How do I ensure latest OS

[pianostar9]

I buy a lot of Apple products and hate when it doesn't come with the current OS upgrade. Considering some of the issues people have had upgrading Monterey and Big Sur how do I ensure I get the latest OS upgrade from the factory that leaves tested?

I feel exactly the opposite!

Hoping to get an older version of iOS, some jailbreakers will go in person and look up the serial number for the manufacture date to see if it was before the day a specific iOS version they're not interested in came out.

You could try to do the reverse I suppose.

 

[leslieg]

this whole thread is pointless sorry, the way all modern devices with operating systems work is that between the time of manufacturing and you receiving the product, there may be software updates released. this thing that you think exists where the OS is "certified" making it superior to performing the update yourself does not exist. there is no difference to just performing a software update when you unbox it.

 

[omeletpants]

No, they’re pretty much exactly anecdotal. As we all know, people post when something goes wrong. Next to no one posts “news flash: I successfully updated my mac this morning!”

If it happens to me it's not anecdotal

 

[omeletpants]

this whole thread is pointless sorry, the way all modern devices with operating systems work is that between the time of manufacturing and you receiving the product, there may be software updates released. this thing that you think exists where the OS is "certified" making it superior to performing the update yourself does not exist. there is no difference to just performing a software update when you unbox it.

Really, then why all the complaints about errors and issues when people upgrade?

 

[omeletpants]

Completely understandable, but just think, you can initiate the upgrade on your new computer, and then while it's going through the upgrade process, just come here and browse the forums and post your thoughts on this and that, and before you know it that hour has already gone by and the upgrade is completed! (And you've had the enjoyable experience of interacting with other forum members here).

Happy Thanksgiving!

And just when I thought the sun wouldn't come out

 

[omeletpants]

You think every device is booted into the OS before leaving from the factory?

It’s far more likely they have a system that connects via usb and does a hardware and screen test, it will then probably install the MacOS image after the tests complete and it will then be packaged up.

I’d be very surprised if they’re booting into macOS, so you won’t get the new OS “tested” from factory it’s no different than installing yourself

Sounds like you are unsure how it works

 

[MBAir2010]

I'm an old man, I also yell at clouds

iCloud?

there is nothing like starting up my fresh MacBook air with the intro to Snow leopard
the video experience is just amazing now as that was in 2010.

What do you want to do with your apple mac?
did you need to refresh the system to anew?
Apple used to charge $ for those until Mavericks in 2013
if your mac is earlier than that, you hight get high sierra from the  if you restore to original OS.

i hoped this helped!

 

[DeltaMac]

If it happens to me it's not anecdotal

Uh, yes - reporting your personal experience is pretty much the definition of anecdotal.

There's many more reports from users about problems with updates, as those with no problems usually don't post at all. Seems logical to me that users don't usually write a post when an update completes with no issues. I suspect there are many more of those who COULD post "Hey, done, no problems!", than those who report "my laptop dissolved into a hot pile of goo during the update". But, the ones that you notice are those reporting some kind of problem.

 

[Wando64]

This may seem irrational but I want them to do it and "certify" when it leaves the factory versus me doing it over the internet

That is exactly what they are doing... when it leaves the factory.
Then it goes into a box and it gets sealed. Then it goes into a container, on a ship and either to the shop or to a delivery company, etc...
In the meantime a new upgrade to the OS is released. What should they do? Open all the boxes in storage or in transit and upgrade the OS?

 

[omeletpants]

That is exactly what they are doing... when it leaves the factory.
Then it goes into a box and it gets sealed. Then it goes into a container, on a ship and either to the shop or to a delivery company, etc...
In the meantime a new upgrade to the OS is released. What should they do? Open all the boxes in storage or in transit and upgrade the OS?

There can be a label on the outside of the box indicating OS release. I go to BB and say I will take that one not that other one. If you dont care, great.

