Macos support essentials 11 pdf free download

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2 Apple Pro Training Series macos Support Essentials 11 Supporting and Troubleshooting macos Big Sur Arek Dreyer and Adam Karneboge

3 macos Support Essentials 11: Supporting and Troubleshooting macos Big Sur Apple Pro Training Series Arek Dreyer and Adam Karneboge Copyright 2021 by Peachpit Press. All Rights Reserved. Peachpit Press Peachpit Press is an imprint of Pearson Education, Inc. To report errors, please send a note to Notice of Rights This publication is protected by copyright, and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise. For information regarding permissions, request forms and the appropriate contacts within the Pearson Education Global Rights & Permissions department, please visit Notice of Liability The information in this book is distributed on an As Is basis, without warranty. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of the book, neither the authors nor Peachpit shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the instructions contained in this book or by the computer software and hardware products described in it. Trademarks Unless otherwise indicated herein, any third-party trademarks that may appear in this work are the property of their respective owners and any references to third-party trademarks, logos, or other trade dress are for demonstrative or descriptive purposes only. Such references are not intended to imply any sponsorship, endorsement, authorization, or promotion of Pearson Education, Inc. products by the owners of such marks, or any relationship between the owner and Pearson Education, Inc. or its affiliates, authors, licensees, or distributors. Apple Series Editor: Laura Norman Development Editor: Victor Gavenda Senior Production Editor: Tracey Croom Production Coordinator: Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama Technical Editor: Steve Leebove Apple Program Manager Training and Certification: Drew Winkelman Copy Editor: Elizabeth Welch Proofreader: Scout Festa Compositor: Cody Gates, Happenstance Type-O-Rama Indexer: Valerie Perry Cover Illustration: Von Glitschka Cover Production: Cody Gates, Happenstance Type-O-Rama IMPORTANT: Some of the exercises contained in this guide can be temporarily disruptive, and some exercises, if performed incorrectly, could result in data loss or damage to system files. As such, it s recommended that you perform these exercises on a Mac computer that is not critical to your daily productivity. ISBN 13: ISBN 10: X ScoutAutomatedPrintCode

4 Thanks to Heather Jagman for her love, support, and encouragement. Arek Dreyer This book is dedicated to my father, who gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person. He believed in me. Adam Karneboge

5 Acknowledgments Thank you, dear reader, for staying on top of what s new, while keeping your users needs as the root of what you do. Thanks to Tim Cook and everyone at Apple for always innovating. Thank you to Kevin White, Gordon Davisson, and Susan Najour for all their foundational work. Thank you to Steve Leebove for insightful technical editing and for going above and beyond. Thank you to Craig Cohen for technical assistance. Thank you to Schoun Regan, who reviewed this book at the request of Apple Training. His tenacity for accuracy is unmatched and you have a better guide because of that. Thank you to the amazingly capable Laura Norman and Victor Gavenda for gently making sure these materials made it into your hands, and to Liz Welch, Scout Festa, and Maureen Forys and her team at Happenstance Type-O-Rama for working their editorial and production magic. Thank you to the readers who sent corrections. Thank you to the many contributors to the macadmins.org Slack instance for asking questions and answering questions. Thanks to the people who generously provided feedback and assistance, including: Mike Boylan Tom Bridge Mark Buffington Craig Cohen Chris Dawe Charles Edge Nat Fellows John Filardo Rich Goon Steve Hayman Christopher Holmes Kennedy Soo Hong Andre LaBranche Steve Leebove Ben Levy Michael Lynn Keith Mitnick Ryan Pasch Timothy Perfitt Vernon Rooze Sam Valencia Joan Work David Yoon

6 Contents at a Glance About This Guide... xv Installation and Configuration Lesson 1 Introduction to macos... 3 Lesson 2 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Lesson 3 Set Up and Configure macos Lesson 4 Use the Command-Line Interface Lesson 5 Use macos Recovery Lesson 6 Update macos User Accounts Lesson 7 Manage User Accounts Lesson 8 Manage User Home Folders Lesson 9 Manage Security and Privacy Lesson 10 Manage Password Changes File Systems Lesson 11 Manage File Systems and Storage Lesson 12 Manage FileVault Lesson 13 Manage Permissions and Sharing Lesson 14 Use Hidden Items, Shortcuts, and File Archives Data Management Lesson 15 Manage System Resources Lesson 16 Use Metadata, Siri, and Spotlight Lesson 17 Manage Time Machine v

7 Apps and Processes Lesson 18 Install Apps Lesson 19 Manage Files Lesson 20 Manage and Troubleshoot Apps Network Configuration Lesson 21 Manage Basic Network Settings Lesson 22 Manage Advanced Network Settings Lesson 23 Troubleshoot Network Issues Network Services Lesson 24 Manage Network Services Lesson 25 Manage Host Sharing and Personal Firewall System Management Lesson 26 Troubleshoot Peripherals Lesson 27 Manage Printers and Scanners Lesson 28 Troubleshoot Startup and System Issues Index vi

8 Table of Contents About This Guide...xv Installation and Configuration Lesson 1 Introduction to macos...3 Reference 1.1 macos Big Sur Reference 1.2 What s New in macos Big Sur... 4 Reference 1.3 Use macos Help Reference 1.4 Review macos History Lesson 2 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos...15 Reference 2.1 macos Installation Methods Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos Reference 2.3 Upgrade or Install macos Reference 2.4 Troubleshoot Installation Issues Exercise 2.1 Prepare a Mac for Upgrade Exercise 2.2 Upgrade to macos Big Sur Exercise 2.3 Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur Exercise 2.4 Verify That macos Is Installed Correctly Lesson 3 Set Up and Configure macos...45 Reference 3.1 Configure a Mac with a New Installation of macos Big Sur Reference 3.2 Manage System Settings Exercise 3.1 Configure a Mac for Exercises Exercise 3.2 Configure System Preferences Exercise 3.3 Download Student Materials Exercise 3.4 Install a Configuration Profile Exercise 3.5 Examine System Information vii

