macOS Monterey is now available

Risk it or just go for the Big Sur 11.6.1 update....Hmmmm I wonder what will break.....

Appleinsider's assessment

Just rebooted. Hello world!

Well it appears to be OK. Took about 45 minutes, all in, including the 12.1GB download. Now to see what's what....or not, as the case may be

I always do an install of new versions of the OS on an external drive. Then I give it a week or two to see if anything has broken.

Probably concur with AI article in that this feels more of an Snow Leopard from Leopard update. All good so far.

Decided I'd stick with the Big Sur update for the nonce... it took nearly as long to install

Arstechnica are saying wait for 12.1 (but they always say wait).

Can’t see anything broken yet, which is a good sign. As said this release feels a lot more incremental, overall, than some of the feature expectations would lead you to believe.

I had a chat with a Mac owning friend this morning, and she is staying put with High Sierra on her Mac pro, she thinks after High Sierra. Mac Os went to look like a mobile phone OS. thjis is why she is shocked that I am thinking of going MAc as I complain about Windows looking more like a mobile phone OS.

The trouble with marooning yourself on a particular version of an OS, especially one that is now four versions since the current release, is that it becomes an increasingly difficult proposition to move off it. You just get more stuck until one day you have no choice but to move off and then it's (usually_) major trauma time.

I think its really a counterproductive move, better to keep with 1 or 2 vers. of the current release, but who am I to say...whatever floats ya boat.

The main problem is that she will get left behind in terms of security updates. Apple pretty much has a three generations and you're out approach.

The only good reason for staying on High Sierra if is she has some 32-bit apps (as I do with my old laptop), since MacOS is now 64-bit only.

While the aesthetics don't do much for me you would never mistake MacOS for a mobile OS - it isn't trying to be, even with Big Sur. Apple is seeking (not always effectively) for thematic consistency. Functionally it is all desktop.

Didn't security updates for High Sierra end last year? It seems to be a very poor decision to stick with it if one's hardware supports newer releases.

Security of an OS is more important than looks.

https://youtu.be/KhTpanq4h7U

I didn’t watch the whole thing. They’re a bit fanboyesque for my liking, but they make some decent observations. Thanks for sharing.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

Didn't security updates for High Sierra end last year? It seems to be a very poor decision to stick with it if one's hardware supports newer releases.

I’m not 100% on that date but it won’t be too far off. 4 generations behind for a “daily driver” is not a great idea from a security perspective.

In reply to a post by ian_c:

While the aesthetics don't do much for me you would never mistake MacOS for a mobile OS - it isn't trying to be, even with Big Sur. Apple is seeking (not always effectively) for thematic consistency. Functionally it is all desktop.

I agree. The only exception I can think of that feels remotely tablet or phone-like is Launchpad and you can leave it alone if you don’t like it. However Launchpad has been in MacOS for ages, well before High Sierra.

Big Sur is a (very obviously) desktop OS. I think Zyborg’s friend has taken a glimpsed first impression view rather than actually using it as we do.

Saying that I haven’t had the chance to look at running iOS apps on Monterrey (yet). M1 tin needed for that.

Its only Day 3, but so far I'm happy with Monterey. Very happy.

Unlike in previous release, theres nothing I've hit on so far that makes me regret the upgrade. It's nice and solid.

Good to know - I'll probably push the button over the weekend.

If you want an amusing diversion, iJustine has done an "unboxing" of the Apple Cloth in her usual hyper-kinetic style.

Haha. She’s good. Had a good giggle. 🤣

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

The trouble with marooning yourself on a particular version of an OS, especially one that is now four versions since the current release, is that it becomes an increasingly difficult proposition to move off it. You just get more stuck until one day you have no choice but to move off and then it's (usually_) major trauma time.

I think its really a counterproductive move, better to keep with 1 or 2 vers. of the current release, but who am I to say...whatever floats ya boat.

Why would it be difficult to move off it?
I am shocked to be honest that her Mac pro is compatible with Monterey, the computer is 7 years old.

In reply to a post by ian_c:

The main problem is that she will get left behind in terms of security updates. Apple pretty much has a three generations and you're out approach.

The only good reason for staying on High Sierra if is she has some 32-bit apps (as I do with my old laptop), since MacOS is now 64-bit only.

While the aesthetics don't do much for me you would never mistake MacOS for a mobile OS - it isn't trying to be, even with Big Sur. Apple is seeking (not always effectively) for thematic consistency. Functionally it is all desktop.

