I have heard “do not upgrade to Catalina until the bugs have been worked out”. So when is the right time?
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Jesse scott
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When Is Safe To Upgrade To Catalina?
Comments: 13 Responses to “When Is Safe To Upgrade To Catalina?”
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Never. The bugs will never be worked out. The bugs have never been worked out of Mojave or any earlier version of macOS either. The same for Windows, Linux, Android, etc. Software is never perfect and there will always be bugs.
Personally, I upgrade right away. Sure there are problems, but there are also fixes for old problems and new features that I want to take advantage of.
I can't tell you when the time is right for you. But as for me, I want to get the most out of my Mac, so I want the new features ASAP and I actually enjoy seeing the changes as macOS evolves and I change along with it.
With Catalina do I have to remove 32 bit software first?
Pauline: No. You don't need to remove the software. Those won't work with Catalina, but you can remove the apps later, there is no need to do it before.
I am fairly new to the Apple world, and at 73, I am wondering if I update to Catalina, and things go “south “, can I go back to the way things were before I updated my MacBook Pro? Kind of like you can “restore “ in Windows. This will be my first OS upgrade since going to Mac. BTW, I love my Mac, and am having fun learning how to use it
Ralph: Technically, yes. But it isn't easy to go back. It takes a lot of technical know-how, time and effort because there are a lot of fundamental changes between Mojave and Catalina. What are your fears?
Thanks Gary, my fear most likely stems from poor Windows updates that bricked my laptop, and caused many problems. That required a full re-install from a back up and then many hours of re-installing software etc. I haven’t yet done a back up of my MacBook yet, as I am not sure of how to do it, and I don’t know enough or have enough experience/confidence “yet”. As a senior, it is a little challenging to change to Mac, after using Windows since V 3.1, plus I have heard that there were some issues.
Ralph: You definitely need to start doing backups immediately. You've never done one? See https://macmost.com/a-beginners-guide-to-getting-started-with-time-machine.html
Thanks Gary, I read the article you referred to, and it has answered all of my concerns about backing up. My fear was using an external drive that was not Apple, but apparently I can use any drive and the MacBook will format it for use, and then I am all set. It is Cyber Monday, so I will look for a drive and get this done, then upgrade to Catalina. Does Time Machine make a backup that can be used to “go back” if needed, to re-install everything to the previous state? Thanks agin for your help.
Ralph: Yes, it should allow you to go back to the previous state. Though if disaster strikes, you should try to just reinstall macOS first. Doing a full restore is a last resort.
I found a previously used HD from my Windows days, formatted it to remove all data, plugged it in to my MacBook Pro (2014) and it started, then finished a Time Machine back up. WOW! Thanks again for all of your support and help. Will this backup get deleted the next time I plug it in? I think not but not sure. Thank you again for clarifying this. <:))
Ralph: Deleted? The next time you connect it it should be updated with the latest changes you made. You should plug it in on a regular basis, like when it is on your desk, or at night. It is important to keep it updated.
Thank you. So the backup file keeps getting bigger, rather than a new backup file being created each time I plug the drive into the MacBook? Kind of like an incremental back up I am thinking. I will stop asking questions now, and allow you to help someone else, and thank you so much for all you have done for me, and all of the others who follow you on the net.
Ralph: Yes, it IS an incremental backup. Watch this video too: https://macmost.com/frequently-asked-questions-about-time-machine.html