9 viii Contents Lesson 4 Use the Command-Line Interface...97 Reference 4.1 CLI Basics Reference 4.2 CLI Navigation Reference 4.3 Manipulate Files in the CLI Reference 4.4 Manage macos from the CLI Reference 4.5 Command-Line Tips and Tricks Exercise 4.1 Command-Line Navigation Exercise 4.2 Manage Files and Folders with Commands Lesson 5 Use macos Recovery Reference 5.1 Start Up from macos Recovery Reference 5.2 Use macos Recovery Reference 5.3 Secure Startup Reference 5.4 Create a Bootable Installer for macos Exercise 5.1 Use macos Recovery Exercise 5.2 Create a macos Install Disk Lesson 6 Update macos Reference 6.1 Automatic Software Updates Reference 6.2 Use MDM to Install macos Updates Reference 6.3 Examine Installation History Exercise 6.1 Use Automatic Software Update User Accounts Lesson 7 Manage User Accounts Reference 7.1 User Accounts Reference 7.2 Configure User Accounts Reference 7.3 Restrict Local User Access with Screen Time Reference 7.4 Configure Login and Fast User Switching Exercise 7.1 Create a Standard User Account Exercise 7.2 Manage a User Account Using Screen Time Lesson 8 Manage User Home Folders Reference 8.1 User Home Folders Reference 8.2 Delete User Accounts and Preserve Their Home Folder Contents Reference 8.3 Migrate and Restore Home Folders Exercise 8.1 Restore a Deleted User Account

10 Contents ix Lesson 9 Manage Security and Privacy Reference 9.1 Password Security Reference 9.2 Manage Secrets in Keychains Reference 9.3 Use icloud Keychain Reference 9.4 Manage Systemwide Security Reference 9.5 Manage User Privacy Reference 9.6 Use Find My Reference 9.7 Protect Your Mac with Activation Lock Reference 9.8 Approve Legacy System Extensions Reference 9.9 Approve System Extensions Reference 9.10 Lock Your Screen Exercise 9.1 Manage Keychains Exercise 9.2 Allow Apps to Access Your Data Lesson 10 Manage Password Changes Reference 10.1 Change Known Passwords Reference 10.2 Reset Lost Passwords Reference 10.3 Manage User Keychains Exercise 10.1 Reset Account Passwords in macos Recovery Exercise 10.2 Reset Account Passwords Exercise 10.3 Observe Automatic Login Keychain Creation File Systems Lesson 11 Manage File Systems and Storage Reference 11.1 File Systems Reference 11.2 Mount, Unmount, and Eject Disks Reference 11.3 Inspect File-System Components Reference 11.4 Manage File Systems Reference 11.5 Troubleshoot File Systems Exercise 11.1 View Disk and Volume Information Exercise 11.2 Erase a Storage Device Exercise 11.3 Repair Volumes in Recovery Mode Lesson 12 Manage FileVault Reference 12.1 FileVault Introduction Reference 12.2 Turn On FileVault Exercise 12.1 Restart a FileVault-Protected Mac Exercise 12.2 Use a FileVault Recovery Key

11 x Contents Lesson 13 Manage Permissions and Sharing Reference 13.1 File-System Permissions Reference 13.2 Examine Permissions for Sharing Reference 13.3 Manage Permissions Exercise 13.1 Create Items with Default Permissions Exercise 13.2 Test Permissions Changes Lesson 14 Use Hidden Items, Shortcuts, and File Archives Reference 14.1 Examine Hidden Items Reference 14.2 Examine Packages Reference 14.3 Use File-System Shortcuts Reference 14.4 Use File Archives Exercise 14.1 Navigate Hidden Items Data Management Lesson 15 Manage System Resources Reference 15.1 macos File Resources Reference 15.2 System Integrity Protection Reference 15.3 Manage Font Resources Exercise 15.1 Manage Font Resources Lesson 16 Use Metadata, Siri, and Spotlight Reference 16.1 File-System Metadata Reference 16.2 Siri and Spotlight Exercise 16.1 Examine File Metadata Lesson 17 Manage Time Machine Reference 17.1 About Time Machine Reference 17.2 Configure Time Machine Reference 17.3 Restore Files Exercise 17.1 Configure Time Machine Exercise 17.2 Restore Using Time Machine Apps and Processes Lesson 18 Install Apps Reference 18.1 The App Store Reference 18.2 App Security

12 Contents xi Reference 18.3 Install Apps Using Software Packages and Drag-and-Drop Reference 18.4 Remove Installed Software Exercise 18.1 Install an App from the App Store Exercise 18.2 Use an Installer Package Exercise 18.3 Drag and Drop to Install an App Exercise 18.4 Remove Apps Lesson 19 Manage Files Reference 19.1 Open Files Reference 19.2 Save Documents Reference 19.3 Manage Automatic Resume Reference 19.4 Store Documents in icloud Reference 19.5 Optimize Local Storage Exercise 19.1 Use Alternate Apps Exercise 19.2 Practice Auto Save and Versions Exercise 19.3 Manage Document Locking Exercise 19.4 Store Documents in icloud Lesson 20 Manage and Troubleshoot Apps Reference 20.1 Apps and Processes Reference 20.2 Manage App Extensions Reference 20.3 Monitor Apps and Processes Reference 20.4 Troubleshoot Apps Exercise 20.1 Force Apps to Quit Exercise 20.2 Troubleshoot Preferences Exercise 20.3 Examine Logs Network Configuration Lesson 21 Manage Basic Network Settings Reference 21.1 Network Terminology Reference 21.2 Network Activity Reference 21.3 Configure Basic Network Settings Exercise 21.1 Connect to a Wi-Fi Network Exercise 21.2 Monitor Network Connectivity Lesson 22 Manage Advanced Network Settings Reference 22.1 Manage Network Locations Reference 22.2 Network Interfaces and Protocols

