch the App Store app and download the new OS.

Double-click the installer, click 'Show All Disks' and you'll be asked which disk you want to install Mavericks on.

Choose the drive you want to install to (probably your main "Macintosh HD")

Click install and installation takes place.

Spotlight

Once installation takes place Spotlight will need to Index your system once again. While it does it is likely system performance may seem slower. Click on the Spotlight icon in the menu to monitor progress of indexing. Once the operation completes you should see immediate performance improvement.

Verify

Once you've installed the OS check your Mac -- are all your files in place? Now check the Mac App Store for any application software updates that may now be available, and run Software Update to install any follow-up patches that may now be available.

One more thing

If you find your system's performance isn't up to scratch try restarting your Mac while depressing the Command-R key to enter Recovery Mode. While in this mode, run Disk Utility to Verify and Repair your Disk and Disk Permissions before restarting your Mac in the normal way.

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