Downgrade Safari 14.0.3 to 14.0.1 (Big Sur 11.2 to Big Sur 11.1)

[winna]

Hi

I installed Big Sur 11.2 yesterday but had a huge problem with my screen. Decided to revert back to 11.1. All is fine except Safari which is the version for 11.2 and it will not run on 11.1. Why did it leave an incompatible version?! and there is no way to replace it...suggestions?

 

[chscag]

How did you revert back? Time Machine? If you use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup before upgrading you can revert back without running into Safari problems or other incompatibilities.

If you can find a copy of Safari that was for 11.1, it's possible to turn off SIP and remove the newer copy of Safari so that you can install the older one.

 

[winna]

How did you revert back? Time Machine? If you use Carbon Copy Cloner to backup before upgrading you can revert back without running into Safari problems or other incompatibilities.

If you can find a copy of Safari that was for 11.1, it's possible to turn off SIP and remove the newer copy of Safari so that you can install the older one.

Installed 11.1 and used Time Machine. I have a copy of Safari from 11.1 but it does not paste my save passwords (Mac mini M1). I need to remove Safari and replace it with version from 11.1 (CCC doesn't work with M1)

 

[winna]

Installed 11.1 via USB boot stick but it's still there

 

[chscag]

Installed 11.1 and used Time Machine. I have a copy of Safari from 11.1 but it does not paste my save passwords (Mac mini M1). I need to remove Safari and replace it with version from 11.1 (CCC doesn't work with M1)

You didn't mention you were on a M1. You're right, the APFS replicator does not work with M1 machines.

It appears then your keychain info stored in Safari 11.1 was lost. I don't know of a way you can recover from that especially if the only copy of your passwords stored in Safari was all you had. Redoing all passwords again is a pain. Maybe someone else has a suggestion.

 

[winna]

You didn't mention you were on a M1. You're right, the APFS replicator does not work with M1 machines.

It appears then your keychain info stored in Safari 11.1 was lost. I don't know of a way you can recover from that especially if the only copy of your passwords stored in Safari was all you had. Redoing all passwords again is a pain. Maybe someone else has a sugges

I'ts really a strange thing because I did a clean install and migrated from time machine (11.1) and STILL left me with the Safari for 11.2!? I just don't get it, tried twice!

 

[chscag]

Time Machine will restore the system files which is why you got back to 11.1 but it will not overwrite what it "sees" as a later version of Safari. You're not the only one caught up with that.

You may have to wipe and do a clean install of 11.1 in order to get straight again. Or use another browser and wait for 11.3 which should be released sometime in the Spring.

 

[dieselm]

I had the same issue during the 11.2beta period. Went back to 11.1 and got stuck with the Safari from 11.2.

(I believe that is because the system modification date on Safari on 11.2 and 11.1 are both January 1st, 2010 and the system can't determine which to keep and which to drop.).

It's asking for trouble to mix and match system components manually. Not only Safari is mismatched. Safari is just the only application that you happen to notice. If nothing else, you're opening yourself up to potential iCloud corruption issues with mismatched system components in an untested configuration. Muck with system integrity protection and Apple system files at your peril.