Install osx updates in external hard disk

[cool11]

I read many documents-articles-posts so I can't remember everything, but I think I read somewhere that it is possible to install the new updates of osx in external hard disk with bootable image of the whole environment of osx? Is this true?
If this is valid, how can I do it?
I mean, maybe I can choose the external hard disk for installation, but in normal installation in internal hard disk, it reboots, it continues installation etc.
Can you please clarify me if this can be done and how it should be done?

 

[Buggyflayer]

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202796

 

[cool11]

Thanks for the link.
Just to be sure and in order to avoid any misunderstanding (el capitan alrady gave me enough disappointment with its faulty installations):
finally, i just select the external drive, when I run the installer and I choose where the package will be installed?
Does it work like that?
Instead of choosing internal 'Macintosh HD' I will choose 'external hard disk', and the installer will install the update there?

 

[Spink10]

Thanks for the link.
Just to be sure and in order to avoid any misunderstanding (el capitan alrady gave me enough disappointment with its faulty installations):
finally, i just select the external drive, when I run the installer and I choose where the package will be installed?
Does it work like that?
Instead of choosing internal 'Macintosh HD' I will choose 'external hard disk', and the installer will install the update there?

Yes

Just to confirm you are wanting to install El Capitan on an external drive?

You are not asking about making a bootable copy of El Capitan that you can use to install El Capitan on other drives in the future. Correct?

 

[cool11]

I want to install el capitan updates, in external hard disk.
I want to experiment there, because installations of el capitan directly to my mbp internal hard disk were problematic.

 

[Buggyflayer]

If you've had some issues when trying to update, its probably best to download a fresh copy of 10.11.1 from the App store.
I'd also suggest you install to the external drive when you're not in a hurry. Accept that you may not have access to your Mac for a couple of hours after you've downloaded the installer & set it to install to the external drive.

Don't believe the time-left bar, it may seem stuck with many minutes remaining, it may then jump to looking like 7/8 done then seem stuck again. Even if it appears to have stopped (from what the screen is doing), the whole installation/decompressing files & configuration is probably continuing just as it should.
Let us know how it works-out for you.

 

[cool11]

Why I will not have access to my mac, if I install it to external hard drive? I can't understand it. We are not talking about the internal hard disk.

 

[Ebenezum]

Installer will not permit you do use the Mac during later part of the install. While in theory you could use it during the first phase that isn't a good idea because it might affect the install.

Best to leave the Mac alone during install and read a book or do something else meanwhile.

 

[Gochugogi]

I cloned my internal drive onto an external SSD. I selected the external SSD as startup, restarted and installed 10.11. Has been stable and working perfectly for a couple weeks now. I don't miss Mavericks at all but I'll keep it on the internal HD to run a few apps that don't work right in E; Capitan.

 

[cool11]

I downloaded the new 10.11.2 update.
I installed it to external hard disk. No errors during installation.
I boot from it.
It stuck, once again.

I am desperate as I cannot make any update in el capitan.
I really do not know what to do.

 

[CoastalOR]

I downloaded the new 10.11.2 update.
I installed it to external hard disk. No errors during installation.
I boot from it.
It stuck, once again.
I am desperate as I cannot make any update in el capitan.
I really do not know what to do.

Please, clarify how you booted from the new El Capitan install on the external drive.

Did you hold the option (alt) key at start up to get to the boot manager and then select the external drive? If you did not do that then the Mac is probably trying to start from your internal drive since that was the last setting of the System Preferences...>Startup Disk. Once you successfully start your Mac you can change the Startup Disk preference to your external drive so it will automatically use the external drive when starting.

 

[cool11]

Please, clarify how you booted from the new El Capitan install on the external drive.

Did you hold the option (alt) key at start up to get to the boot manager and then select the external drive? If you did not do that then the Mac is probably trying to start from your internal drive since that was the last setting of the System Preferences...>Startup Disk. Once you successfully start your Mac you can change the Startup Disk preference to your external drive so it will automatically use the external drive when starting.

Yes, I hold down 'alt' key and select the external hard disk.

 

[cool11]

How is it possible,
to make an installation to external hard disk,
which is problematic as I saw,
and then having problem to boot from internal hard disk too?
Why there is relation?