I don't think she has any 32bit apps.
Yes, I have heard about the 64 bit thing from a mate, his version of Office stopped working on his laptop when he updated to a later version of Mac OS, he was not impressed.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

Security of an OS is more important than looks.

Up to her at the end of the day, her computer and she has been using Macs long enough to know what she is doing, which is maybe why she was shocked that I am looking at going for a Mac, she doesn't think I will cope with a OS that is more locked down than Windows and a hardware that is certainly locked down.

With Apple the hardware age usually isn’t the limiting factor but mix of applications and other utilities etc as you note in your post above. Leaping four versions will not necessarily be as smooth process - therefore it make it more difficult and folks are less inclined to do it for fear of what may break.

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

With Apple the hardware age usually isn’t the limiting factor but mix of applications and other utilities etc as you note in your post above. Leaping four versions will not necessarily be as smooth process - therefore it make it more difficult and folks are less inclined to do it for fear of what may break.

As i said, it is up to her, she did say about updating the Imac, her daughter had a problem updating her macbook the last time, maybe that is what may put her off as well as not liking the mobile phone look, after all the Mac pro is her work machine.

i have just seen this.
https://www.neowin.net/news/macos-monterey-is-report...

Edited by zyborg47 (Tue 02-Nov-21 10:37:45)

All worked fine for me, seems to be as solid as Big Sur at the minute

Not so good here. I did an install an external SSD (as an update of my current Big Sur install) and can only get it to boot in safe mode. The boot messages seem to indicate hat it can't read the SSD; as it boots in safe mode I can only think it's a kext problem related to the (Samsung) SSD.

So I think I'll stick with Big Sur for my live boot.

From that and Adrian's link I seems the issue is installing on an ExtHD and therefore outside the system partition.

No isuue on internal (Apple) SSD. 2016 era MBP I7 6th gen

I'm sure that there would be no problems on my internal drive. But I'd prefer to be sure of the cause before upgrading as I need to use the external SSDs.

I don't think it's that as a separate system partition is created on the external drive. And I've never had this particular problem with previous versions of the OS. At least it hasn't bricked the Mac, as in Adrian's link, so it's unlikely to be a firmware problem.

There are a couple of kexts with Samsung in the name on my Big Sur install. I may try a fresh install, rather than an upgrade, on the external SSD to see if that boots. It's clearly not a serious problem as it boots in safe mode.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

I don't think it's that as a separate system partition is created on the external drive. And I've never had this particular problem with previous versions of the OS. At least it hasn't bricked the Mac, as in Adrian's link, so it's unlikely to be a firmware problem.

There are a couple of kexts with Samsung in the name on my Big Sur install. I may try a fresh install, rather than an upgrade, on the external SSD to see if that boots. It's clearly not a serious problem as it boots in safe mode.

Have you tried an SMC reset?

Do you think its related to the USB issue reported here? Although this appears to be mainly M1 silicon and Monetrey, there are also Intel based machine affected.

Yeah. I've done all the normal troubleshooting stuff. That USB problem seems to affect external hubs, whilst this is a USB-C disk plugged directly into one of the USB-C ports. The fact that it boots in safe mode indicates some kext or program is causing it rather than a fundamental problem.

Another strange thing I discovered yesterday is that I can't clone the Monterey install to another external drive. I forget the exact error message but I think it said something about the drive not being unlocked. Strange. But that could be because I'm trying to clone a Monterey disk whilst running Big Sur.

It's not a huge deal as I've no need to upgrade right now, but I don't like it when I can't understand a problem.

Finally time to upgrade my MacBook Air (late 2014)

Missed the cutoff time for being supported...



A

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Risk it or just go for the Big Sur 11.6.1 update....Hmmmm I wonder what will break.....

2 weeks passed now. Happy to report all good and no issues (touch wood).

In reply to a post by nonymouse:

Finally time to upgrade my MacBook Air (late 2014)

Missed the cutoff time for being supported...



A

Yeah the cutoff was early-2015 MB Air's...

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

In reply to a post by Pheasant:

Risk it or just go for the Big Sur 11.6.1 update....Hmmmm I wonder what will break.....

2 weeks passed now. Happy to report all good and no issues (touch wood).

Stability remains all good here. Most recent reboot was last week, so OK I think.

Though Apple probably warming up for a Monterey point release in the next 10 days or so....if history is any guide.

Monterey 12.1 is out tonight. 3.17GB download.

12.4 just installed. Nothing broke