Software Update Installers

[swwack91]

Just a curiosity and wanting to save HDD space -

If I were to download Mac OSX updates manually, I'd download the installer, install it, then trash the installer package file.

But I don't and I use Software Update. Does Software Update trash the installer after its done installing or does it keep all the packages from all the updates it has installed somewhere?

If it keeps them, where are they and can I delete them?

 

[OrangeCuse44]

Never thought of what Software Update does. I'd assume it trashes them but would like to know for sure...

 

[Father Jack]

As far as I know it does trash them, but then again etc. etc. .. 😱

 

[devman]

They're not kept. Check /Library/Caches/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate if you really care. And in tmp/501/...

There are package receipts that are kept though - and you don't want to delete those.

 

[swwack91]

what exactly is a package receipt?

and can i delete them if they're from software that i've since uninstalled? (not talking about the updates)

 

[devman]

/Library/Receipts

No, don't delete them. They are small and you're just messing around with the system for no good reason.

Software update uses them to track what is installed and what needs to be installed. Installers use them to determine if something is a new install or an upgrade. The installer also uses them for pre-req checks when doing an install. Repair permissions uses them to check the default permissions of files.