Resolved I just signed up to be a BETA tester....

[Apple_Robert]

Your beta install can be fine one day and refuse to boot the next day.

As previously mentioned, it is always a good idea to install on an external drive. If something bad happens, your day to day system is not affected.

I am very comfortable using Macs and I still install betas on an external drive.

If you are willing to spend the money, you can buy an external SSD. It would really speed your Mac up, not to mention seeing less beachballs.

 

[thadoggfather]

Your beta install can be fine one day and refuse to boot the next day.

As previously mentioned, it is always a good idea to install on an external drive. If something bad happens, your day to day system is not affected.

I am very comfortable using Macs and I still install betas on an external drive.

If you are willing to spend the money, you can buy an external SSD. It would really speed your Mac up, not to mention seeing less beachballs.

I’m downloading Mojave public beta right now ,getting my SATA To USBC in the mail today, and got a 120gb PNY SSD ready to go

If I just point the installer at and format the external SSD from there, there is ZERO chance my internal SSD sierra partition will get screwed right?

Backed up everything to a mechanical external last night to be sure, but ...

In theory i would think, no

 

[Apple_Robert]

I’m downloading Mojave public beta right now ,getting my SATA To USBC in the mail today, and got a 120gb PNY SSD ready to go

If I just point the installer at and format the external SSD from there, there is ZERO chance my internal SSD sierra partition will get screwed right?

Backed up everything to a mechanical external last night to be sure, but ...

In theory i would think, no

I don't see any reason why your internal drive would be affected by a borked external drive. Granted, if you have your Mac set to boot from the external drive and something goes untoward, then you have to go through a few steps to get back to booting from the internal drive.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong here but, I seem to recall that the external drive needs to have an OS on it, before you can point the installer to the external drive. If you have an OS on the external drive, there will be no need to install anything on the internal drive, in order to get the external drive running with Mojave.

 

[thadoggfather]

I don't see any reason why your internal drive would be affected by a borked external drive. Granted, if you have your Mac set to boot from the external drive and something goes untoward, then you have to go through a few steps to get back to booting from the internal drive.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong here but, I seem to recall that the external drive needs to have an OS on it, before you can point the installer to the external drive. If you have an OS on the external drive, there will be no need to install anything on the internal drive, in order to get the external drive running with Mojave.

Ah dang i have to have an OS on it?

So should i download High Sierra, point it to and format the drive from High Sierra installer? Currently On 10.12.6 Sierra on internal

Or just Disk Utility, format the external to whatever ( can i do APFS from there or just do HFS?) and then point installer?

Been a bit since I’ve done an upgrade, from one major OS to another, or beta tinkering

Appreciate it

 

[Apple_Robert]

Ah dang i have to have an OS on it?

So should i download High Sierra, point it to and format the drive from High Sierra installer? Currently On 10.12.6 Sierra on internal

Or just Disk Utility, format the external to whatever ( can i do APFS from there or just do HFS?) and then point installer?

Been a bit since I’ve done an upgrade, from one major OS to another, or beta tinkering

Appreciate it

Format the external the usual way and then put High Sierra on it. You should be set for Mojave then. I don't see a need to manually format the drive to APFS.

 

[thadoggfather]

Format the external the usual way and then put High Sierra on it. You should be set for Mojave then. I don't see a need to manually format the drive to APFS.

Another thread seems fine formatting to HFS+ and pointing installer to it

I would prefer a clean install instead of HS=>Mojave anyways so ill try that first

Thanks!

 

[a-m-k]

Am I checking for beta updates correctly?

 

[iHateMacs]

OP wrote:
The time to upgrade to an SSD is... NOW.

You will NEVER "overcome the beachballs" until you do so.

Would you recommend the SSD purely for the OS and use a HD for everything else?
500GB SSD seem good value.

I have a 2013 iMac with an SSD/HD combo (For the life of me I cannot remember what they are called) so I already have an SSD in theory. Would I benefit by replacing the existing SSD with 500gb one in the same combo?
An SSD via USB3 wouldn't be quick enough would it?

 

[TimothyR734]

Am I checking for beta updates correctly? View attachment 770335

yes you are but no new beta yet maybe next week

 

[a-m-k]

yes you are but no new beta yet maybe next week

Thank you.

 

[TimothyR734]

Your welcome ))))

 

[Fishrrman]

Basic wrote:
"Someone please correct me if I am wrong here but, I seem to recall that the external drive needs to have an OS on it, before you can point the installer to the external drive."

This is wrong.
You can install a fresh copy of the OS onto an empty drive.
Has to be formatted for the Mac first, however.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Basic wrote:
"Someone please correct me if I am wrong here but, I seem to recall that the external drive needs to have an OS on it, before you can point the installer to the external drive."

This is wrong.
You can install a fresh copy of the OS onto an empty drive.
Has to be formatted for the Mac first, however.

Thanks for the reply. I could have sworn my external drive wouldn't allow me to point the installer to it because it didn't have OS on it. I stand corrected.

