macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-005 10.15.7

[dcs.79c]

My current version of Catalina on my Mac mini is: 10.15.7.

There's also a macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-005 10.15.7. Both have the same version number - 10.15.7. Why? I guess that the security update is for 10.15.7 specifically. Am I correct?

I have a 2018 Mac mini. The size of the download is 2.17 GB. I wonder how long it will take to download & install the update. I guess that the download will be done in the background & I can continue to use my mini. I guess that a window will popup telling me to restart my computer.

I can upgrade to Sonoma. Should I download & install the Catalina security update before I upgrade to Sonoma or can I skip the security update?

I wonder how long it will take my 2018 mini to download & install a 13.39 GB file. I have a 100 GB upload/download speed from Verizon.

 

[RadDave]

Well, no one can guess your download time for either the update or Sonoma - just depends on many factors including your internet plan (hard to believe you have a 100 GB plan - mine with Spectrum is 300 Mbps and could go to 1 Gbps), how busy the Apple servers may be, time of day, etc. As to the 'Security Update', more info HERE. If you plan to stay with Catalina then updating is highly recommended.

Now whether to go to Sonoma is a bigger decision - your 2018 Mac Mini is at the bottom end of compatible models (LINK) - e.g. considerations include features that may not be available on your machine, among others. Also you might want to tell us how much memory is on your device and also its storage capacity and how much is 'free' (that DL will warrant 2-3X available storage). Others will likely 'chime in' with their comments. Good luck deciding. Dave

 

[dcs.79c]

Verizon wants to extort $400 from me to buy a faster router. Mine maxes out at 100 GB. Verizon no longer supports it but it still works fine.

HMM, I know that my 2018 mini is compatible with Sonoma but perhaps I should hold off on Sonoma & get a new mini. You're probably right about some Sonoma features not being compatible with my mini.

Here are the specs, but you probably already know them:
Mac mini (2018)

Processor: 3 GHz 6-core Intel i5

Memory: 8 GB 2667 MHz DDR4

Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB

It has a 250 GB SSD with 188 GB free.

 

[RadDave]

Verizon wants to extort $400 from me to buy a faster router. Mine maxes out at 100 GB. Verizon no longer supports it but it still works fine.

HMM, I know that my 2018 mini is compatible with Sonoma but perhaps I should hold off on Sonoma & get a new mini. You're probably right about some Sonoma features not being compatible with my mini.

Here are the specs, but you probably already know them:
Mac mini (2018):
Processor: 3 GHz 6-core Intel i5
Memory: 8 GB 2667 MHz DDR4
Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB
It has a 250 GB SSD with 188 GB free.

At the moment, I'm renting my modem & router (Wi-Fi 6) from Spectrum - their 300 Mbps plan works for us, i.e. able to stream UHD films to my 4K HDTV rarely buffering; a 500 Mbps upgrade would cost be an additional $20/month, but a consideration.

Well, I think you should at least do the Catalina update. As to Sonoma, a big decision. For the holidays, I upgraded our computers - went to a M2 MBAir for me and wife to a M3 iMac both on Sonoma, so felt that the Apple silicon was our best bet going to the latest macOS. If you do decide on going to Sonoma on the older Mini and decide it's not for you on that machine, reverting back to an older OS can be quite involved - info HERE, if interested. Dave

 

[IWT]

There's also a macOS Catalina Security Update 2022-005 10.15.7. Both have the same version number - 10.15.7. Why? I guess that the security update is for 10.15.7 specifically. Am I correct?

Security updates are always important, ocassionally critical. This is particularly so when offered to older Operating Systems such as yours.

Therefore- definitely update now.

As a security update, it is likely to be a small and fast update. It's NOT a standard update which can be large.

And the version number is correct.

Go for it.

Ian

 

[dcs.79c]

I did install the Catalina update. So far, so good.

I don't have Time Machine enabled & I don't want to spend money on an external hard drive. I'll just buy the current mini some time in the future.

Before the install,the SSD had 188 GB of free space. Now it has 205GB! Why did the free space increase?

 

[IWT]

I don't have Time Machine enabled & I don't want to spend money on an external hard drive. I'll just buy the current mini some time in the future.

None of my business, I know; but I'm sure that most members here would agree with me when I say that if you can afford a new Mac, then the cost of an EHD suitable for Time Machine backups is nothing compared with the possible loss of everything on your Mac.

Ian

 

[RadDave]

None of my business, I know; but I'm sure that most members here would agree with me when I say that if you can afford a new Mac, then the cost of an EHD suitable for Time Machine backups is nothing compared with the possible loss of everything on your Mac.

Ian

Well, I was going to let someone else have the first crack at potentially no backups?

Now the OP may be doing backups other than TM, e.g. CCC or SuperDuper and/or an online service, such as Backblaze - BUT if not, must agree with Ian. For my new Macs, I've dedicated 4 external SSDs to each machine (i.e. duplicate TMs & CCCs), plus use Backblaze for each computer. Many of us here take a similar approach - mine are 1 TB Crucial and Samsung SSDs, around a $100 a piece on Amazon, so an inexpensive purchase to buy a few (and 500 GB ones even cheaper!). Dave

 

[Rod]

None of my business, I know; but I'm sure that most members here would agree with me when I say that if you can afford a new Mac, then the cost of an EHD suitable for Time Machine backups is nothing compared with the possible loss of everything on your Mac.

Not to mention; how do you intend to transfer the data on the old Mini to the new one when you get it? By far the simplest method is to import it from a TM backup during setup.