Use full macOS Installer as a Combo-Updater?

[dark knight]

Hello,
With no more combo update packages available for Big Sur, Monterey, and Ventura, is it possible to use a full macOS installer as a combo updater? This would save downloading the same update for many machines.

Could I just run 'Install macOS' from the desktop? I am not sure if the install process would result in the current system simply being updated? Would I need to run the installer app from a bootable usb installer or not?

I am specifically looking to update to the recent 11.7.6 and 12.6.5 on a few machines.

Thank you for your help

 

[Mike Boreham]

Hello,
With no more combo update packages available for Big Sur, Monterey, and Ventura, is it possible to use a full macOS installer as a combo updater? This would save downloading the same update for many machines.

Could I just run 'Install macOS' from the desktop? I am not sure if the install process would result in the current system simply being updated? Would I need to run the installer app from a bootable usb installer or not?

I am specifically looking to update to the recent 11.7.6 and 12.6.5 on a few machines.

Thank you for your help

Yes you can do this. This is one of the main purposes of bootable installers.

 

[posguy99]

With no more combo update packages available for Big Sur, Monterey, and Ventura, is it possible to use a full macOS installer as a combo updater? This would save downloading the same update for many machines.

Yes. I always do this. Make a USB boot, use it to update machines. Learned through bitter experience, never trust Apple delta updates, whether macOS or iOS. Yes, assuming it does it correctly, the SSV is the SSV is the SSV, it's whether the delta updater works or kills the machine instead.

Someone else has other experiences, more power to them. I merely relate my experience.

 

[dark knight]

Thank you so much for your experience this worked great ~

M1 iMac: macOS Big Sur 11.7.5 —> 11.7.6

I booted with the USB Installer and chose Install macOS. It does not give you any indication that your data and settings will remain and the process seems to be the same as a clean install. I wonder if it overwrites the whole OS?

After installation completes, all user data and settings seem untouched. You do have to sign into iCloud again, though, it does not need 2FA

I wonder if you can simply run the Install macOS app from the desktop?

This is really handy for some situations, thank you again ^-^

 

[DarkPremiumCho]

I wonder if you can simply run the Install macOS app from the desktop?

Yes. Both ways will do.