Update from OS 10.12 to 10.12.2 Problem

[sathya]

I have an iMac which was running Sierra (10.12). I clicked to upgrade the system to 10.12.2 and at the same time a new version of iTunes.
I changed my mind about iTunes and clicked to stop the download. I finally had to restart the computer and download 10.12.2 separately (it no longer showed as an available update).
The system has run very slow ever since. No further updates are listed, but I want to move to 10.12.4. However, when checking I see that the current "system" is taking up 355gB. So it appears that I have
a partial download in there. Is there any way out of this without wiping the computer and doing a clean install? I forgot to do a backup when 10.12 was working.
Thanks

 

[honestone]

Need to know a couple of things:

1. What exact Mac model do you have?

2. You stated "I forgot to do a backup when 10.12 was working". Do you have any prior, "good" backup of whatever older OS you were using?

3. Have you ever done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective?

Now, do you still happen to have the file entitled "Install macOS Sierra"? If you don't, re-download it, but after the download completes, do not proceed with the installation. The file originally winds up within your Applications folder, but gets deleted after you complete the OS 10.12.2 installation running it form that location. Make a copy of that file in another location, and (hopefully you have one) on your backup.

Once you get things straight, you can download the OS 10.12.4 Combo Updater to get to OS 10.12.4. It is available from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1910?locale=en_US

 

[sathya]

At the suggestion of a friend I updates with the 10.12.4 combo. Now the Mac is running 10.12.4 but the system takes up 356gb. What should it be (size)?

 

[sathya]

Need to know a couple of things:

1. What exact Mac model do you have?

2. You stated "I forgot to do a backup when 10.12 was working". Do you have any prior, "good" backup of whatever older OS you were using?

3. Have you ever done any disk cleanup/maintenance/repairs, from a software perspective?

Now, do you still happen to have the file entitled "Install macOS Sierra"? If you don't, re-download it, but after the download completes, do not proceed with the installation. The file originally winds up within your Applications folder, but gets deleted after you complete the OS 10.12.2 installation running it form that location. Make a copy of that file in another location, and (hopefully you have one) on your backup.

Once you get things straight, you can download the OS 10.12.4 Combo Updater to get to OS 10.12.4. It is available from here:

https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1910?locale=en_US

 

[sathya]

iMac 2012
Have Time machine backups of 10.7.5. Maybe that's the way I have to go.
Have Clone Copy backup of 10.12.2 but after trying to update, so has same issues.
Unfortunately I already loaded the 10.12.4 combo before I saw this post. So now have 10.12.4 but system is 356gB.
Thanks

 

[honestone]

At the suggestion of a friend I updates with the 10.12.4 combo. Now the Mac is running 10.12.4 but the system takes up 356gb. What should it be (size)?

No way should the Mac OS be taking up that much space. On my MacBook Air (the machine I am entering this post on), with OS 10.12.4, the System folder takes up almost 5 gig of space, the Library folder about 6 gig, and the Applications folder about 20gig. And, my Applications folder has numerous third party apps in it, besides the ones installed by Sierra.

OK, I was entering my post while you entered yours above. I suspect you just upgraded "in place", ie, you let Sierra "overwrite" OS 10.7.5. Unfortunately, that is not always the best way to do it, as a fresh, clean installation of OS 10.12.x is better. So, here is what you need to determine:

1. What third party applications do you have? Some, of all, of them might need to be updated for Sierra compatibility.

2. What other important files do you have, like EMails, Quicken transaction files, etc.?

 

[sathya]

@honestone When I first upgraded os 10.7.5 to 10.12 everything was fine. The issue was when I tried to go from 10.12 to 10.12.2 and attempted to stop the download. THAT was the mistake. Yes I know I should not try to stop a download like that, yes I know I should do regular backups. I DID regular backups with 10.7.5, but I shut it off due to ignorance; I thought that I would loose the 10.7.5 backups to 10.12. Now I understand, but I don't want to turn on Time Machine until I overcome this problem.
Maybe I have to go back to 10.7.5 and then upgrade to 10.12

 

[honestone]

The thing is, you upgraded from OS 10.7.5 to OS 10.12.0, instead of first erasing and formatting your internal drive, then doing a clean, "virgin" installation of OS 10.12, and then, via Migration Assistant, "migrating"/copying needed "stuff" from your OS 10.7.5 (Time Machine) backup. Yes, I understand that things "initially" worked fine with OS 10.12.0, but that was still a huge jump.

Your best bet now is to 1) erase and format your internal drive, 2) do a fresh, clean, "virgin" installation of OS 10.12.4 (yes, that is the latest version of Sierra), and 3) via Migration Assistant, "migrate"/copy needed "stuff from your OS 10.7.5 backup. Again, though, before doing that, you need to do the following:

1. What third party applications do you have? Some, of all, of them might need to be updated for Sierra compatibility.

2. What other important files do you have, like EMails, Quicken transaction files, etc.?

 

[sathya]

@honestone Actually I already have most everything backed up. Don't have many 3rd party apps.