 

[Fishrrman]

The moment you take a new Mac out of the box, put it on the table and turn it on, the OS becomes "out-of-date".

That's because Apple's software engineers are already working on "an update" to what is currently installed.

As for WHICH version of the OS you get when you buy a new Mac, that depends on WHEN you buy it.

Buy a new MacBook Pro 14" today, and you'll get 12.0 (or maybe it's 12.0.1 already). Wait a few months, and you may get 12.1, etc.

The OS is like Forrest Gump's box of chocolates -- you never know what you may find inside...

 

[boss.king]

This may be the most first world problem I’ve ever heard of. You’ll have to update your system eventually, so why does doing it at setup make any difference?

 

[VividHuman]

There can be a label on the outside of the box indicating OS release. I go to BB and say I will take that one not that other one. If you dont care, great

Hypothetically if that were true, you could still buy the one with the older OS, open it and update it in 20-30 min. Whatever version you download is the same version that you would get if they installed it at the factory had that device been produced a little later.

A real life example, I bought an M1 air 2 weeks ago and it came with Big Sur installed even though Monterey was out for 2 week. Opened it up, installed Monterey and haven’t had any issues. It’s the same “certified” version that would have installed at the factory had I waited a few weeks for a new unit to be made.

There is no difference between having it installed at the factory vs downloading it over the air. It’s the same version. Like others have said any software release will have issues and factory vs downloading will not protect you from those since it’s the same version.

 

[Wando64]

There can be a label on the outside of the box indicating OS release. I go to BB and say I will take that one not that other one. If you dont care, great.

That's a great explanation as to why there isn't a label.

 

[collin_]

You can’t control what OS you get from the factory, but you can restore the device to the latest OS after you receive it. Whenever I get a new Apple product, I hook it up to my Mac and restore it directly to the latest OS using Apple Configurator 2 before I set it up (I always do a clean install). If you don’t have another Mac around, you can still restore to latest OS by booting into recovery.

I just like the idea of restoring a new product directly to the latest OS more than updating it and then setting it up. It’s like, if there’s no data on the device yet then why not do a clean install? Operating systems are huge and complicated and things can sometimes get messy when you do update to a new major release instead of doing a clean install.

 

[ericwn]

The comments here about upgrade issues is more than antecdotal

They also certainly almost never are about brand new devices. There will be a new software update either way, maybe a few weeks after your purchase maybe a few months at best and all you will achieve is have a very short time period of being up to date, if that.

 

[ericwn]

Really, then why all the complaints about errors and issues when people upgrade?

Because enthusiast forums tend to aggregate discussions about issues and things to improve. That’s the nature of discussion forums.

 

[omeletpants]

Because enthusiast forums tend to aggregate discussions about issues and things to improve. That’s the nature of discussion forums.

Not just forums. Do a google search and find plenty of references to these problems

 

[omeletpants]

That's a great explanation as to why there isn't a label.

Benefits the retailer or Apple, not me

 

[ericwn]

Not just forums. Do a google search and find plenty of references to these problems

And googling will also tell us that Elvis is an alien and returned to his home world. That has a comparatively low relation to the real world. Nothing is perfect and searching for mistakes will make you find them.

 

[omeletpants]

And googling will also tell us that Elvis is an alien and returned to his home world. That has a comparatively low relation to the real world. Nothing is perfect and searching for mistakes will make you find them.

And if you encounter those mistakes, everything you said is out the window

 

[Lihp8270]

Sounds like you are unsure how it works

I don’t work for Apple so my post is intentionally written to avoid stating “facts”. It is however based on other relevant manufacturing processes.

 

[omeletpants]

It is however based on other relevant manufacturing processes.

Which MAY apply

 

[Lihp8270]

What do you think the difference is between apple installing Monterey, and you installing Monterey?

 

[ericwn]

And if you encounter those mistakes, everything you said is out the window

Or you might catch one with the next update that will be released when the product is in your possession. And then all the updated in the factory security is out the window.