13 xii Contents Reference 22.3 Manage Network Service Interfaces Reference 22.4 Configure VPN Settings Reference 22.5 Configure Advanced Network Settings Exercise 22.1 Configure Network Locations Exercise 22.2 Advanced Wi-Fi Configuration Lesson 23 Troubleshoot Network Issues Reference 23.1 Troubleshoot General Network Issues Reference 23.2 Use Terminal to Troubleshoot Network Issues Exercise 23.1 Troubleshoot Network Connectivity Network Services Lesson 24 Manage Network Services Reference 24.1 Network Services Reference 24.2 Configure Network Service Apps Reference 24.3 Connect to File-Sharing Services Reference 24.4 Troubleshoot Network Services Exercise 24.1 Use File-Sharing Services Lesson 25 Manage Host Sharing and Personal Firewall Reference 25.1 Turn On Host-Sharing Services Reference 25.2 Control Remote Computers Reference 25.3 Share Files with AirDrop Reference 25.4 Manage the Personal Firewall Reference 25.5 Troubleshoot Shared Services Exercise 25.1 Use Host-Sharing Services Exercise 25.2 Configure a Personal Firewall System Management Lesson 26 Troubleshoot Peripherals Reference 26.1 Peripheral Technologies Reference 26.2 Manage Bluetooth Devices Reference 26.3 Troubleshoot Peripheral Issues Exercise 26.1 Examine Peripherals Using System Information

14 Contents xiii Lesson 27 Manage Printers and Scanners Reference 27.1 Printing in macos Reference 27.2 Configure Printers and Scanners Reference 27.3 Manage Print Jobs Reference 27.4 Troubleshoot Print Issues Exercise 27.1 Configure Printing Exercise 27.2 Manage Printing Exercise 27.3 Troubleshoot Printing Lesson 28 Troubleshoot Startup and System Issues Reference 28.1 System Initialization and Secure Boot Reference 28.2 User Sessions Reference 28.3 Sleep Modes, Logout, and Shutdown Reference 28.4 Modify Startup Reference 28.5 Troubleshoot System Initialization Reference 28.6 Troubleshoot User Sessions Exercise 28.1 Use Safe Mode Index

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16 About This Guide Audience Whether you re an experienced system administrator or you just want to dig deeper into macos, you ll learn to update, upgrade, reinstall, configure, maintain, diagnose, and troubleshoot macos Big Sur. You should be comfortable using a Mac before you read this guide. If you re not sure about basic Mac use, see Mac Support at support.apple.com/explore/new-to-mac. How to Use the Guide Use the reference sections to get familiar with macos Big Sur. Then, use the exercises to practice what you ve learned. After you ve completed the guide, you should be able to: Explain how macos Big Sur works Explain the best practices for updating, upgrading, reinstalling, configuring, and using macos Big Sur Explain macos Big Sur troubleshooting and repair procedures Use appropriate tools and techniques in macos Big Sur to diagnose and resolve issues Accessing the Web Edition and Lesson Files Unless otherwise specified, references to macos in this guide refer to macos Big Sur When you buy this guide from Peachpit (in any format), you automatically get access to its Web Edition. If you bought an ebook from peachpit.com, your Web Edition will appear under the Digital Purchases tab on your Account page. If you bought an ebook from a different vendor or you bought a print book, you must register your purchase on peachpit.com to access the online content: 1 Go to 2 Sign in or create a new account. 3 Enter ISBN: xv

17 xvi About This Guide 4 Click Submit. 5 Answer the question as proof of purchase. 6 The lesson files can be accessed from the Registered Products tab on your Account page. Click the Access Bonus Content link below the title of your product to proceed to the download page. Click the lesson file link(s) to download them to your computer. The Web Edition can be accessed from the Digital Purchases tab on your Account page. Click the Launch link to access the product. Exercises The exercises in this guide are designed for independent learners and require a dedicated Mac. If you use a Mac that is also used for daily productivity, the exercises will not work as expected and they might disrupt your Mac. To complete the exercises, ensure that you have the following: An Intel-based Mac that meets the requirements to install macos Big Sur macos Big Sur (see Exercise 2.3, Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur ) A high-speed internet connection Lesson files (see Accessing the Web Edition and Lesson Files, earlier) An Apple ID dedicated to your independent learning (you don t need to provide credit card information to get free apps from the App Store) The following items are not required, but they can be helpful: An icloud account associated with the Apple ID you use for your independent learning An erasable external storage disk with a capacity of at least 12 GB for Exercise 5.2, Create a macos Install Disk At least two Wi-Fi networks (one should be visible) A Mac with all-flash storage Additional Materials Apple Support The Apple Support website (support.apple.com) includes the latest free online Apple Support articles.

