10.11.2 Full installer (NOT update or combo) deletes /var/db/receipts

[treekram]

Came across this:

https://derflounder.wordpress.com/2...taller-removes-package-installation-receipts/

The gist of it is that the El Capitan 10.11.2 full installer (not the update or the combo) deletes the contents of the /var/db/receipts directory, which is a record of the software installed (after the initial install?) on a machine. This would mainly affect those using the installer to upgrade from an OS version below 10.11 to El Capitan.

This issue doesn't seem to be widely known (the only web pages I saw referred to the URL above). I can't confirm its veracity but thought it should be brought up here. (I do know the App Store update from 10.11.1 to 10.11.2 does not have this issue.) It was reported to Apple but it's been consolidated into another bug report so the person who reported it in derflounder doesn't know the what's happening at Apple to address this. I guess the workaround would be to save the receipts directory and restore it after the install although who knows what other similar subtle (most users would never know this has happened) issues exist in the installer.

 

[Max(IT)]

I don't think it's a bug.
A full installer is supposed to do that: delete everything.

 

[treekram]

I ran the installers for Yosemite and El Capitan on my Mac Mini and I have the /var/db/receipts files from when I first bought it in 2012, when it had Mountain Lion.

 

[Max(IT)]

I ran the installers for Yosemite and El Capitan on my Mac Mini and I have the /var/db/receipts files from when I first bought it in 2012, when it had Mountain Lion.

You didn't a clean install, did you ?

 

[chrfr]

I don't think it's a bug.
A full installer is supposed to do that: delete everything.

No, it's not supposed to do this as an upgrade install. Full installs never delete everything unless you erase the disk first. In this case, it deletes the folder when you are upgrading.

 

[treekram]

You didn't a clean install, did you ?

I don't understand the question - with a clean install, there would be no /var/db/receipts and it wouldn't make sense to copy the files over from an older installation.

 

[Max(IT)]

I don't understand the question - with a clean install, there would be no /var/db/receipts and it wouldn't make sense to copy the files over from an older installation.

that was my point since the beginning.
You were speaking about the full installer. Isn't it supposed to be used only on a clean installation ?

 

[treekram]

Many people do a clean install using the full installer - but it's up to the person to make sure they have a clean disk. The full installer is also used to upgrade from a previous OS, e.g. Yosemite to El Capitan. The installer won't touch non-OS files in this case.

 

[chrfr]

that was my point since the beginning.
You were speaking about the full installer. Isn't it supposed to be used only on a clean installation ?

The full installer is used when going from, for instance, 10.6.8, 10.7.x, 10.8.x, etc. to 10.11.2. It cannot be used for a clean install unless a USB installer is made from the installer application.