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Mac mini M1 Monterey 12.1 update is the worst update I've experienced since the '90s.

I select Update, get a prompt to restart, and simultaneously I get a prompt to select Update again. Then I would get prompted again if I want to update now or wait until at night but there was no way to select a choice, and these would repeat. Update... restart.... Update later.... I ultimately had to unplug the M1 and start all over twice. Then finally when the progress line finally shows up and the count down minutes is finished, the M1 goes blank and is frozen... turned off. After three cycles I turn on the M1 again for the third time and finally it states the M1 is up to date. Bottom line, the update doesn't track/execute the update progress accurately.

Posted on Dec 29, 2021 6:15 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 29, 2021 7:51 AM

Atari ST wrote:

Then finally when the progress line finally shows up and the count down minutes is finished, the M1 goes blank and is frozen... turned off.

At this point the update may need to restart the Mac another time or two in order to complete the install.

After three cycles I turn on the M1 again for the third time and finally it states the M1 is up to date.

It sound like you got inpatient and interrupted the final part of installation process.

Bottom line, the update doesn't track/execute the update progress accurately.

This has been true of macOS for some time now. In fact not many of the newer macOS updates and upgrades accurately predict the completion time of anything, like OS and OS X use to.

Is there an undocumented process for accepting this update? Like closing all active apps/programs first?
Manually restart before doing the update? Anything to make this update smoother?

I generally repair my startup disk before and after, using "Safe Mode" followed by a normal restart.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 29, 2021 7:51 AM in response to Atari ST

Atari ST wrote:

Then finally when the progress line finally shows up and the count down minutes is finished, the M1 goes blank and is frozen... turned off.

At this point the update may need to restart the Mac another time or two in order to complete the install.

After three cycles I turn on the M1 again for the third time and finally it states the M1 is up to date.

It sound like you got inpatient and interrupted the final part of installation process.

Bottom line, the update doesn't track/execute the update progress accurately.

This has been true of macOS for some time now. In fact not many of the newer macOS updates and upgrades accurately predict the completion time of anything, like OS and OS X use to.

Is there an undocumented process for accepting this update? Like closing all active apps/programs first?
Manually restart before doing the update? Anything to make this update smoother?

I generally repair my startup disk before and after, using "Safe Mode" followed by a normal restart.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

Dec 29, 2021 9:03 AM in response to den.thed

When I selected update the first time, before anything happens, that popup notice (upper right) would show up prompting me to do the update even though I already selected update. So the Software Update dialog window is open upper left and popup notice upper right and nothing is happening. Everything behaves like I never selected the update. So it's possible I might have been impatient if M1 needs way more time to even begin the update. And when it appears to start the update, the screen goes blank and the M1 appears to have completely shut down. But I waited anywhere between 15 and 20 minutes each time for it do something, like for anything to show up on the screen. Maybe if I waited long enough the upper right notice would go away and the update would eventually start. The last time when the scroll was done there was no notice that the update was complete. The M1 shut down. I waited and waited. Eventually I pressed the power button and the M1 started up and the Update dialog window indicated "Your Mac is up to date - macOS Monterey 12.1". My guess is the Mini M1 needs to be manually restarted after it has completed the update, but there was no clue that the update was completed.

Mac mini M1 Monterey 12.1 update is the worst update I've experienced since the '90s.

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