18 Installation and Configuration

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20 Lesson 2 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Every new Mac comes with the Mac operating system. To get the latest features and security updates, you will eventually need the latest macos. If you have a qualifying Mac, you can upgrade at no cost. WARNING Some exercises in this lesson involve significant changes to your Mac setup. Some of the steps are difficult or impossible to reverse. If you perform the exercises in this lesson, do so on a spare Mac or an external disk that doesn t contain critical data. Reference 2.1 macos Installation Methods Identifying the parts of a Mac operating system name will help you understand the difference between an upgrade and an update. A Mac operating system has a version name and a version number, such as macos Big Sur 11. When Apple releases an update to macos Big Sur: The version name stays the same (Big Sur). The first part of the version number stays the same (11). Apple adds additional numbers after 11. For example, the first update for macos 11.0 was And the next update released was GOALS Describe the differences between a macos update, upgrade, and reinstallation Describe the macos installer Verify system information Update macos Upgrade macos Reinstall macos Troubleshoot an upgrade or reinstallation When Apple releases a major version upgrade of the Mac operating system, there is a new version name (for example, Big Sur instead of Catalina). 15

21 16 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Although all previous versions of macos have a version number that starts with 10. (for example, macos 10.0 through macos 10.15), macos Big Sur uses 11. to start its version numbers. This list summarizes the differences between updating, upgrading, reinstalling, and installing a Mac operating system: Update: Installs an incremental update of the Mac operating system but doesn t upgrade it to the next major version (if one exists). Upgrade: Installs a next major standalone version of the Mac operating system. Reinstall: Installs the same major version of macos on a volume that already has macos. This overwrites existing system files but leaves apps, user home folders, and other files in place. Install: Installs macos on a volume that doesn t have macos for instance, a volume you erased. NOTE The terms disk, volume, and storage have similar meanings. Where possible, this guide uses terms that appear in apps on screen. Read Lesson 11, Manage File Systems and Storage, for more information. Lesson 6, Update macos, describes in more detail updating macos and keeping macos automatically updated. Upgrading, reinstalling, or installing macos Big Sur requires internet access. Erase Your Startup Disk If you want to get a fresh start with macos and you don t need the existing content on your Mac, erase the startup disk before you install macos. The macos installer (an app named Install macos Big Sur) doesn t erase disks, but you can use Disk Utility to erase a disk before you run the macos installer: If you want to erase the system disk your Mac is currently running from, you can erase it if you start up from macos Recovery, as covered in Lesson 5, Use macos Recovery. If the destination is another disk, such as an external storage device, erase and install from your Mac, as covered in Lesson 11.

22 Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos 17 Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos Follow these steps to prepare to start a macos upgrade: 1 Verify installation requirements. 2 Back up important content. 3 Plug notebook computers into power. 4 Download macos Big Sur. Verify Installation Requirements Verify that both your Mac and its operating system meet the requirements for an upgrade to macos Big Sur. This includes verifying the hardware and the software. To upgrade from OS X Mountain Lion 10.8, first upgrade to OS X El Capitan 10.11, then upgrade to macos Big Sur. Upgrading to macos Big Sur has the following requirements: OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later 4 GB of memory 35.5 GB of available storage to upgrade from macos Sierra 10.12, or 44.5 GB of available storage to upgrade from an earlier release Compatible internet service provider (for some features) Apple ID (for some features) macos Big Sur supports the following Mac models: MacBook introduced in 2015 or later MacBook Air introduced in 2013 or later MacBook Pro introduced in late 2013 or later Mac mini introduced in 2014 or later imac introduced in 2014 or later imac Pro Mac Pro introduced in 2013 or later

23 18 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos See Apple Support article HT211238, macos Big Sur is compatible with these computers at for more information about requirements for specific features. Some features of macos Big Sur require specific Mac and ios or ipados device models, such as the following features: Continuity Camera Use your iphone, ipad, or ipod touch to scan documents or take a picture of something nearby and it appears instantly on your Mac. Continuity Camera is supported in many apps, including Mail, Messages, the Finder, and more. See Apple Support article HT209037, Use Continuity Camera on your Mac, for more information. Handoff With Handoff, you can start work on one device, then switch to another nearby device and pick up where you left off. Use Handoff with any Mac, iphone, ipad, ipod touch, or Apple Watch that meets the Continuity system requirements. See Apple Support article HT204689, System requirements for Continuity on Mac, iphone, ipad, ipod touch, and Apple Watch, for more information. Instant Hotspot With Instant Hotspot, the Personal Hotspot on your iphone or ipad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) can provide internet access to a Mac, iphone, ipad, or ipod touch without requiring you to enter the password on those devices. Use Instant Hotspot with any Mac, iphone, ipad, or ipod touch that meets the Continuity system requirements. See Apple Support article HT209459, Use Instant Hotspot to connect to your Personal Hotspot without entering a password, for more information. Universal Clipboard With Universal Clipboard, you can copy content such as text, images, photos, and videos on one Apple device, then paste the content on another Apple device. Use Universal Clipboard with any Mac, iphone, ipad, or ipod touch that meets the Continuity system requirements. See Apple Support article HT209460, Use Universal Clipboard to copy and paste between your Apple devices, for more information. See Apple Support article SP833, macos Big Sur Technical Specifications at support. apple.com/kb/sp833 for more information. Verify System Information You need to know your Mac computer s specifications when you install new software, upgrade installed software, perform maintenance, or troubleshoot a problem. In this section you learn how to find essential system information with About This Mac and System Information.

