Machattan
Level 1 (8 points)
Desktops

Q: Latest Security Update and Build ID


Hi folks,

 

Simple El Cap question here I hope...

Anyone know why the latest security update (Update 2016-001) changed the build number? Now our Mac Book Pros and our iMac 5k both show a build number of 15G1004. They had their own unique IDs. Which is what we used to identify our imaging process.

 

Thoughts?

iMac with Retina 5K display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.6)

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 1:33 PM

by Kappy,Solvedanswer
Kappy Kappy
Level 10 (270,039 points)
Desktops
A:

We are only users. We are not Apple. Only they can answer your question. For now, Apple wanted to change the build number in order to identify that the security update has been installed.

Posted on Sep 6, 2016 2:04 PM

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Machattan

Q: Latest Security Update and Build ID

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,Solvedanswer

    Kappy Kappy Sep 6, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Machattan
    Level 10 (270,039 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Machattan

    We are only users. We are not Apple. Only they can answer your question. For now, Apple wanted to change the build number in order to identify that the security update has been installed.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 6, 2016 5:21 PM in response to Machattan
    Level 8 (49,645 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 6, 2016 5:21 PM in response to Machattan

    Build numbers are not unique to a specific Mac.

    A released OS version has a build number.

    On some hardware, Apple will create a special build of the OS that only works on that type of Mac, specifically built to handle new hardware unique to that model. When the next update occurs, the special build code will be rolled into the update.

    Depending on a build number to be unique from one Mac (or model) to another is not in any way reliable.

     

    Every Mac will have a unique serial number, and also unique MAC addresses for each network interface.

    They will also have a model identifier which is unique to that hardware.

  • by Luis Sequeira1,

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 7, 2016 5:09 AM in response to Machattan
    Level 6 (11,748 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 5:09 AM in response to Machattan

    What Barney said.

     

    Build Numbers identify the software, not the hardware.

  • by Machattan,

    Machattan Machattan Sep 7, 2016 5:47 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 7, 2016 5:47 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

    Thanks for everyones insight!

    So what would be the best way to identify hardware? So we know which build goes on which computer?

  • by Luis Sequeira1,Helpful

    Luis Sequeira1 Luis Sequeira1 Sep 7, 2016 6:23 AM in response to Machattan
    Level 6 (11,748 points)
    Sep 7, 2016 6:23 AM in response to Machattan

    I think that the Hardware UUID is what you are looking for.

    You can see that under System Information, along the machine's serial number (hold down option, choose System Information from the Apple menu and click Hardware).

     

     

    Screen Shot 2016-09-07 at 14.00.30.png

     

    I am sure there is a way to retrieve this information programatically, but I am not familiar with it.

  • by Barney-15E,

    Barney-15E Barney-15E Sep 7, 2016 6:10 AM in response to Machattan
    Level 8 (49,645 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 7, 2016 6:10 AM in response to Machattan

    There is only ever a need for a special build when the hardware is new and the publicly released OS cannot support the hardware. Once an update to the OS occurs, it will roll those changes into the OS and there will be no need for a special build.

    Mac hardware do not necessarily need a different build of the OS. It will only need a different build if new hardware is released in between the normal OS release schedule.

    Maintaining different images for different Macs is generally unnecessary. You would only need a different image for a few months when the hardware is new.

    Once the publicly released OS handles the new hardware, every Mac will boot from the same image.

     

    For that short term, you could use the model identifier as found in the hardware section of System Information.