Updating apps using iTunes 12.6.5.3

Hi John

Only just seen your reply - thanks for the advice. And yes, definitely not wanting to mess with production machine. If I do clone etc and try it, I'll post results though I'm fairly confident Apple will just override the change as it seems to be an auto-install across the board, regardless of OS version.

Hopefully with the recent release of the Exposure Notification API to support COVID-19 contact tracing, Apple may be amenable to re-enable iTunes 12.6.x as a way of app management/deployment.

Thanks Gerard for offering to share experimentation results. I remember the days when that was an integral part of the Apple community:-)

Many issues are traceable back to auto-update. That's why, upon installing macOS, literally the first thing I do after initial boot-up is clear "Automatically check for updates" in System Preferences. Number two for me is ensure that the only thing enabled in iCloud is "Find My Mac".

To solve the problem of apps updating themselves automatically, there is a handy utility called Radio Silence. It's basically like a firewall in reverse and prevents specific outgoing traffic from a selected app.

This actually raises a question I have personally been wrestling with for a similar reason (obtaining entitlement for Configurator- I can't say buying as don't feel like you are really BUYING-- lol).

Can one use VMware Fusion to serve a NEWER version of Mac OS in a container then the native HOST OS. Use case: run Catalina (or other Mac OS > 10.12) in a VMware Fusion on Mac OS 10.12.6 (Sierra). Reasons for this include trying to run current TurboTax, obtain entitlement for Apple Configurator, and test potential upgrade and deployment scenarios. Hardware (MacBook Pro NATIVELY supports running Catalina so no hardware limitation)....

Running "future" or test version of OS in VM that is hosted on a PREVIOUS version of Mac OS is a PERFECTLY reasonable IT test procedure where redundant compatible hardware may not be available.

THANKS!!

Tom

Tom, indeed you can run a newer macOS version under Fusion on a host running an older operating system. For example, macOS 10.13.6 will run as a guest under VMware Fusion 10 on a mid-2011 iMac running 10.11.6 El Capitan.

VMware has extensive documentation and resources to determine compatibility such as:

https://www.vmware.com/resources/compatibility/search.php?deviceCategory=software

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/2088571

Please refer to an earlier post in this thread about modify the systemversion.plist to get Apple Configurator 2.

In essence, you'll copy an existing macOS vm and change the system version to 10.14.2. The App Store in the vm will now allow you to download Apple Configurator 2. Then discard the entire vm including the downloaded file. Its only purpose was to associate Apple Configurator 2 as an item purchased with your Apple ID.

You can now install a compatible version of Apple Configurator 2 in your production machine normally.

Apparently if one has loaded the iTunes direct from Microsoft Store as I did after moving machine to Win 10 from Win 7, there is no going back or deleting the existing installation, at least that I could find. Programs do not all show in the Control Panel "Programs & Features" if it comes from Microsoft Store, so can't remove it completely.

Another wonderful Win 10 "improvement" for users apparently, tied to the Microsoft Store for apps. I think I am stuck unless I reinstall Win 10, which is not likely since it took several nights work to get it updated.

I did try removing any reference to Apple software via Control Panel "Programs & Features" first before installing the iTunes 12.6.5.3 from the link. After install I get error that says iTunes can't work because a newer edition is already installed. There is no option to uninstall via the Microsoft Store either, so I am stuck.

Thank you fritzmom, using that link and following all of the directions ALMOST did the trick. I did all the steps (after backing up my iTunes to disk) and got the iTunes 12.6.5.3 installed. It would not start up, saying that the file iTunes Library.itl was made with a newer version of iTunes and so could not start up at all. So I deleted that file from iTunes directory, shut down and restarted. That did the trick, and am now up and running on my Win 10 machine. I will have to go back and rebuild my Audiobooks which got lost in the shuffle, but no problem, all backed up elsewhere

I have now downloaded all my iPhone and iPad "Purchased" app .ipas into this version satisfactorily, with 3 exceptions - all Apple apps which say I have to download to an iOs device, can't be downloaded in Win 10. They are Find My friends, Apple Podcasts and Apple Books, no real loss there.

Also tried out the Updates Tab and it works!!! Finally can keep up again.

Just one further question: How do I transfer the updated .ipas to my Mac iTunes - previous post says to drag and drop to iTunes, but what folder? Mobile Apps is where the old ones are, i think.

Thanks again, and also big RASPBERRY to Apple for making us Mac users have to bend over backward like this to use Apps backup and Update functions that should be freely available to any Mac user who wants it!!

You're Welcome BobW0904, glad I was able to point you in the right direction. Came across that while looking to see what would happen if a downloaded iTunes didn't work for me. I'm now using 2 PCs, a Win 7 and this new Win 10. iTunes 12.6.5.3 worked on the Win 7 and now works on Win 10. So I'm thinking that maybe I'll just upgrade iTunes on the Win 7 to the latest version so I can update all our iDevices to iOS 13+, everything is still iOS 12.xx. But keep the Enterprise version on Win 10 for app management.

Sorry but I can't help you with Mac stuff, except for iDevices, I'm Windows.

Interesting about those Apple apps you couldn't download, I just downloaded 3 Apple Essentials (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) via iTunes 12.6.5.3 update. Don't use the 3 you mentioned at all, so I agree with 'no loss there'.

Actually a huge 'raspberry' to Apple for treating all their customers the way they are.

Have a Good One and I hope you find the Mac answer you need!

Just in case anyone from Apple is reading this, here is why we all want the update function back on the Mac. I am now downloading backup copies on my Win 10 for 334 apps, which my family uses on 5 iOs devices. So far after 4 hours of download time, only 150 have copied.

So if I don't maintain these files as backup for my devices, and I need to wipe and rebuild any device, I am looking at minimum 4-6 hours to restore the apps, AFTER I restore the device itself from iTunes or the cloud. Have had to do this several times in the past, so it is likely to happen again.

So I need the on computer backup of all my apps, do you understand?I don't want to wait 4-6 hours, from a direct connect to backup takes maybe 15 minutes.

Please fix the Mac iTunes 12.6.5.3 so I can do it the way it should be.......

I have just about given up myself, and have been manually updating apps on the phone as necessary. I am hesitant to totally throw in the towel with iTunes and just let App store update at will (individually on each and every iOS device), as I have had updates to some apps log me out, or lose my info, so that if I am out and about, and need to be to use an app, I may not have the info handy to be able to log in, or don't want to have to re-enter all my credit card info when I am trying purchase transportation tickets, or use other services on the spot...

Same problem here.

49 apps show as having updates avilable, but download does not work.

APPLE, please explain / help!

THANX!

I wonder if COVID-19 has given apple and the internet problems?Maybe control of internet volume is need in this emergency.

But the Downloads works with iTunes Business Win-Version....

Thanks for the link, Annabelle! Feedback submitted, in the vain hope that it will make a difference.

Don't be so negative. There is nothing illicit in doing that 😊

I'm just telling the truth no more