24 Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos 19 You can open the Apple menu and choose About This Mac to gather most of the information necessary to confirm that your Mac supports macos Big Sur. About This Mac displays information such as the macos software version, Mac model name, chip (for a Mac with Apple silicon) or processor type and speed (for an Intel-based Mac), total system memory, startup disk, graphics card information (for an Intel-based Mac), and Mac serial number. NOTE A Mac may not display a serial number if the necessary post-repair procedures were not successfully completed after a logic board replacement. The Mac in the following figure has 16 GB of RAM and meets the memory requirements to run macos Big Sur. A few items are vital to identifying your macos version and Mac model: The macos version number represents the system software version currently installed. The macos build number is more specific than the macos version number alone. In the About this Mac window, click the macos software version number to find the build number. Apple creates specific build versions of each macos version as they refine it. A newly released model of Mac may require a specific build of macos; the specific build may differ from the standard installation versions. For example, the first day the new MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports) was shipped, one model came with macos (19E2265), another model with different options came with macos (19E2269), but other Mac computers that were up to date were running macos (19E287). For more information, see Apple Support article HT201686, Use the Mac operating system that came with your Mac, or a compatible newer version.

25 20 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos The Mac computer model name is derived from the product marketing name for the Mac, followed by a relative release date. For example, the previous screenshot was taken on a MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018). The Mac serial number is located on the Mac case. The serial number is a unique number used to identify a Mac for maintenance and service. Click the Storage button to review how much disk space is available. The Mac in this figure meets the available-storage requirements to upgrade to macos Big Sur. The Support and Service buttons link directly to specific areas of the Apple Support website. The contents of the links are generated dynamically to show the most up-to-date support information about macos and your Mac. For example, the Specifications link opens a webpage with the full specifications for your Mac.

26 Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos 21 The information in the About This Mac window is a subset of what you can find with System Information. From the Overview window in the About This Mac window, click the System Report button to open System Information. Or you can press and hold the Option key and then choose Apple menu > System Information. Or you can use Spotlight; click the Spotlight icon (which looks like a magnifying glass) in the menu bar in the upper-right corner of your screen, enter System Information in the search field, then press Return. If you have a version of the Mac operating system that shipped with the name OS X (instead of macos), it includes System Profiler instead of System Information. When you need to create a file to document the current state of a Mac, use System Information. Go to the menu bar, then choose File > Save. This creates a System Information specific file (with the.spx filename extension) that you can open from other Mac computers. Verify App Compatibility When you upgrade to macos Big Sur, your third-party apps might need updates to function properly. You can use System Information to view installed apps. For older

27 22 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Mac computers with System Profiler instead of System Information, verify that View > Full Profile is selected to reveal the Applications section in the Contents list. Selecting Applications from the Contents list prompts macos to scan common locations on the local volume for available apps. You don t have to worry about the apps that came with your Mac, such as Safari, Mail, and Photos. They are automatically upgraded when you install macos Big Sur. You might have to visit third-party vendor websites to find out if your third-party apps require updates. Back Up Important Files and Folders It s always crucial to keep backups of your important files and folders. Having a current backup is even more critical when you make significant changes to a Mac, such as installing a major version upgrade to the Mac operating system. If a new installation or upgrade is done improperly, it could result in complete data loss. You can t uninstall or revert an update or upgrade. If it turns out that an app you need is not compatible with macos Big Sur, the only way to install an earlier version of macos is to erase and restore from backup. You can use Time Machine to create a backup before you start your installation. Using Time Machine is covered in Lesson 17, Manage Time Machine. Document Network Settings The macos installer helps ensure that you don t lose previous settings when you upgrade to macos Big Sur. But some settings are so vital to your Mac that you should document them in case something goes wrong. In particular, if you have any special network configuration, such as a static IPv4 address, or a specific Domain Name Service (DNS) server to use, document your network settings before you upgrade. Open System Preferences and click the Network icon to observe your current network settings. Avoid missing settings by navigating through the network interface and all the configurations. You can quickly document your settings by using the Screenshot utility. Just press Shift- Command-5. Press the Space bar to change the pointer to a camera icon; then you can move your pointer to highlight different windows. Click to capture the highlighted window, or use the Screenshot menu to change what s captured, to capture video, to change where you save the file, to set a timer, or to modify several other options. After you finish your screenshot or video capture, its preview appears in the corner of the screen. Drag

28 Reference 2.2 Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos 23 the preview into a document, click the preview and mark it up, or just leave it and the Screenshot utility will automatically save it to your desktop with a filename of Screen Shot followed by the date and time of the capture. Be sure to print or copy your screenshots to another storage device before you install macos Big Sur. NOTE When you use Screenshot to capture a window, you can exclude the window s shadow. Just press and hold the Option key when you click. To copy a screenshot to the Clipboard, press and hold the Control key while you take the screenshot. You can then paste the screenshot somewhere else. Or you can use Universal Clipboard to paste it on another Apple device. See Apple Support article HT201361, Take a screenshot on your Mac, for more information. Plug Mac Notebooks into Power Plug your Mac into an AC power outlet during the upgrade to ensure that the upgrade completes successfully. Download macos Big Sur If you re using OS X El Capitan v or later, macos Big Sur downloads in the background, making it easier to upgrade your Mac. When the download finishes, you receive a notification indicating that macos Big Sur is ready to be installed. Click Install in the notification to get started. macos Big Sur is free and available from Software Update preferences or the App Store.

29 24 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos If you re using macos Mojave or later: 1 Open System Preferences. 2 Open Software Update preferences. 3 Click Upgrade Now. Or open the macos Big Sur page in the App Store: macos Big Sur at apps.apple.com/ app/macos-big-sur/id Then click the Get button.

