What operating software can i upgrade to with the following specification on my macbook - 10.4.11?

Question

Hi,
I hope someone can help clarify the following for me as i'm getting a bit confused by what i can and can't do..
I have recently upgraded my macbook with new memory and ram to help improve functionality as it's quite old now.
I have a Iphone 4s and it's apparant that i need to upgrade my operating software.
Can someone clarify what operating software i can get with the following macbook specifiation:
MacBook
Model identifier: Macbook2,1
Processor name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor speed: 2 GHZ
Number of processors: 1
Total number of cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 4mb
Memory: 2 Gb
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Many thanks in advance
Simon

Answer 1

You can put two 2gb RAM sticks in your model 2,1 but it can only use 3,3gb. This is a hardware limitation and cannot be changed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_GB_barrier
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/faq/macbook-pro-core-2-duo-3-g b-memory-limitation-details.html
OWC tests have found that there is a slight speed increase with having two 2gb sticks in rather than one 1gb and one 2gb. Your model is in the gray lines at the bottom of the graph. http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Memory_Benchmark/Apple_MacBook/
You can upgrade from 10.4 straight to 10.6 with no problems. Any program that runs under 10.4 should run under10.6. See this list for compatibility with 10.6: http://snowleopard.wikidot.com/  You might have to upgrade some drivers for printers, etc....
And you will have to install Rosetta if you have any Power PC applications http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/article/snow_leopard_installing_rosetta/   I recently upgraded an older MacBook (model 1,1) straight from 10.4 to 10.6.
Once you are at 10.6.8 Lion is still available from Apple. You will have to call Apple Customer Care 1-800-692-7753 or 1-800-676-2775. to purchase it. Then within 3 days you will get an email with a code which you can use to download Lion from the App Store.  The price is $19.99.
Lion will require at least 2gb of RAM but really needs 4gb to run smoothly. As for third party programs see this list for compatibility with 10.7 http://roaringapps.com/apps:table
Also Lion doesn't run any Power PC programs. To see if you have any Power PC programs go to the Apple in the upper left corner and select About This Mac, then click on More Info. When System Profiler comes up select Applications under Software. Then look under Kind to see if any of your applications are listed as Power PC. Universal and Intel will run under Lion.
Before Mac switched to Intel processors in 2006 they used Power PC processors from 1994 to 2005. Power PC 601 through 604, G3, G4 and G5. Applications written for the Power PC processors need the application called Rosetta to run on Intel processors. This was part of the Operating System in 10.4 and 10.5 but was an optional install in 10.6. With 10.7 Lion Apple dropped all support for Power PC applications.