 

[a-m-k]

I think I had to unenroll in the BETA program. I had a lot of problems. I am now back on High Sierra. I had spent a large part of my afternoon on my phone with two really patent technicians. Do I want to risk the same problems by downloading the BETA again or just wait until it is officially released?

 

[Banglazed]

I think I had to unenroll in the BETA program. I had a lot of problems. I am now back on High Sierra. I had spent a large part of my afternoon on my phone with two really patent technicians. Do I want to risk the same problems by downloading the BETA again or just wait until it is officially released?

If that beta didn’t work out for you, hopefully you reported those bugs and wait for the new beta. I believe there should be a Mac beta thread if you check up on it to see if users reported any fix on those bugs similar to ones you experienced before you jump back in. Each beta can take 1-2 weeks apart. Just note that if you do plan to jump back in since it might be tedious to keep going from beta to official build and vice versa.

Apple may even respond to your report either by requesting for additional information which you may need to try replicate the issue again or if a new build fixes that issue.

 

[a-m-k]

If that beta didn’t work out for you, hopefully you reported those bugs and wait for the new beta. I believe there should be a Mac beta thread if you check up on it to see if users reported any fix on those bugs similar to ones you experienced before you jump back in. Each beta can take 1-2 weeks apart. Just note that if you do plan to jump back in since it might be tedious to keep going from beta to official build and vice versa.

Apple may even respond to your report either by requesting for additional information which you may need to try replicate the issue again or if a new build fixes that issue.

I think the technicians I have spoken to yesterday (Sunday) will report it. However, is it a good idea to retry to download the BETA (later on today, its almost ten after midnight my time). I was told to make an appointment with the Genius Bar because there is something not right with my internal hard drive. This is why I don't think I want to download the latest BETA and just wait until the final version of the OS is out....

 

[matreya]

Just stick with High Sierra until Mojave is released, maybe even wait until 10.14.1

 

[a-m-k]

I've got a question, I had to literally reinstall everything from my external hard drive and I don't remember ever seeing the feedback assistant, was that on the the current OS?

 

[DeltaMac]

I've got a question, I had to literally reinstall everything from my external hard drive and I don't remember ever seeing the feedback assistant, was that on the the current OS?

Yes, the feedback assistant is installed when a beta of the OS is installed. It's part of the - well - feedback choice offered when you use a Mac beta. A default install will put a "Feedback" icon in the Dock. You can also find a link to the Feedback Assistant in the Applications/Utilities folder.
Finally, you can find the actual FeedBack Assistant app in /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications folder.
If the Feedback Assistant is NOT in that location, then maybe, after a reinstall of everything from your external hard drive, you have not yet reinstalled the macOS beta.

 

[Fishrrman]

Was I correct in my predictions in post 8 above... or not?

 

[Clix Pix]

As I mentioned in my earlier post in this thread, I don't think that it is a good idea to be a beta tester when you've only got one computer and it is an older one at that. As someone brought up in the thread, for one thing, you are still using a platter/spinner hard drive and Mojave is optimized for SSD, which makes a difference. Since you have already experienced difficulties, I would let the whole beta thing go now and just wait until Mojave is officially released in late September or early October. Your computer will thank you!

 

[a-m-k]

I am using the BETA version of Mojave 10.14. I wish I provided a screenshot when I started this thread, because I don't remember the doc bar having so many icons. I am sure you all know there are at least two and I suppose one will go away when the final version of the OS is out. I think I will still try to make a genius bar appointment to see if my HDD needs replacement.
[doublepost=1531756552][/doublepost]

As I mentioned in my earlier post in this thread, I don't think that it is a good idea to be a beta tester when you've only got one computer and it is an older one at that. As someone brought up in the thread, for one thing, you are still using a platter/spinner hard drive and Mojave is optimized for SSD, which makes a difference. Since you have already experienced difficulties, I would let the whole beta thing go now and just wait until Mojave is officially released in late September or early October. Your computer will thank you!

I will hopefully be making a Genius Bar to make sure things are good and the only thing I will need is a new SSD. Things, for the time being, are going better. It's almost like if I can get past the "glitches" I had when I first joined the program, things will be OK considering.

 

[a-m-k]

Is it a good idea to do a backup when I'm using the BETA program? I mean if it still has glitches or whatnot, but what if I, for example, add more songs to my iTunes list? Should I just not do it until the official software is debuted? What did you all do if you are veteran BETA testers?

 

[a-m-k]

On second thought, my iTunes list is saved to the cloud. So the question might be irrelevant. I suppose any of the documents I have on my MBP now is also on the cloud.

 

[a-m-k]

Do certain apps normally work when the BETA is installed? It was a while since I used a certain app and it was when I was on High Sierra, but since I am using the beta of Mojave, the app doesn't work. Should I wait to run it until the official release of Mojave? Should I contact the company of the app and see what they say? Should I report it through the feedback assistant?