30 Reference 2.3 Upgrade or Install macos 25 NOTE In the previous figure, App Store displays the number 2 next to Updates. This is because there are two apps that have updates available, but you can install these updates only after you upgrade to macos Big Sur. Reference 2.3 Upgrade or Install macos The App Store downloads Install macos Big Sur and places it in your /Applications folder. After the download is complete, Install macos Big Sur automatically opens. Follow these steps to upgrade to macos Big Sur: 1 Begin installation. 2 Allow installation to complete. Begin Installation Be sure you are connected to the internet when you upgrade or install macos. The macos installer downloads any available firmware updates specific to your Mac. These firmware updates don t apply to external devices, such as those connected with USB, Thunderbolt, or target disk mode. You can use these supported tools and methods to upgrade or install macos: macos installer. Bootable installer, then the macos installer. Read Exercise 5.2, Create a macos Install Disk. Start up from macos Recovery and install macos. Read Lesson 5 to learn more. Use the startosinstall command, inside the Install macos Big Sur app, which is outside the scope of this guide. See Apple Support article HT208020, How to install macos at your organization, for more information. Use the Install OS update command using your organization s mobile device management (MDM) solution, which is outside the scope of this guide. Use the Install macos Big Sur app to install macos on your startup disk. For details on using macos Recovery to upgrade, reinstall, or install macos Big Sur, read Lesson 5.

31 26 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Select the Installation Destination During macos Big Sur installation, the only choice you make is the installation destination you select the disk where macos is installed. This can be an internal or external volume, as long as it s properly formatted. The default selection is the current startup disk. The Show All Disks button appears if it is possible for you to select an alternate destination. If necessary, provide administrator credentials to install a helper tool. You may not be able to select certain disks or partitions when using the installer (read Reference 11.1, File Systems, for more information about partitions). This happens when the installer determines that your Mac can t start from those disks or partitions. Possible reasons include the following: The disk is in target disk mode. Read Reference 11.5, Troubleshoot File Systems, for more information about target disk mode. The disk doesn t have the proper partition scheme for your Mac. Mac computers use the GPT (GUID Partition Table) scheme. Use Disk Utility to repartition the disk.

32 Reference 2.4 Troubleshoot Installation Issues 27 The partition isn t formatted properly. macos Big Sur requires a partition formatted as Apple File System (APFS). Use Disk Utility to erase an improperly formatted partition. The macos installer doesn t support installing to a volume that s part of a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) set. The macos installer doesn t support installing to a disk containing Time Machine backups. The storage volume isn t from Apple and isn t compatible with macos Big Sur. You might need to click Restart to continue the macos Big Sur installation. Allow Installation to Complete During normal installation, the Mac restarts at least once and possibly multiple times. If a power loss or storage device disconnection occurs, restart the installation. The macos installer is designed to never delete nonsystem data from the selected destination. The macos installer ensures that user data and compatible third-party apps remain functional after an installation. The macos installer upgrades your current Mac operating system or installs macos to a volume (except a volume connected by target disk mode) that s attached to your Mac. If the Install macos Big Sur app detects incompatible files and settings during an upgrade, it moves those files to a folder named Relocated Items in the /Users/Shared folder of your startup volume. See If you see a Relocated Items folder on your Mac after upgrading macos in the macos User Guide support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchl8ae423a3 for more information. Apps that are not compatible with macos Big Sur are left in place, but macos displays a prohibitory symbol as part of the app icon. If you try to open incompatible software, macos displays information about why the app cannot be opened. Reference 2.4 Troubleshoot Installation Issues The macos installer can back out of an installation and restore the previous system if an installation goes wrong. Verify that your Mac meets the requirements for macos Big Sur and complete the installation preparation steps as outlined in this lesson to avoid installation problems.

33 28 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos macos Installer Troubleshooting Beyond failing to prepare for an installation, the most common installation failures come from internet access and destination volume problems. For example: The installer has filtered or no access to the internet. The installer might be unable to verify the selected volume or partition. This indicates serious storage device problems. Refer to the troubleshooting steps in Lesson 11 to resolve this issue. For more information, see Apple Support article HT204904, How to reinstall macos. Installer Log You can use the log file to troubleshoot macos. The Installer log contains progress and error entries for nearly every installation step, including steps not shown in the standard interface. During the initial installation phases, choose Installer Log from the Window menu to access the log. The Installer log helps you pinpoint problems or verify installation. After the preliminary installation phases, the installer enters the main installation phase and locks the Mac screen. You can only watch the installation progress bar. If the installation fails, the system restarts to the previous version of macos.

34 Exercise 2.1 Prepare a Mac for Upgrade 29 After the Mac resumes normal operation, you can access the full Installer log with Console after you log in. When you use macos, error dialogs appear only if an issue is something you can resolve or that requires immediate attention. Otherwise, running processes and apps leave detailed information in log reports throughout macos. Console collects log messages and reports that are generated from your Mac and connected devices. Use Console to collect diagnostic information so that you can troubleshoot problems. You can open Console in at least two ways: Search with Spotlight. Navigate to /Applications/Utilities/ and double-click Console. After Console opens, select Log Reports in the left column, then select install.log. Even during a successful installation, there are warnings and errors. Many of the reported issues are benign, and you should concern yourself with them only if you are trying to isolate a problem that prevents a successful upgrade to macos Big Sur. Exercise 2.1 Prepare a Mac for Upgrade NOTE This exercise is for independent study only. You don t perform this exercise in a classroom environment. Perform this exercise only if you are upgrading your Mac from an earlier version of macos.

