Should I upgrade to macOS High Sierra?

[Partron22]

I really don't get your sentence?

I've had Time Machine fail five or 6 times in a blaze of glory. That is at best very annoying.
When I need a backup I can trust, I use SuperDuper!. Others use CarbonCopyCloner or some other genuine backup software. As far as I'm concerned, Time Machine has acted like mid-beta software since about late Yosemite.

 

[whg]

How do you "force" the installer do do an HFS+ install instead of APFS? Thanks in advance.

Please see this:
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/install-to-ssd-without-apfs-for-bootcamp-compatibility.2087185/

 

[randomgeeza]

I received my new iMac with High Sierra installed, so I had no choice. Everything is working perfectly well. Not a single problem by now (one month fiddling & installing my legacy apps).
But I wouldn't upgrade if your system just works; wait a little bit longer.
32bits apps are still supported in High Sierra.
Perhaps most annoying thing is not having new photo & video codecs used in last iOS. You can still get those files from iOS devices in old codec in order to work with them in your Mac, but I appreciate a better communication with my iPad Pro and my iPhone.

You can actually downgrade to Sierra if you want... I did on a 2017 MBPTB. HS is still toooo iffy IMHO.

 

[dogslobber]

I've had Time Machine fail five or 6 times in a blaze of glory. That is at best very annoying.
When I need a backup I can trust, I use SuperDuper!. Others use CarbonCopyCloner or some other genuine backup software. As far as I'm concerned, Time Machine has acted like mid-beta software since about late Yosemite.

Amen to that! Time Machine sounded like a hack sitting on top of hard links for an aging file system not designed for the like. It’s taken 10 extra years to get to the point of an OS supporting a file system that can make snapshots, the feature that TM needs to work properly.

Mind you, I’ve no idea how Apple has TM bridge the HFS+ to APFS backup quandary.

 

[joefoong79]

I've had Time Machine fail five or 6 times in a blaze of glory. That is at best very annoying.
When I need a backup I can trust, I use SuperDuper!. Others use CarbonCopyCloner or some other genuine backup software. As far as I'm concerned, Time Machine has acted like mid-beta software since about late Yosemite.

Got it. Somehow based on my experienced, that went pretty smooth on time machine. I only have 1 out of 10 had a glitch.

 

[J.Gallardo]

You can actually downgrade to Sierra if you want... I did on a 2017 MBPTB. HS is still toooo iffy IMHO.

"I received my new iMac with High Sierra installed, so I had no choice. Everything is working perfectly well".

OP asked about "upgrading to High Sierra". I had no choice to upgrade; of course I could "downgrade"...!
Lets make a new moto: "If everything just works, don't downgrade!"

 

[CEmajr]

I'd say no. I'm running a 2014 15" rMBP 2.8 GHz, 16GB RAM and since upgrading I get more random restarts, laggy programs, loading beach balls, and general stability issues than I've ever seen before with this machine. Need to find a way to downgrade back to the previous OS. I probably should've used my MBA as the test machine to upgrade instead of my main Macbook.

 

[mikzn]

Count me in for the "don't upgrade" side.

I have "High Sierra" installed on an EVO 850 in a USB enclosure (bootable) for testing and have been testing it (with all installed apps and system tweaks) once a week since it was available in Beta October 2017. I have done this (new SSD) every OS since Yosemite and "when all is good" I swap out the hard drive in my MBP. This prevents having to downgrade (if any issues) and refreshes the hard drive with a new drive. It also leaves with the best possible back up - the actual drive with all the origiinal files in all the hidden locations or orphaned locations etc.

Apps that don't work - still have not swapped out the drive with "High Sierra" - too many apps that don't work or that I will have to update/purchase new version or that just plain don't work being the main concern.

The file system worries me - I have a lot of old drives / back ups) some that were not HFS - also am worried about making new back ups and cloning drives etc. Also some apps may not work with APFS because of the new file system.

New Features? - I really can't think of any compelling reason to make the switch because of any new features.

Future Updates - am hoping some (non compatible) apps will eventually work with updates of High Sierra

With every other OS update I have swapped out the drive and adopted the new OS with 30 - 45 days on my main MBP satisfied with the overall experience (even if it was a beta). After four months of testing High Sierra I don't think I will be switching any time soon if at all - might just skip this version.

To add to that I also have an iPhone 6 and the iOS 11 experience is even worse. No more beta and not going to upgrade to any new Mac OS or iOS unless it makes sense

 

[555gallardo]

I think all this debate is useless. Why not OP just use the Time Machine back up before updating to HS. If, any problem then just reverse back using TM. The American spirit if you never try you"ll never know.

I don't have a Time Machine and the only external hard drive I use is because of files that would take a lot of space inside my MBA (128GB).

 

[joefoong79]

Well, I believed you had been reading a lot of comment in this discussion forum. So, you should know what to do.[/QUOTE]

 

[Mac Hammer Fan]

If you don't have backups, don't upgrade to High Sierra!

 

[Jaekae]

if you have 2016 macbook or later you should upgrade, high sierra is the only one that have good drivers for the hardware

 

[Oto Rhino]

Hi all

I have installed HS on all my macs and the ones of the family, never encountered any hiccups during install or day to day use.
2 Macpro 5.1 12core 3.46, Ssd using apfs, 64gb
1 Imac late2009 core2duo 3.06 27”, Hdd, 16gb
1 macmini mid2010 core2duo 2.66, Ssd using apfs, 16gb

HS demonstrates smooth, easy to use, up to date...


Machines stucked with ElCapitan:
- 1 Macpro 2.1 32go. El Capitan on a hdd, w10 64 on a ssd
- 1 Imac late2009 core2duo 2 20”

Best
Renaud

 

[simonsi]

I don't have a Time Machine and the only external hard drive I use is because of files that would take a lot of space inside my MBA (128GB).

If you don't have backups then eventually you <will> lose all your data and that will be a far worse experience than any upgrade could have been.

I'm on High Sierra, no issues whatsoever.

 

[Eric8199]

I took the leap on my main personal computer (I use it for photography and audio production in Adobe CC), a 2017 15” MBP. No issues so far. Had been running it on my rMB for a month or two. Considering taking the leap on my 2016 13” MBP wtb that I use at work but that machine is more critical. I really want to test the waters though to see if it’s worth updating the Macs in our office. I have a feeling that will hold off for a while though.

 

[joefoong79]

Last week while I had nothing to do, then I’m back up time machine and do the upgrade HS. To my surprised every thing was fined. Plus my battery even last longer in web surfing from usual 5 hours, change to 6 hours now. But, I’m using MacBook Pro 2016 TB not an older version mostly people compliant.

 

[MSastre]

I finally installed 10.13.3 on my late 2013 rMBP, but this was after testing a "clean install" of 10.13.2 on a cloned drive for a while, then waiting for the .3 update on the clone, and more testing. So far no issues whatsoever. I do have drive with Sierra installed if I need to get back, but all is looking good so far.