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I am unable to upgrade my MBP (2017) with Mojave 10.14.6 to Catalina (10.15)

What is the software update tool checking for, so that it knows whether an update is available or not? The menu item under the apple icon (top left) says I have a software update, and when I click on it, the system preferences panel runs a check and says there is not update and that I have the latest software 10.14.6 on my system.

I know others are facing this situation. I cannot do a complete reinstall. That SHOULD not be the right answer for this. I have a lot of data, a bunch development applications and configurations and customizations that I don't want to have to recreate.


Can you help me upgrade to Catalina from 10.14.6?

Posted on Oct 10, 2019 9:01 AM

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11 replies

Oct 10, 2019 9:31 AM in response to mahadevDW

You’re checking for updates, and Catalina is considered an upgrade.


Updates are fixes and minor changes, and are expected to be compatible.


Upgrades are larger and potentially involve incompatible changes. Catalina is incompatible with any 32-bit apps, and with any 32-bit drivers, too.


If an update has somehow gotten stuck, log out of the Mac App Store and log in again, and try again. If that fails to resolve the stuck-update notification, then boot into Safe Mode, as that will disable various add-ons, and will rebuild various caches, and try checking again. But I’m going to assume you’re correctly (not) seeing an update pending, when already running the most current update.


To upgrade? Back up your Mac, back it up again, check for any lingering 32-bit apps (Go64) as they won’t work, check your key apps, check that your printer and scanner vendor has drivers available, and go to the Mac App Store and download the Catalina upgrade.


Backups are your only (reasonable) path to reverting or recovering, should you encounter a problem with an update or an upgrade.

Oct 10, 2019 9:30 AM in response to MrHoffman

Catalina presents itself as an update via the System Preferences - -> software update. I have successfully upgraded/updated my iMac which was at 10.14.5.


the MBP was experiencing some issues after the Mojave upgrade with sleep/wake issues that were fixed in 10.14.6 supplemental update. Check this discussion: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250711754 . Some of my colleagues and others are experiencing this as well. I will try the couple of things you mention and see if they will help.


Thanks

Oct 12, 2019 1:35 PM in response to Senoj1513

So trying to download Catalina from the Mac App Store fails?

(Mojave has a second upgrade path available, via Software Update.)

And there’s no Install macOS Catalina.app found in Applications?

But again, I’d also wait for 10.15.1 or 10.15.2 to sort out some of the bugs, too.

And I’d absolutely have a complete backup created prior to the Catalina upgrade.

Oct 10, 2019 9:51 AM in response to mahadevDW

I’m not at all certain what you’re reporting.


You’ve upgraded your iMac from macOS Mojave 10.14.5 to macOS Catalina 10.15? Okay.


If the Mojave environment was having issues, an upgrade to Catalina may or may not resolve those.


I’m aware of the sleep-wake mess.


I’m not generally inclined to quickly install macOS upgrades. Not on required or must-work Mac systems. Not without some preliminary testing on a “scratch” install or a “scratch” Mac. Don’t test in production.


If you have some Mac systems that do need to be upgraded quickly, get into the developer program and test the betas on non-critical systems.


If past Apple practice holds, Mojave and High Sierra will both be receiving security updates, too.

Oct 10, 2019 10:01 AM in response to MrHoffman

*sigh*. I am reporting that if I have Mojave 10.14.6 (supplemental update) on a MBP, and I cannot upgrade or update to macOS Catalina -- and its not just me.


I do understand the benefits of beta testing, waiting to upgrade and critical/non-critical systems. My issue is NOT related to whether someone should or should not upgrade without proper testing or, whether or not its a good idea to be hasty or not.


My question to the community is, out of all the "other" beta testers, has anyone upgraded from 10.14.6 to Catalina? What did they have to do in order to make it happen? I am aware that I can back up my system and do a fresh install. I don't want to. I want to have a seamless upgrade experience.



Oct 10, 2019 10:28 AM in response to mahadevDW


mahadevDW wrote:

*sigh*. I am reporting that if I have Mojave 10.14.6 (supplemental update) on a MBP, and I cannot upgrade or update to macOS Catalina -- and its not just me.


So you’ve (also) tried to download Catalina from the Mac App Store, and have failed that way?


If you want something approaching “seamless”, wait for macOS 10.15.1 or 10.15.2, and for the early bugs to be fixed, and for the various app and printer and scanner vendors to update their docs, and release their app and driver updates.


Few (none?) of the macOS upgrades have ever been seamless. Not at first.

I am unable to upgrade my MBP (2017) with Mojave 10.14.6 to Catalina (10.15)

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