35 30 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Prerequisites Your Mac must be running OS X Mavericks 10.9 or later. Your Mac must have 4 GB of memory. If your Mac is running macos Sierra or later, it must have 35.5 GB of available storage. If your Mac is running OS X El Capitan or earlier, it must have 44.5 GB of available storage. For more information on compatible Mac computers, see Apple Support article HT211238, macos Big Sur is compatible with these computers. In this exercise, you verify that your Mac supports macos Big Sur. You also check for old software and record important settings. NOTE This exercise can t be used to prepare an independent-study Mac for the rest of the course. Independent learners must complete Exercise 2.3, Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur, to continue to Exercise 3.1, Configure a Mac for Exercises. Check Hardware and App Compatibility 1 Log in to your existing administrator account. 2 In the Finder, navigate to the /Applications/Utilities folder. You can also use the Finder keyboard shortcut Shift-Command-U. 3 Open System Information.

36 Exercise 2.1 Prepare a Mac for Upgrade 31 4 If necessary, select the Hardware category in the sidebar. 5 Verify that there is at least 4 GB of memory. 6 Record the Model Identifier and Serial Number entries: Model Identifier: Serial Number: 7 Select the Storage category in the Hardware section of the sidebar. If there is no Storage entry, select the entry for the bus your Mac startup disk is attached to. For most models, this is the Serial-ATA bus. 8 Find your startup volume in the list on the right, then verify that it has at least 35.5 GB of available storage. NOTE If you are upgrading from OS X El Capitan or earlier, you need at least 44.5 GB of available storage.

37 32 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 9 In the sidebar, under Software, select Applications, then wait for macos to gather information on installed apps. 10 Click the heading for the Last Modified column on the right. If the arrow at the top of the column is pointing down, click again so that it points up.

38 Exercise 2.1 Prepare a Mac for Upgrade 33 The oldest apps are listed at the top. In general, older apps are more likely to be incompatible with newer versions of macos. Research older apps to find out if they are compatible with macos Big Sur or if updates are available. Often, a developer website has information about compatibility and updates. The most likely incompatible app could be an app that is not 64-bit. 11 Quit System Information. 12 Open Safari, then navigate to the Apple Tech Specs website (checkcoverage.apple.com). 13 Enter your Mac computer s serial number (recorded in step 6) in the field, enter the code, then click Continue. Your Mac computer s model name, along with information about your warranty coverage and links to set up a repair, appears. Verify that the model name is on the list of supported models in Reference 2.2, Prepare to Upgrade or Reinstall macos. 14 Do one of the following: If your Mac is running macos High Sierra or earlier, from the Apple menu choose App Store. If necessary, click the Updates icon in the toolbar and wait while your software is checked for updates. If you are running macos Mojave or later, open Software Update preferences and verify that no operating system updates are available. 15 If the No Updates Available message is displayed, proceed to the Document Network Settings section of this exercise. 16 Depending on your macos version, if updates are available click the Update buttons for those you want to install. You may find a More option. Clicking More shows a more detailed list of system updates. Click the Update All button to install updates. Follow prompts and instructions to complete the updates. 17 After the updates have finished, repeat starting at step 15 to verify that all updates installed successfully and that no more updates are available. Document Network Settings 1 From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences.

39 34 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 2 In System Preferences, click Network. 3 Select each of the network services (listed on the left of the preference pane), and record settings assigned to them. Click the Advanced button for each service to display the full settings. An easy way to do this is to take screenshots with the shortcut Shift-Command-5 to give you a record of the information to work from. 4 If your Mac has more than one location defined, repeat this process for each location. 5 Quit System Preferences. Back Up Your Data You should always have a current backup copy of the content on your Mac. Third-party backup solutions are available, and macos includes a backup utility, which is described in Lesson 17, Manage Time Machine. Whichever solution you choose, after you complete a backup try restoring files to ensure that it works. Exercise 2.2 Upgrade to macos Big Sur NOTE This exercise is for independent study only. You don t perform this exercise in a classroom environment. Perform this exercise only if you want to upgrade your Mac from an earlier version of macos. This exercise can t be used to prepare an independent study Mac for the rest of the course. Independent learners must complete Exercise 2.3, Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur, to continue to Exercise 3.1, Configure a Mac for Exercises. Prerequisite You must have performed Exercise 2.1, Prepare a Mac for Upgrade, before you begin this exercise.

40 Exercise 2.2 Upgrade to macos Big Sur 35 In this exercise, you download macos Big Sur from the App Store and install it, as an upgrade, on your Mac. If you are upgrading from macos High Sierra or earlier, use the steps in the Use the App Store to Download the Installer section. If you are upgrading from macos Mojave 10.14, use the steps in the Use Software Update to Download the Installer section. Use the App Store to Download the Installer 1 If necessary, log in to your existing administrator account on your Mac. 2 From the Apple menu, choose App Store. 3 In the search field of the App Store window, type Big Sur, then press Return. 4 Find macos Big Sur in the search results, then click the view button under its name (it is labeled either Download or Get ). 5 Wait for the Install macos Big Sur app to download. When the download is complete, the app opens automatically. Skip the next section, Use Software Update to Download the Installer, and continue to the section Upgrade Your Mac to macos Big Sur. NOTE As part of the installation process, the installer app is automatically deleted. If you want to upgrade several Mac computers or create a macos Big Sur install disk, quit the installer and make a copy of it before you proceed. Find the process for creating an install disk in Exercise 5.2, Create a macos Install Disk.

41 36 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos Use Software Update to Download the Installer 1 If necessary, log in to your existing administrator account on your Mac. 2 From the Apple menu, choose System Preferences, then open Software Update preferences. macos checks for available updates. 3 Software Update shows macos Big Sur as an eligible update. Other updates may be shown as well. For the purposes of this exercise, you will upgrade to macos Big Sur. 4 Click Upgrade Now, then wait for macos to finish downloading macos Big Sur. When the download is complete, the app opens automatically.

