Install Combo Update over GM?

[5aga]

long story short - 10.11.4 is completely unstable on my rMBP. My system keeps freezing and lagging. I've had three kernel panics in one day.

I had a backup of 10.11.3 and normally I would just roll back to that but the 10.11.4 also corrupted my Time Machine backup so I cant use it anymore.

I happen to have a copy of the GM on a thumb drive and I'm wondering is it possible to install the GM and then install a combo update (10.11.3) over the El Capitan GM?

 

[throAU]

Before you do anything, run hardware diagnostics. It sounds like there's something broken with your machine (possibly RAM or overheating or some other hardware issue) that is causing your panics and data corruption.

Reinstalling a new OS on busted hardware is pointless, check the hardware for problems first.

 

[5aga]

Good advice.

I ran the hardware test and it didn't find any issues. I also reinstalled 10.10 using the internet recovery and it runs fine.

 

[throAU]

Good advice.

I ran the hardware test and it didn't find any issues. I also reinstalled 10.10 using the internet recovery and it runs fine.

hmm...SSD test included (dunno if apple hardware test includes it, been a while)?

For the time being upgrade to el cap but don't install any third party software, does it still crash after that?

Maybe try install to SD card and run from there and see if it is any more stable, if you have a spare SD card...


10.11.4 seems 100% stable on my 2015 model at the moment, and this was upgraded from Yosemite (through all of the el capitan releases) and no reinstall since...

 

[chrfr]

Good advice.

I ran the hardware test and it didn't find any issues. I also reinstalled 10.10 using the internet recovery and it runs fine.

If that's the case, then I'd suspect maybe there's some leftover 3rd party software that was causing the panics in 10.11.4. Did you happen to save any log files from a panic?

 

[5aga]

If that's the case, then I'd suspect maybe there's some leftover 3rd party software that was causing the panics in 10.11.4. Did you happen to save any log files from a panic?

no, sadly I got so frustrated i just wiped the system to start over

 

[chrfr]

no, sadly I got so frustrated i just wiped the system to start over

I think I'd just go ahead and give 10.11.4 one more try in that case, and be cautious about which 3rd party apps you install until you can see if it's more stable or not.
The older 10.11 installers have an expired security certificate so you'd need to set your computer's date back to before February 14, 2016 to get them to install. 10.11.4 won't have this problem. (Once the OS is installed then you can correct the date.)

 

[campyguy]

Chiming in here, I almost always get around to installing the OS Combo update soon after a Delta update. I performed a clean update of 10.11.3 on both of my Macs and all was good. When the .4 update came out I used the MAS Delta updater on my rMBP, against my better judgment - I'll admit that my Mac wasn't as stable as I'd wanted; I didn't use the MAS on my Mini Server and it kept plugging away without issue.

I finally took the time to DL and run the Combo 10.11.4 installer on my rMBP - a few days after the update came out - and my rMBP has been solid ever since. I've been very satisfied with the OS now, and used the Combo installer on my Mini Server too - it's what I should have done in the first place if I'd wanted to update.

Combo updaters for me, from here on out.