macOS 11.2, 11.2.1 and 11.2.2 have come in quick succession. What do they tell us about how difficult it is to update Big Sur’s sealed System volume? Is this the way to go?
SSV
Although updating each M1 Mac requires 1 GB of direct download from Apple, there are great economies in running your own Content Caching Server. And why Apple doesn’t want to offer standalone Big Sur updates.
Detailed account of disk, volume and folder layouts on Big Sur’s boot disks, complete with roadmaps which are downloadable as PDFs.
Diagrams of the layout of volumes on boot disks for macOS 10.13 to 11, covering both Intel and M1 models.
It’s a commonplace task: make a bootable external disk for emergency use, containing your diagnostic and repair tools. On a new M1 Mac? Should be simple.
For all Macs running Big Sur, these now report whether its new System volume is correctly sealed, and about Platform Security for M1 Macs.
How can you tell whether your Mac’s shiny new Sealed System Volume is properly sealed? You could easily be misled into thinking it isn’t.
It’s got to be better than Catalina, so why not upgrade when it first comes out? Here are some suggestions to help you make your decision.
A complete guide to the structure and layout of APFS startup disks from High Sierra to Big Sur (Intel), together with tear-out PDF charts.
Looking at what’s involved in updating Big Sur’s new Sealed System Volume shows what’s necessary for successful cloning.
