macOS v10.13 High Sierra - Downloading and Installing Upgrade
Some of you might be using Mac for your multi-rotors and drones, so I thought I would post my notes from my recent High-Sierra upgrade here.
I'm not one to upgrade my Mac's macOS that quickly. Maybe it's because this is an older Mac-Mini(Late 2012) or I currently really only use my Mac for iOS-App development.
However, I don't like to be more than one-version behind, so I at least like to upgrade before the next new final version is released. Let's get started.
Using Apple-Software-Update, make sure all applicable updates are installed to your existing/installed macOS first.
To download High Sierra for use with a bootable installer, be sure to download from a Mac that is currently using:
- High Sierra
- Sierra 10.12.5 or later
- El Capitan 10.11.6.
Enterprise administrators, please download from Apple, not a locally hosted software-update server.
Click the Upgrade button on top High Sierra banner of Updates page.
- After it downloads, the button will say DOWNLOADED. Installer-file is about 5.25gb
- If Installer auto-starts, close Installer for now.
- The macOS-Installer (*.app) file's normal download location is the Applications folder. There might also be a new Icon in LaunchPad for it.
Create macOS USB Recovery Drive
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372
The best time to create this is after downloading installer/updater, but before installing it.
It seems that after it is actually (later) installed, the large 4-6gb file will be automatically deleted from your local HDD/SSD.
Disk-Utility and Terminal are located in the Applications/Utilities folder
Open Disk-Utility, and erase (format) a 16gb flash-drive as "MacOS Extended-Journaled" . Name it "MyVolume" .
For High Sierra, enter into Terminal:
sudo /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app/Contents/Resources/createinstallmedia --volume /Volumes/MyVolume --applicationpath /Applications/Install\ macOS\ High\ Sierra.app
Press Return after typing the command (copy and paste also works).
When prompted, type your administrator password and press Return again (Terminal doesn't show any characters as you type your password).
When prompted, type Y to confirm that you want to erase the volume, then press Return.
Terminal shows the progress as the bootable installer is created. (It takes a while)
When Terminal says that it's done, the volume will now have the same name as the installer you downloaded, such as "Install macOS High Sierra".
You can now quit Terminal and eject the volume.
This seemed to have worked fine.
Observations:
- Notice that as "createinstallmedia" starts, it again erases/formats volume as "MacOS Extended-Journaled".
- There is a 5.25gb installer-file on the drive now. The flash-drive is renamed and also made bootable.
- If you try to use this macOS Recovery drive later (and it does not work) you might have to temporarily change the Mac's date to now.
- Notice that Apple says you now need 11-12gb space on destination volume for High-Sierra. So, you must use a 16gb flash-drive this time
- - I think it writes the file twice, compares both checksums are correct/matching, and then deletes one (or similar actions).
- - This might help explain why it takes so long, and why you need double-the-space
Before starting actual upgrade:
If a Mac desktop, be sure it is connected to a good UPS (like an APC).
Disconnect un-necessary peripherals.
Made sure all applicable updates are installed to existing macOS first
- I noticed that this time it was still showing 2 INCOMPATIBLE Updates (Xcode 9.4.1 and iMovie 10.1.9). Another sign it's time to upgrade.
Be sure a TimeMachine backup has run recently, but is NOT currently running.
- I decided not first run a SuperDuper full-image this time (or mess with updating SuperDuper just yet). Might do later, afterwards.
- I set SimpleControl Hub App to not start on boot for a while
Installing macOS v10.13 - High-Sierra (as overlay upgrade).
Reboot and make sure no other applications are running.
Start the High-Sierra Installer/Updater.
- Agree to the license and install to your main drive (usually named Macintosh HD).
- Enter your admin login-password so High-Sierra can add Helper-Tool.
- You Mac will reboot and upgrade will start (even with a SSD, this phase takes about 45 minutes).
- Login normally
- Enter your password for Apple-ID. If you have more than one, take note of which one it is asking about.
- - iCloud might ask to make changes to your account. Enter your Mac's admin login-password
- Setup finishes and desktop appears.
- About-this-Mac says macOS High-Sierra (v10.13.6) is installed
- Restart/Reboot to start-fresh. Boot-speed seems about the same.
Look around a bit and test your favorite programs. Seems fine to me.
Check that your old data-files are still there (stuff you save in your named User Folder). Still there for me.
If you use iCloud, you can do a quick check by making sure your Contacts and Notes are there and still syncing with iPhone/iPad. Also, OK for me.
Go to App-Store.
- First, click on Purchased, and make sure you can see your Purchased Apps from over the years.
- - If you use a different Apple-ID for App-Store/iTunes Purchases, you will have to enter that other password now
- Now, you can go to Updates, Mac will be scanned, and you can install those final updates for Xcode and iMovie (and any others).
- Xcode updates are usually large and take a while, so I update Xcode separately.
Failure to do it this way will likely result in constant App-Store "wheel spinning"
- However, it might just be because I use two different accounts (a sharing-solution setup long-before Family-Sharing was an available feature).
After any of these primary Apps/Programs get updated, I usually run them once to make sure they still work and to see what's new.
Be sure your TimeMachine backup is still working. It might take a few hours before it's reporting properly.
- Eventually, it should do a large backup of arounf 10gb (takes about 60 minutes to complete).
- Seems fine to me (with no intervention required).
Noticed that my main macOS partition (on my Kingston SSD) has been migrated to APFS.
- Not sure why only this drive. My guess is because it is my only SSD, or maybe just because it is the main macOS partition.
My USB TimeMachine HDD was not (still MacOS Extended-Journaled)
My BOOTCAMP partition was not (still NTFS)
BootCamp:
Restarted MacMini (and held-down Option-key at chime) to boot native Windows-10/64bit (v1703) on my BootCamp partition ... seems to work fine. SIP is still Enabled (like its always been).
While I was in there, ran Apple Software Update (you might have to run it 3 times before it finds updates). Installed the newly-available "WiFi-Update for Boot-Camp".
Shut-Down Windows and restarted MacMini to automatically default-boot back into High-Sierra again.
I'm calling my High-Sierra upgrade successful and done. Hopefully this helps someone.
EDIT:
After 6 months, all is still working fine.
