How macOS updaters have changed over the last decade, and why they’re far more reliable, but you can’t download a standalone updater any more.
firmware
In less than 5 years, Macs have gone from unsecured firmware and booting to a fully secure process to deliver, install and run firmware which can’t be exploited.
Since replacing Open Firmware in 2006, EFI firmware has undergone major change. Now only installed as part of a macOS install or update, here’s its story.
Upgrading to Monterey is simple for the great majority of users. But what can you do if you can’t get it to install? Here are plenty of options.
Going from 11.0 to 11.6 required over 50 GB of updates for an M1 Mac. Has Monterey tamed the beast, and reduced them? And which Macs will be supported by macOS 13?
Once the kernel takes over from iBoot, there’s a lot of hardware to get running before the SSV can be properly validation, and kernel extensions loaded.
Sometimes known as iBoot1 and iBoot2, they start work with the LocalPolicy for the intended boot volume, validating its vital components.
Understanding each of the four stages in the Secure Booting of an M1 Mac. These are summarised in diagram available here.
There’s a fundamental difference in the way that Intel and M1 Macs store and load their ‘firmware’, which enables the M1 Mac to load and run difference versions of iBoot.
This article has now been extensively corrected and modified.
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