MacOS Sierra slow download

[Legendts]

I'm in Oz with only a satellite connection and just downloaded it in about 20 minutes and currently installing it on my iMac. Usually quite slow via satellite but since upgrading to our new NBN (National Broadband Network) system it has been much quicker. I know that doesn't help you guys but just adding my experience.
Good luck guys.

 

[JPRIESTLY]

Just because it doesn't work for you, doesn't mean it won't for anyone else. It very well could be a network provider issue.

Jesus, why is everyone getting so defensive?

But to address your suggestion, I mentioned in an earlier post above that my wife was able to download and install Sierra in about 15 minutes on her Macbook Air. And she was sitting next to me at the same time I was having troubles. So it could be my Mac but probably not my ISP.

Besides, it seems that I'm not the only for whom the DNS trick doesn't work.

 

[Mlrollin91]

Jesus, why is everyone getting so defensive?

But to address your suggestion, I mentioned in an earlier post above that my wife was able to download and install Sierra in about 15 minutes on her Macbook Air. And she was sitting next to me at the same time I was having troubles. So it could be my Mac but probably not my ISP.

Besides, it seems that I'm not the only for whom the DNS trick doesn't work.

I'm not getting defensive, no one else was either. You called it a red herring and saying it doesn't work. Just because it doesn't for you doesn't mean everyone else has your same experience. So far more people have gotten it to work than those who haven't. Therefore, it must actually work in certain circumstances.

 

[Carlanga]

This made no difference for me.

My wife updated her MacBook Air in 10 minutes at the same time and on the same network. My MacBook Pro 13" late-2013 will not download more than 1 GB before I get the unhelpful and abstruse, 'an has error occurred.'

You should have copied her installed package to a USB and put it in yours.

 

[Pndrgnsvc]

Just as a data point-

The short version...

After 15 hours of grief, I was still only about three-quarters through, when the downloading stopped cold (or apparently so). So I hit the pause button, waited a minute and then continued/resumed. After that, the downloading zipped along as in days of old and finished in about 10 minutes via a wired 100 Mbps SuddenLink connection.

Of course, I immediately copied the installer to a flash drive.

Been using Macs since 1984 and this is the first time I've had such problems.

IMNHO: In light of my experience, e.g., my miraculous return to "normal" when a different server connection was made, I place the blame on Apple.

 

[getrealbro]

Early yesterday evening “macOS Sierra failed to download” again. So I decided to just wait awhile. Before I went to bed I changed the DNS settings and tried to get it to resume twice — both times it quickly failed.

This AM I resumed the download and it now has under .5GB to go. This time the data is NOT being dribbled out in bursts of a few seconds of data followed by no data. This time the download is effectively saturating our slow ISPs bandwidth — 256 KB/sec. [Yes, you read that right.] This is how downloads from strong servers should, and usually do, look.



Did the DNS change help? I’ll never know. But I doubt that it did, since the download failed twice after I made the DNS change. More likely changing the DNS servers works for some people because it randomly causes the download to resume from a different Apple server that is not as heavily loaded, while others aren’t so lucky.

—GetRealBro

Edit: The download completed this AM. I copied it to an external hard drive and deleted it off my MBP. In the next few days I'll do a clean install on an external HD partition to see what the fuss is about. I won't be installing macOS Sierra on any of our Macs until Apple quits sending out .x updates to developers before I can get the last update downloaded

 

[EnderBeta]

My 2012 Mac Mini downloaded it so fast I didn't think too much of it. Then I tried to download it on my iMac. It is still going 24 hours later with 3 hours to go and 4.15GB downloaded of 4.77GB. I wish that the installer didn't delete itself after installing because I would have put it on a thumb stick and moved it to my iMac and MacBook that way.

Lesson learned. Once the iMac has it I'm doing just that to get it to the MacBook and then next year that is how I will do it for all three. In the mean time though I'm very happy with it on the Mini and can't wait to get it on my other two macs.
[doublepost=1474548984][/doublepost]

Early yesterday evening “macOS Sierra failed to download” again. So I decided to just wait awhile. Before I went to bed I changed the DNS settings and tried to get it to resume twice — both times it quickly failed.

This AM I resumed the download and it now has under .5GB to go. This time the data is NOT being dribbled out in bursts of a few seconds of data followed by no data. This time the download is effectively saturating our slow ISPs bandwidth — 256 KB/sec. [Yes, you read that right.] This is how downloads from strong servers should, and usually do, look.

View attachment 657003

Did the DNS change help? I’ll never know. But I doubt that it did, since the download failed twice after I made the DNS change. More likely changing the DNS servers works for some people because it randomly causes the download to resume from a different Apple server that is not as heavily loaded, while others aren’t so lucky.

—GetRealBro

What program is that you have tracking the data used?

 

[getrealbro]

What program is that you have tracking the data used?