Thanks

 

[honestone]

It is not a matter of how many third party apps you have, but whether or not you still need to use any/all of them. How did you handle that when you upgraded from Lion (OS 10.7.5) to Sierra (OS 10.12.0)?

 

[sathya]

Can someone tell me where to download 10.12? I can find 10.12.4 but not the original 10.12.

 

[honestone]

I am not sure about this, but if you originally downloaded an earlier version of Sierra (OS 10.12.0, 10.12.1, 10.12.2, or 10.12.3), those should be in your "Purchased" folder. However, not sure if you would get that particular version. Why can't you just download OS 10.12.4? I have been using it since it came out, and it works fine.

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello,

The version that is in the App Store will always be the latest - i.e. 10.12.4. You cannot get "earlier" versions via the App Store. The only way to have access to previous versions of macOS/OS X, is to save them to an external drive once they have been downloaded.

Hope that helps,

C

 

[honestone]

Hello,

The version that is in the App Store will always be the latest - i.e. 10.12.4. You cannot get "earlier" versions via the App Store. The only way to have access to previous versions of macOS/OS X, is to save them to an external drive once they have been downloaded.

Hope that helps,

C

Thanks, Cory. That is what I suspected. I always have two copies of the latest "full" Mac OS version, and if applicable, the latest Combo Updater. That is the case for both of my Macs.

 

[sathya]

So I can wipe the drive and just load 10.12.4? Someone else told me I have to get 10.12 and then upgrade to 10.12.4. It did not make sense to me, but I have no experience with this.

 

[honestone]

So I can wipe the drive and just load 10.12.4? Someone else told me I have to get 10.12 and then upgrade to 10.12.4. It did not make sense to me, but I have no experience with this.

Each "full" version of the Mac OS contains Disk Utility. But, how are you going to have OS 10.12.4 wipe the drive it gets installed on? Either you run the already installed OS 10.12.4 on another device to have Disk Utility there wipe your internal drive, or else you follow what I stated above, about using an OS already installed on an external device to wipe your internal drive clean, and then do a fresh, clean, "virgin" installation of OS 10.12.4.

 

[Ormond]

The version that is in the App Store will always be the latest - i.e. 10.12.4. You cannot get "earlier" versions via the App Store. The only way to have access to previous versions of macOS/OS X, is to save them to an external drive once they have been downloaded.

It's true that Apple often refuses to make earlier versions of OSX available at any price. Most software developers will make earlier versions of their software available on their websites, but Apple is apparently way too cool to do something that helpful.

This problem can be solved by purchasing old versions of OSX from those who have it and are willing to sell it. Amazon is a source of such vendors.

Yes, ideally it would be better to get OSX directly from Apple. But when the ideal is not available the problem can still be solved by redirecting one's attention to those interested in helping Mac users solve their problems.

 

[honestone]

Yes, ideally it would be better to get OSX directly from Apple. But when the ideal is not available the problem can still be solved by redirecting one's attention to those interested in helping Mac users solve their problems.

That's exactly what we are doing. Instead of "bashing" Apple, we are providing viable, proven solutions. As it is, if one wants to start with OS 10.12.2, and then immediately upgrade to OS 10.12.4, it would be smater to just go to OS 10.12.4 directly. That is what we have done.

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

If you updated your OS version via the App Store that version should always remain available to you via your App Store account which is your AppleID.

I still have Mac OS X 10.8 available in my App Store account should I ever want to use it again.

You can also purchase as far back as Mac OS X Snow Leopard from Apples website.

 

[honestone]

If you updated your OS version via the App Store that version should always remain available to you via your App Store account which is your AppleID.

I still have Mac OS X 10.8 available in my App Store account should I ever want to use it again.

You can also purchase as far back as Mac OS X Snow Leopard from Apples website.

This is always a "confusing" issue, but I'll try and take a stab at it.

Under my "Purchased" tab, it shows the following "purchases"/downloads of versions of Mac OS:

El Capitan - 9/30/15

Yosemite - 10/17/14

Mavericks - 10/23/13

Lion - 7/20/11

For Sierra, none of my downloads show yet, but I understand that will be the case until a newer Mac OS comes out, and I download it. So, if I was to download Sierra from the App Store, it would be the latest version, OS 10.12.4. However, for any of the prior ones I listed, I don't know which versions they would be. I am positive that I downloaded a later, "full" version of El Capitan than either 10.11.0 or 10.11.1, but the date for El Capitan says 9/30/15, which is when I initially downloaded V10.11.1 (I never downloaded V10.11.0, as some of my third party apps were not updated at the time OS V10.11.0 came out).

If someone else can explain this better, I am "all ears"!