HWTech wrote:
You can use a 12.7.4 installer to repair the file system or anything else except for reinstalling macOS over top of the 12.7.6 installation.
Then that could be a problem; I've only had to restore a Mac a couple of times from a Time Machine backup, however, each time that I did there was some corruption in the OS (as-restored from the Time Machine backup) that could not be repaired, but required a reinstall of the OS via a bootable USB installer (with its OS version matching that of the target volume being restored).
Based on this past experience, if I ever lost my 12.7.6 USB installer stick, I might be in a world-of-hurt if I had to restore my Mac Pro from Time Machine. For the rest of the Mac community out there running 12.7.6 who are not aware of this issue and have no 12.7.6 bootable installer available, they could be at significant risk.
I realize that Monterey is well past official support by Apple, but by their own actions (deleting the 12.7.6 installer after people had been encouraged to update to it), they have potentially put a segment of their users at-risk by this update that can't be reversed (by the user). I think this warrants an exception to policy and have Apple either restore the 12.7.6 installer, or if they don't like some code or feature in it, then release a new installer, e.g. 12.7.7, to be configured as they want it to be that would not leave Monterey users stranded ... my 2 cents on the subject!
