Mystery Solved: Can Finally Get the Latest High Sierra Installer, V10.13.3

[honestone]

Ever since Apple released the newest version of High Sierra, OS 10.13.3, earlier, I have been trying to download the full installer from the App Store. But every time I tried, the only choice I had was "Open", and that was because I already had the full installer for V10.13.2. However, that version was NOT in my Applications folder. I have two other folders within my Documents folder entitled "Useful Software" and "Upgrades", and within the "Upgrades" folder I have one entitled "OS 10.13 and Upgrades", and that is where that OS 10.13.2 installer was located.

So once again, Apple, in their mysterious ways, makes it difficult for folks visiting the App store to understand their logic. Fortunately, I always make a backup (2 actually) with SuperDuper!, and I just did that yesterday. So, I deleted the OS 10.13.2 installer, and then wen I went to the App Store, for the OS 10.13.3 installer, it changed to Download. I clicked on that, and the download proceeded, and in fact, just completed. When I got the screen to proceed with the installation, I quit that process. As expected that file "Install macOS High Sierra" wound up in my Applications folder. I am going to move it to that Upgrades folder, and also to the Upgrades folder on my SuperDuper! backup.

Apple sure makes it a hassle!

 

[Cory Cooper]

Yeah, the App Store uses Spotlight to determine if some installers/apps are present on a system. What you experienced with the High Sierra installer would happen even if it wasn't present in the Applications folder, and was on another partition, and external drive, etc.

C

 

[honestone]

I am just about certain that is a recent "change". Also, on my Mac Mini, I have one of my external SSDs connected via USB 3.0. Two of the partitions contain the SuperDuper! backups I did for both of my Macs yesterday (as I always do once a week), and within each of those backups, the folder entitled "OS 10.13 and Upgrades" was present, along with the OS 10.13.2 installation file. But the App store did not "see"/detect that. It had only (previously) detected the file on my internal SSD.

I have already downloaded the OS 10.13.3 Installer file from the App store, and for my Mac Mini, as I mentioned above, that worked fine, with just removing the OS 10.13.2 Installation file from the folder entitled "OS 10.13 and Upgrades" on the Mini's internal SSD. I did not remove them from the external backups.

It's still a hassle, and Apple keeps making it more and more difficult. I guess they refuse to believe in one of my mottos: Keep It Simple, Stupid. Apple's not the only company that cannot follow that simple, pertinent philosophy (and there are many more examples in our world, including individuals!).