macOS updates currently install to both System and Data volumes, although Apple claims the Data volume is unmounted during updating. Can an update cause problems with your Data volume, then?
SSV
From High Sierra’s four-volume group to macOS 12 on Apple silicon with three containers and 11 volumes, and both regular and fallback Recovery volumes.
When a startup disk is running short of space, needs a good clean up, or isn’t quite right, it’s tempting to try surgery. Here’s what you can get away with.
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.
We used to repair permissions of the system until SIP. After a short break, we often repaired them again, this time on preference files. Why did Apple cancel that? Should we still try it for fixing problems?
You may be surprised to learn that SIP or XProtect are disabled, that the SSV isn’t working, or that your security systems are way out of date.
From killing a process, through a regular restart, to Recovery and a bootable external recovery disk, all you need to know about fixing your Mac in macOS 11 and 12.
in Mac OS 8 and 9, you could patch the system direct. OS X was harder, and became sprawling and interdependent, encouraging users to reinstall macOS. That has now ended with the introduction of the SSV.
In Monterey, these haven’t changed much since Big Sur. However, those small differences are significant, particularly on M1 Macs.
How APFS, the boot volume group, hashes, and Secure Boot all combine to guarantee the integrity of your system, and save you trouble and work.
The Eclectic Light Company 