42 Exercise 2.2 Upgrade to macos Big Sur 37 Upgrade Your Mac to macos Big Sur 1 If necessary, open the Install macos Big Sur app. 2 At the first screen, click Continue. 3 Read the license agreement, and if its terms are acceptable to you, click Agree. 4 In the confirmation dialog that appears, click Agree.

43 38 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 5 Select the installation destination. The default selection is the current startup volume. If you intend to upgrade a different volume, click the Show All Disks button to select a different destination. NOTE The Show All Disks button will appear only if more than one volume is available for installation of macos Big Sur. 6 Click Install to start the installation. If you re warned about not being connected to a power source, connect your power adapter before you continue. 7 Enter the password of your administrator account to authorize the installation. To learn installation details, follow the instructions in Exercise 2.4, Verify That macos Is Installed Correctly, after the installation starts. The installation restarts several times and completes automatically.

44 Exercise 2.3 Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur 39 Exercise 2.3 Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur NOTE This exercise is for independent study only. You don t perform this exercise in a classroom environment. Complete this exercise only if you must erase the contents of your Mac before you install macos Big Sur, as covered in Reference 2.1, macos Installation Methods. Perform this exercise to prepare your Mac to continue with Exercise 3.1, Configure a Mac for Exercises. Prerequisite You need macos Recovery with macos Big Sur or a macos Big Sur install disk (see Lesson 5, Use macos Recovery, for details). WARNING This exercise erases all of your Mac content. If you want to keep the content, back it up to an external storage device before you start. Start Up from macos Recovery or an External Installer 1 Before you proceed with this exercise, back up your data to an external storage device. 2 If your Mac is running, shut it down. 3 If you are using macos Recovery to replace your current installation of macos Big Sur: a b c Press the power button on your Mac to turn it on. Immediately press and hold Command-R until the Apple icon appears in the middle of the screen. After the Apple icon appears, release the keys and skip ahead to the next section, Erase Your Storage Device. 4 If you are using an external macos Big Sur install volume, connect the storage device to your Mac. 5 Press the power button on your Mac to turn it on, then immediately press and hold the Option key until a row of icons appears on the screen.

45 40 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 6 Click the install disk icon (usually labeled Install macos Big Sur ). 7 Click the arrow that appears under the icon. Your Mac starts up into the installer/recovery environment. Lesson 5 has more information about using these startup modes. Erase Your Storage Device 1 If a language selection screen appears, select your preferred language, then click the right arrow to continue. 2 Open Disk Utility. If the macos Utilities window appears, select Disk Utility, then click Continue. If an installer screen appears, from the menu bar choose Utilities > Disk Utility. Disk Utility opens. Lesson 11, Manage File Systems and Storage, has more information about using Disk Utility. 3 From the sidebar, select the storage device or volume that you will erase to install macos Big Sur. 4 Click the Erase button near the top of the Disk Utility window. 5 Enter a new name for your storage device. The rest of this guide assumes that it is named Macintosh HD. 6 From the Format menu, choose APFS if it is not already selected.

46 Exercise 2.3 Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur 41 Many volumes may be formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), which is still an option in some cases. If your volume is formatted as Mac OS Extended, the macos Installer converts your volume to APFS automatically during installation. 7 If the dialog contains a Scheme menu, choose GUID Partition Map. 8 Click Erase. 9 When the process finishes, click Done. 10 From the menu bar, choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility. Install macos Big Sur 1 If the macos Utilities window appears, select Install macos or Reinstall macos, and click Continue.

47 42 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 2 In the Install macos Big Sur window, click Continue. 3 If you are asked to connect to the internet, use the Wi-Fi istatus menu at the right end of the menu bar to choose a Wi-Fi network, or connect using Ethernet. 4 If you are notified that your Mac computer s eligibility will be verified with Apple, click Continue. 5 Read the license agreement, and if its terms are acceptable to you, click Agree. 6 In the confirmation dialog that appears, click Agree. 7 Select your volume, then click Continue.

48 Exercise 2.4 Verify That macos Is Installed Correctly 43 To learn the details of the installation, follow the instructions in Exercise 2.4, Verify That macos Is Installed Correctly, after the installation begins. The installation restarts several times and completes automatically. After restart, Setup Assistant opens, as covered in Lesson 3, Set Up and Configure macos. Follow the instructions in Exercise 3.1, Configure a Mac for Exercises, to set up your Mac for the rest of the exercises. Exercise 2.4 Verify That macos Is Installed Correctly NOTE This exercise is for independent study only. You don t perform this exercise in a classroom environment. Prerequisite You must have started installing macos Big Sur using the instructions in Exercise 2.2, Upgrade to macos Big Sur, or Exercise 2.3, Erase a Mac and Install macos Big Sur. In this exercise, you use the Installer log to view the installation process. View the Installer Log During installation, you can bring up the Installer log by following these steps: 1 If the installer is running in full-screen mode, the menu bar is hidden. Move your mouse to the top of the screen and leave it there for a few seconds to reveal the menu bar. 2 From the menu bar, choose Window > Installer Log (or press Command-L).

49 44 Update, Upgrade, or Reinstall macos 3 Choose Show All Logs from the Detail Level menu to view the entire contents of the Installer log. 4 Use the Spotlight search field in the toolbar to view entries in the Installer log. 5 To save the Installer log, click the Save button in the toolbar. The installer restarts the Mac partway through installation. When the Mac restarts for the second phase, the log window doesn t automatically reopen. It isn t available during this part of the installation.