Updating old BitCoin-QT Core client V0.7 - 2017 Approach? I have an old "BitCoin-QT" Core client at version 'V0.7 2-beta' - that is far out of date re Synching. (That client says the program uses Qt version 4.8.4, incase that is useful too).
It was a ‘Full Node’ setup back then, cos that was the only option technology wise.

Am keen to get the client / block updated, so I can go shopping ;-).

Been reading the latest Coinbase “Bitcoin Core 0.15.0.1” release info (Oct 2017) - extract below from the Release Notes : “Note that the block database format also changed in version 0.8.0 and there is no automatic upgrade code from before version 0.8 to version 0.15.0. Upgrading directly from 0.7.x and earlier without redownloading the blockchain is not supported. However, as usual, old wallet versions are still supported”.

Is that text meaning:
(i) I have to separately go get the large blockchain file myself prior to the latest Core Client version install ?
OR
(ii) The latest client version will know to go get that latest blockchain / format and download for me natively itself ?

Assuming its the first point :


Where can I get / torrent the latest compatible blockchain ? been looking and they are from years ago.
Been reading conflicting information about my upgrade scenario (from V0.7 2-beta Core client to V0.15.0.1) with regard to the "bootstrap" ie hearing "this is not the way to go nowadays with the new technology". This was from a few years back. Been generally reading that this approach is not supported nor updated anymore, true?
Are there more detailed '****Release Notes****' against the Coinbase “Bitcoin Core 0.15.0.1” ? I've been looking. This paragraph quoted above is all I got as instruction for my scenario.


Luckily I've lots of disk space / ram / data allowance etc to make the upgrade happen on Mac OS - so am just needing confirmation on the steps so I only have to run this process once.

I’ll only be using the wallet every few months, I just want it for the Wallet.

Any advice here would be very much appreciated.
edit: [removed a part about upgrading. Lower part still remains relevant I think, so I think I will keep it there.]

I don't know of any place where you can download the latest compatible blockchain, but more importantly you should never want to do so! If you download it from some shady site, what guarantees would you have that the chain has not been tampered with, or that it will contain trojans, keyloggers or the like, which could lead to loss of funds/time. Just install the bitcoin client of your choice and let it download the blockchain through its connected nodes. It can verify the contents and make sure you are on the right chain.