I have a base 2017 iMac running Big Sur 11.3, and when I go to Software Update in System Preferences, it says "Your Mac is up to date - macOS Big Sur 11.3." 11.6 should be available. I didn't get notifications for 11.4 or 11.5 either. The only way I can get it to update is to find Big Sur in the App Store and click "Get", but this appears to download the whole installer, and not just the update. What is going on?
iMac 21.5″, macOS 11.3
Is your iMac connected to your router via cable, this will provide a more stable connection to Apples Servers.
Have you tried using the Terminal to ask for software updates.
Open Terminal and at the prompt enter this text
softwareupdate -l
this may take a while so be patient
if you get a list of updates available you can then install them by entering this text
softwareupdate -i -a
or for individual updates
softwareupdate -i 'name of update in single quotes'
Read more here, https://www.howtogeek.com/347920/how-to-download-macos-updates-using-the-terminal/
Is your iMac connected to your router via cable, this will provide a more stable connection to Apples Servers.
Have you tried using the Terminal to ask for software updates.
Open Terminal and at the prompt enter this text
softwareupdate -l
this may take a while so be patient
if you get a list of updates available you can then install them by entering this text
softwareupdate -i -a
or for individual updates
softwareupdate -i 'name of update in single quotes'
Read more here, https://www.howtogeek.com/347920/how-to-download-macos-updates-using-the-terminal/
Have you been restarting your mac in-between attempts to solve this problem.
Try Force Quitting the softwareupdated processes and the
SoftwareUpdateNotificationManager process.
Restart your mac and open System Preferences> Software Update
and see if any progress has been made.
Shouldn't be here the problem but I'm just curious: can you please check in Activity Monitor (Applications -> Utilities) if the process "software updated" is running as you can see in the picture in the following post: https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/760866040
Point # 2 - Are there any AntiVirus, Disk Cleaner, Optimizers, Un-installers, etc installed which should be removed as per Developers Instructions. They are useless, unneeded, cause havoc and interfere with the normal operation of the OS and may even Corrupt the OS requiring a Reinstallation. The Built-in Security of Big Sur is all that is required.
And - yes CleanMyMac would qualify - if installed and used.
Point # 2 A - Commercial VPNs should only be used if Mandated by Corporate Head Office for working remotely. Otherwise - ones Privacy and Security touted by the VPN is suspect.
2) Nothing like that is installed.
2a) I have Private Internet Access VPN, but it wasn't connected or even running. Just to be sure I uninstalled it and got the same results.
I even restarted in safe mode and still got the same results.
Attached is what is showing up in /var/log/update.log when I check for updates. I'm guessing there is a clue there.
Not familiar with " Tesla SoftwareUpdateNotificationManager[614]: " so that this point - hope a more Learned Contributor picks up this question with more insights / assistance.
The only thing I can say - sometimes the Software Update Preference in Big Sur has been less than stellar and more work is required to make it right.
Command line update does not work either.
$ softwareupdate -l
Software Update Tool
Finding available software
No new software available.
Out of desperation I tried to update in Recovery mode and it said it needed more of free space to upgrade. I cleared off 40 GB of files and it told me the same thing. That is crazy! I have 60 GB free now. I guess I'll do the manual update for now and see if Monterey has the same problem when it comes out.
Thanks for yours and everyone else's help.
Even though I've gotten the update another way, I am still curious about this. This is a particularly bad problem for an OS to have. Throwing up an error message would be better. Then, at least you know something is wrong. If I didn't know that 11.6 was the current version, I might think everything was OK, but actually I'm missing some security updates.
Are all these Enabled
Yes, all those are enabled.
The suggestion of previous posting will work very well.
Though, the question of why the Software Update in System Preference does not provide Notification of an update - remains a mystery
Have you checked About This Mac to make sure your mac hasn't updated while you were looking the other way.
You didn't say whether you are connected to your router via cable.
Generally, this would indicate the computer is already running 11.6 or the reported version installed is off.
It was definitely still on 11.3 as reported in About This Mac and on the Software Update panel, as shown above. I am connected via ethernet cable. Wifi is turned off.
Yes of course, I am to of ideas.
Updates not showing in Software Update