I'm on Sierra 10.12.4 on my 13" early 2015 rMBP and have encountered numerous graphical issues that were not present on 10.12.3 (which was bug free for my usage). I do have a Time Machine backup from when on 10.12.3, but would rather not go that route to avoid losing changes made since then. I tried downloading the 10.12.3 combo update from Apple's website, but when I go to install it I get this notice: macOS Sierra can't be installed on this disk. This volume does not meet the requirements for this update." Is this because you cannot re-install a previous update? Any way to get past this? I would also like to avoid doing a fresh install, as I already did that once a while back for different reasons and it was a lot of work, and my system is setup perfectly at the moment.
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Any way to revert to 10.12.3 without Time Machine?
- Thread starter Falcon9
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You can't backdate macOS without restoring from a backup. You'd either have to use your Time Machine backup or use an older 10.12 installer to get there. If you download a new 10.12 installer, you'll get the 10.12.4 version.
Methinks you might be able to go back to 10.12.3 by downloading and installing the 10.12.3 combo update.
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1905?locale=en_US
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1905?locale=en_US
The problems the OP is experiencing is yet one more reason why one should always ALWAYS do a bootable cloned backup BEFORE doing an OS upgrade.
If the OP had a bootable cloned backup of 10.12.3 created -just before- he upgraded to 10.12.4, he could:
1. Boot from the backup
2. Erase the internal drive
3. RE-CLONE from the backup back to the internal
Once done, he would be "right back where he started from", ready-to-go with the previous version of the OS, and everything "in place"…
… or, as they say, "easy-peasy".
If the OP had a bootable cloned backup of 10.12.3 created -just before- he upgraded to 10.12.4, he could:
1. Boot from the backup
2. Erase the internal drive
3. RE-CLONE from the backup back to the internal
Once done, he would be "right back where he started from", ready-to-go with the previous version of the OS, and everything "in place"…
… or, as they say, "easy-peasy".
I've had several problems since I upgraded my iMac from 10.12.3 to 10.12.4, including Time Machine, which backs up to an External Hard Disk via FireWire 800 [see my post on 17 May
iOS 10.12.4 update/Time Machine slowness problem]
Apple engineers say it is the fault of the Ext HD and I should buy a new one, despite First Aid saying there is nothing wrong with the Ext HD, while First Aid from Recovery had to fix problems with the Macintosh HD (repairing threads etc.).
I do have a Time Machine Backup and would like to try Fishrrman's solution, but I'm not very tech savvy. Indebted if you could spell out in non-technical terms what I need to do in steps 1, 2, and 3
Many thanks
iOS 10.12.4 update/Time Machine slowness problem]
Apple engineers say it is the fault of the Ext HD and I should buy a new one, despite First Aid saying there is nothing wrong with the Ext HD, while First Aid from Recovery had to fix problems with the Macintosh HD (repairing threads etc.).
I do have a Time Machine Backup and would like to try Fishrrman's solution, but I'm not very tech savvy. Indebted if you could spell out in non-technical terms what I need to do in steps 1, 2, and 3
Many thanks