On 11.3 Public Beta. If I reinstall "latest version" from recovery, do I get 11.3 or 11.2.x?

[Silverstring]

On the latest PB, but having major issues with Spotlight, even after trying a variety of "fixes" (adding drive to privacy then re-adding, sudo mdutil -E /, safe mode, disk utility first aid, restarting, deleting index with Cocktail and Onyx, reindex command from spotlight, etc) I've found online...but nothing has worked. I'll reboot, and my "Recents" folder has files in it, but after a few hours, that folder goes blank, for example.

A couple of other things seem off, so long story short, I want to skip any more targeted troubleshooting and try the nuclear option of reinstalling the OS—but without erasing my data. I have never done this before, so I'm a bit apprehensive.

Found Reinstall macOS on Apple's support site, and I have an Intel Mac, but am not sure which option to pick between:

• Install latest version compatible with computer
• Reinstall the version of macOS stored on your computer's built-in recovery disk

(I know I don't want my computer's original version of macOS, which I believe is Mojave, so that option is out.)

Ultimately, I want to stay on the PB, as I don't think it is the source of the problem. I'm also worried that reinstalling to an older version—when I've been running the public beta's for months—might introduce new problems, and/or complicate the current spotlight one.

So I have 2 questions:

1. How do I know what version of Mac is on my built-in recovery disk?
2. If I choose to install the "latest version compatible with my computer", will that be the 11.3 Public Beta or the current public/stable release, 11.2.x?

Not knowing much about how this process of reinstalling the OS without erasing works, I want to minimize variables. If recovery can't reinstall the PB/same version I'm running now, I may just wait until those things are aligned. Does anyone know? My search was fruitless. Thank you in advance!

 

[barbu]

You can reboot to the recovery partition and see! But I’m pretty sure it’ll match your current OS patch level, in this case, 11.3 beta.

 

[Silverstring]

You can reboot to the recovery partition and see! But I’m pretty sure it’ll match your current OS patch level, in this case, 11.3 beta.

Thank you. I tried, and got the message

This volume cannot be downgraded.

…so looks like I’ll have to wait until public release! In truth, glad it protected me from myself.

 

[buckrock]

Why don't you download 11.3 beta 4 InstallAssistant.pkg and prepare a bootable USB of the installer with createinstallmedia. Start with option key to open the system picker and run the Installer right on top of your existing beta (is it beta 3 or 4?). This will not harm your data or your settings. Search some of the latest pages of

macOS 11 Big Sur on Unsupported Macs Thread​

here at MacRumors for the latest beta's link.