A new version of Mints adds the ability to view versions of installed firmware and recovery systems, valuable particularly for Apple silicon Macs.
Software Update
I was browsing thousands of log entries from Software Update and its relatives when something caught my eye. Here’s what became of it.
How to discover the version of ‘fallback’ Recovery, Bridge versions of T2 chips, and a whole lot more info about a Mac. And a bonus for Ventura.
Apple appears to have fixed recent problems installing XProtect and other security updates for some users at least. What if you’re still suffering problems?
A lot of effort has gone into improving Mac security, from firmware to new remediation software, but it’s the delivery that’s now lettings us down.
When a downloaded update fails to install, that failure isn’t reported back to either local Content Caching server or Apple’s software update servers. Reliable feedback is important.
Update failed to install.
What do you do next? Just try to download it again? What if you’re running a local Content Caching server?
How could Ventura apply security patches to itself while still running, and not require a restart? Here’s what is likely to happen.
The restore.log file on the Update volume contains details of all macOS updates installed since 11.0.1. Here’s a quick guide to its contents and use.
What’s normal for patterns of security data and macOS updates? How to recognise the pathological, which could reflect a security failure.
The Eclectic Light Company 