I use NetUse Traffic Monitor (available in the App store) to monitor the incoming and outgoing traffic on my older AirPort Extreme (that looks like a white Mac Mini). NetUse Traffic Monitor uses SNMP to query the AirPort Extreme’s network traffic counters every few seconds. It then produces the real time graphs I’ve posted. I also use SNMP via a shell script to poll the same counters every 10 minutes so that I have a history of network traffic.

These tools were very handy in recognizing and diagnosing the runaway iPhone/iPad iCloud backups that ran all night nearly every night. I documented this iCloud backup problem on this forum earlier this year.

The bad news is that Apple removed SNMP support in the latest AirPorts (tall tower shape). So these tools only work with older AirPorts or 3rd party wireless hubs. As a result if/when any of my AirPorts die they will not be replaced with another AirPort.

—GetRealBro

 

[kryptonkid07]

So I woke up this morning and macOS Sierra had completed the download. I didn't change any DNS settings; I just simply tried again.

Clicked install and left for work. I hope to come home to some Sierra goodness.

 

[AZhappyjack]

So I woke up this morning and macOS Sierra had completed the download. I didn't change any DNS settings; I just simply tried again.

Clicked install and left for work. I hope to come home to some Sierra goodness.

Good for you. I woke up to "Download failed". Again.

 

[Clix Pix]

I got up this morning and after getting the coffee started, turned on my rMB, the last machine to get the new OS, and immediately went to the App store and began downloading. I was surprised and delighted when it took only 18 minutes! The machine is now installing Sierra. Only thing I can figure is that I just hit this at a time when the server wasn't quite so busy..... Good luck to the rest of you and I hope you can get your downloads done today!

 

[elf69]

Im in cornwall UK.

Took about 2.5 to 3 hours to download on a 4 to 5 meg connection.

Did it this morning starting at about 9:30am

 

[AZhappyjack]

Two days later, and still can't get the download to complete. The AppleSupport twitter account is useless. WTF is going on in Cupertino?

 

[Pndrgnsvc]

Just curious: Is this problem still on-going and has a definite fix been identified? Or, was this (merely) a problem with Apple's servers and that has now been rectified, e.g., are new folks who are, for the first time attempting this DL, also met with the same angst many of us experienced?

 

[Royksöpp]

I downloaded last night just fine. It was at about 3 in the morning so that probably helped.

 

[EnderBeta]

Mine was downloading slow this morning on my iMac but I got it and installed it onto my iMac after backing up a copy of the installer. I will be using it sometime tis weekend to update my 13" Early 2015 MacBook Pro.

 

[AZhappyjack]

The error message says 'download failed' and then it says to go to the Purchases tab to re-download Sierra. I got nothing in my Purchases tab.

 

[997440]

The error message says 'download failed' and then it says to go to the Purchases tab to re-download Sierra. I got nothing in my Purchases tab.

The nothing in the purchases tab might be a separate issue : https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/is-sierra-showing-up-in-purchases-for-you.1999049/

 

[simon lefisch]

I downloaded last night around 6:15pm and it finished in 10 minutes.

 

[wfs29223]

The download speed is pitiful.

I started the macOS Sierra download from the app store last night around 10PM and it has only managed to download roughly half by this AM. It is currently predicting over 14 more hours to complete the download.

FWIW I monitor the incoming and outgoing throughput on my AirPort Extreme. With zero other traffic last night, the incoming data was only happening in short bursts of about a second followed by 10-20 seconds with no traffic at all. This was still the case when I checked first thing this AM. Makes me wonder if Apple has the compute/network infrastructure to support these nearly simultaneous, massive roll outs of iOS, tvOS, watchOS and macOS?

Here's what it looks like this AM

View attachment 656256

---GetRealBro

p.s. Other network traffic was normal last night and still is this AM.

What app or program is that?

 

[USAntigoon]

I had the same issue and I pressed pause and then resume and it started moving along again.

Indeed that's the trick I successfully used as well...

 

[Spink10]

They only reason I downloaded macOS Sierra on my wife's rMB was to have it connected with her purchases. Only to find out that macOS Sierra will not be showing up under purchased.

 

[blindpcguy]

thats why i installed the gm a couple days before launch id suggest in the furture if you want to upgrade ur os day one a day or two before launch enroll in apple beta program and upgrade to the gm build would work great then disable beta updates when the final build rolls out its the gm so its finished anyways lol.

 

[EnderBeta]

They only reason I downloaded macOS Sierra on my wife's rMB was to have it connected with her purchases. Only to find out that macOS Sierra will not be showing up under purchased.

Is this Apple's new way of not letting people roll back once a new version has been released?

 

[Spink10]

Is this Apple's new way of not letting people roll back once a new version has been released?

Its definitely frustrating. I keep a bootable copy of each OS on an external drive.