Xcode 13.4 update taking much too long, how to stop it.

I have a 2019 Macbook Pro 16" and it took me more than 12 hours to finish the install. I thought it froze, but it was still working. You can find out if it's still working by opening the "Console" and type in "App Store" in the search bar and hit start. It will show the progress of the installation when you click on one of the log.

unix_user wrote:

I'm the same situation: hours of waiting without being able to work... shocking...

macOS is the worst copy of a unix system....

You just be new to Unix. There are some atrocious options available. And then years ago there was Apollo Aegis, which was almost Unix (ld for ls, etc), kinda like how Linux now is almost Unix. And HP-UX is just… well… weird. But that’s all fodder for another time.

If you’re a member of the Apple Developer program, you can download Xcode directly. No App Store involvement.

As for restarting the download, cancel the download in the App Store, reboot through Safe Mode to reset and rebuild the caches, and try again, as was mentioned above.

The direct download takes approximately forever to unpack once arrived too, with a mid-grade Intel with an SSD with around 200 gig free. The local Xcode install also went from around ten gigabytes downloaded to more than thirty gigabytes installed, which is both impressive compression and an impressive amount of compressible stuff.

If there’s something wonky with your Mac, or low free space (deadly), or with the network, or with Apple servers, this all gets longer, too.

ps: lft looks useful. Thanks.

There is something going on between you and Apple servers, or your remaining available storage limitations for an installation running beyond an hour. I always turn off Time Machine during these downloads as a huge Xcode download would drive it nuts.

You can observe the Xcode download and installation progress by placing your cursor over the blue activity circle in the Mac App Store. This will show the percent of download or installation progress. Like watching a sundial…

If you jump on the first Mac App Store update notice for the newest Xcode, you will be competing with millions of others attempting to also download it and Apple's servers can only handle just so much load. If there is any Internet infrastructure between you and Apple's servers that has failed, causing re-routing and slower response, that too may be a cause of these long experienced delays.

Using Layer Four Traceroute (see brew info lft), I am 9 hops from developer.apple.com, and it takes me nearly an hour to get Xcode 13.* downloaded and installed via the Mac App Store. My typical speed tests show around 100MB/sec bandwidth over Comcast cable. Ironically, I could get 500MB/sec ATT fiber for much less than what Comcast is charging, but that is another story…

Restart through Safe Mode, and try again.

I've encountered same issue attempting to install 13.4 upgrade on 2021 MacBook Pro running Monterey and have same questions - how to abort/delete install. Previous version not accessible and application icon displays installing 4.95 GB of 4.95 GB.

I'm the same situation: hours of waiting without being able to work... shocking...

macOS is the worst copy of a unix system....

And then there was the deafening Apollo DN560 that filled a workspace cube with central heating… and probably even today, one can find header files in HPukes that still reference Bell UNIX™.