Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > macOS > Does software update now happen automatically?

Does software update now happen automatically?
Thread Tools
Veltliner
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 06:17 PM
 
Yesterday I got the news about the most recent Apple security update, but I was working, so I didn't do it right away.

Now I checked for new software, and the security update and the graphics update are no longer on the list. I noted that the shutdown yesterday night took a bit longer.

a. Did the security update happen without my say-so?

b. How can I make sure I received the most recent security update? I don't even know what it's called.
     
-Q-
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Atlanta, GA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 06:30 PM
 
A) They can be downloaded if you have that option checked, but I don't believe they can be installed without your authorization.

B) System Preferences>Software Update>Installed Software tab.
     
Cold Warrior
Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Polwaristan
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 06:36 PM
 
system prefs > software update > installed software

It'll show you what's installed, sort by date.
     
64stang06
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 08:18 PM
 
Chances are, as already stated, it downloaded the update in the background and then notified you. Now, when you go to shut down the computer, it does come up with a dialog asking if you want to install the update(s) now, and if ignored, will do it automatically after 60 seconds. So chances are, you chose to shut down, walked away/got up and the update went ahead and installed.
MacBook Pro 13" 2.8GHz Core i7/8GB RAM/750GB Hard Drive - Mac OS X 10.7.3
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 09:40 PM
 
Originally Posted by 64stang06 View Post
Chances are, as already stated, it downloaded the update in the background and then notified you. Now, when you go to shut down the computer, it does come up with a dialog asking if you want to install the update(s) now, and if ignored, will do it automatically after 60 seconds. So chances are, you chose to shut down, walked away/got up and the update went ahead and installed.
I don't think it would install w/o admin credentials.

-t
     
Veltliner  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 09:50 PM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
I don't think it would install w/o admin credentials.

-t
In this case it did. The log says it was installed around 3:00 PM today. That's when I ran software update to check for software, and it came up empty (except for an iTunes update I'm not interested in).

So it installed without me giving the admin password, without even showing me it installed.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 26, 2010, 10:45 PM
 
Strange.

I know I had to supply my credentials when it installed this security update.

-t
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 01:53 AM
 
The security update did not require a password, iirc.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 02:00 AM
 
Ha, maybe it was the graphics card update. I installed both at the same time.

Still weird why a GPU driver would need credentials, and a security update wouldn't.

-t
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 02:14 AM
 
Depends what the security update applies to.
     
turtle777
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: planning a comeback !
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 02:25 AM
 
It doesn't make sense. If the security update only changes things that can be changed w/o admin rights, anyone can easily revert the change or do worse things.

-t
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 02:34 AM
 
He'd still have to get me to run software to reinstate those loopholes, though?
     
Veltliner  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 03:53 AM
 
It was both the security update and the graphics update at the same time.

When I got the note about the new update, I unchecked iTunes, but then decided to not restart the computer just now, as I was in the middle of Photoshop work.

Then, the next day, the software update didn't list the graphics update, nor the security update, just the iTunes update. And the updates were installed without me entering the admin password.
     
64stang06
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2007
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 10:31 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
I don't think it would install w/o admin credentials.

-t
It does when you logout, unless you're not an admin. I know, I had to reinstall 10.6 this weekend and that scenario happened to me.
MacBook Pro 13" 2.8GHz Core i7/8GB RAM/750GB Hard Drive - Mac OS X 10.7.3
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 27, 2010, 11:19 AM
 
Originally Posted by turtle777 View Post
It doesn't make sense. If the security update only changes things that can be changed w/o admin rights, anyone can easily revert the change or do worse things.

-t
Depends on what the hole was. If the hole was privilege escalation from user to admin or root, then yes, it's pointless if it didn't require a password. If the hole was a buffer overflow or something in a file, you end up with a chicken and egg scenario after the update - you have to downgrade Preview (say) to make it execute your code, and you have to execute code to downgrade Preview.
The new Mac Pro has up to 30 MB of cache inside the processor itself. That's more than the HD in my first Mac. Somehow I'm still running out of space.
     
Veltliner  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Aug 28, 2010, 12:35 AM
 
Originally Posted by 64stang06 View Post
It does when you logout, unless you're not an admin. I know, I had to reinstall 10.6 this weekend and that scenario happened to me.
Looks like the fact of logging in is already a yes.

Could be that Apple makes its security updates "mandatory" to protect lazy user's computers.

This would make sense as no person would decline a security update.
     
Veltliner  (op)
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: here
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 2, 2010, 10:57 PM
 
I just got the software update on iTunes 10.

On the bottom, on the left, it says: "downloaded". Looks like the software is already on my computer, downloaded in the background.

But it's not in "Downloads".

Could be that this downloads automatically, and you only click to install.
     
Spheric Harlot
Clinically Insane
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: 888500128, C3, 2nd soft.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Sep 3, 2010, 02:02 AM
 
Well, the automatic downloads have been standard since at least 10.4, IIRC.

There's a setting in the system prefs to that effect.
     
   
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:46 AM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,