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zorinlynx

macrumors G3
Original poster
May 31, 2007
8,445
19,270
Florida, USA
The reason I ask is that it's SO MUCH FASTER that I worry the update is not the same as when you do it via the App Store application.

I'm talking about:

sudo softwareupdate -ia

This updated to 10.12.5, latest iTunes and a remote desktop client update in maybe a fifth the time it would take to do it using App Store.

Has anyone had horror stories doing softwareupdate -ia ? I'm hoping to make this my go-to method of updating.
 
It is the same. Its designed for running software update remotely via Apple Remote Desktop or similar. It looks at the same catalogs might be quicker as it is forcing a update. I have always found the App Store to be a little slow, probably because its running similar commands and making a pretty UI, but when downloading I often have to press the same button about 3 times to update all - think its also doing other refreshes in the background that causes a queue.

Bottom line, it is the same tool and gets it from the same location, and it would be quicker technically as your forcing that one task.
 
The reason I ask is that it's SO MUCH FASTER that I worry the update is not the same as when you do it via the App Store application.

I'm talking about:

sudo softwareupdate -ia

This updated to 10.12.5, latest iTunes and a remote desktop client update in maybe a fifth the time it would take to do it using App Store.

Has anyone had horror stories doing softwareupdate -ia ? I'm hoping to make this my go-to method of updating.
Remember that you need to manually reboot after running softwareupdate from the command line. The macOS update will do more installing once you restart.
 
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