Software Update stuck at "Checking for updates"

Question

Software Update stuck at "Checking for updates"

I am getting very tired with this issue. Every time I want to check for updates, it spins and spins forever. I had this issue in Catalina and now Big Sur.

I and Apple have tried the usual suspects:

1) Normal restart then try...fails

2) Restart in Safe Mode then try...fails

3) Reset the NVRAM then try...fails

4) Recovery the OS...which works, but only once

Having to do an OS recovery every time I want to check for OS updates is a royal pain. I read so many people having this issues through multiple OS, you'd think Apple would have fixed it by now. Failing that, if there were just a source to directly download updates.

Intel iMac 2017 running OS 11.7.1 and wanting to update to 11.7.2

iMac 21.5″ 4K, macOS 11.7

Posted on Dec 14, 2022 11:13 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Owl-53

Level 10

100,219 points

Dec 15, 2022 04:27 AM in response to Henry Wolford

Yes there is a Direct way.

Terminal Application and copy the below command then press Return key

softwareupdate --list-full-installers

It should list the Big Sur 11.7.2

If Yes, the next Terminal command and again copy and paste with the Return key

softwareupdate --fetch-full-installer --full-installer-version 11.7.2

It will pull the Full Version of Big Sur

It will NOT auto Launch but only place a new application is Applications folder called " Install Big Sur "

When ready and after doing a TM Backup - disconnect all external Drives.

Launch the application like any other and follow the prompts.

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Answer 2

Dec 15, 2022 10:13 AM in response to Owl-53

I appreciate the answer, however this is basically an entire reload of the OS. That is what solves the problem for me (once), when I would recover the OS and then Software Update works and finds the update. Both methods take a lot of time and effort, for what should be a simple process to load the "important" updates.

I still feel as if Apple needs to get their Software Update package to work reliably. By the number of people with this issue, that needs to happen. Failing that, it would be so much simpler for there to be a list of system updates in the APP store for download. Look up your OS, see the latest update, then click to download. I find it interesting this is what the Software Update essentially does...but does not seem to work reliably.

For the record, I did the system recovery, launched Software Update, which found 11.7.2, and did the update, However, after the update (my usual one time shot) the Software Update is back to the "spinning wheel forever" looking for updates.

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Answer 3

Dec 15, 2022 12:00 PM in response to Henry Wolford

Any luck yet? I'm on Big Sur and just updated to 11.7.2 with a direct internet connection (not wifi) today Dec 15th. It took a while ~20-25 minutes with a few slow-ups showing on the progress bar and 2 restarts, but it finally finished. The update also includes Safari 16.2.

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Answer 4

Owl-53

Level 10

100,219 points

Dec 15, 2022 02:09 PM in response to Henry Wolford

Actually it does not do an Entire Reload of the OS.

It does bring down the Full Version and Installs Over the Existing older Version.

Thereby, updating the elements / aspects of the OS that are Out Of Date and require updating.

That aside and sometimes but not always, the issue is Third Party Security Software installed and used on the computer .

Then, there are the Disk Cleaners or Disk Optimizers that play havoc and basically reck the OS

This is not insinuating this computer is running these softwares but an information for why the Searching for Updates never complete.

Yes, and have seen a perfectly Clean version of macOS stumble and fail to Find the update.

So the measure to circumvent this issue and fulfill the request " Failing that, if there were just a source to directly download updates." was provided

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Answer 5

Dec 15, 2022 03:39 PM in response to olivetriangle

Thank you olivetriangle for your support.

I run a very clean iMac. The only third party software on it are my Epson print drivers. That being said, my update to 11.7.2 went like this:

a) Did a system recovery of 11.7.1, which allowed my Software Update to become functional (10 minutes)

b) Downloaded 11.7.2 update of 2.6 Gig. I too am ethernet connected to internet (5 minutes)

c) Updater went through the Preparing The Update phase, which started out as 15 minutes remaining, then 10, then 5. The entire preparation which was supposed to last 15 minutes actually took 80 minutes.

d) SIX update generated restarts later, I was up and functional on 11.7.2. (45 minutes)

e) Total time to load and process 11.7.2 update was roughly 2.5 hours.

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Answer 6

Owl-53

Level 10

100,219 points

Dec 16, 2022 02:24 AM in response to Henry Wolford

Henry Wolford wrote:

Thank you olivetriangle for your support.

I run a very clean iMac. The only third party software on it are my Epson print drivers. That being said, my update to 11.7.2 went like this:

a) Did a system recovery of 11.7.1, which allowed my Software Update to become functional (10 minutes)

Technically - running in Recovery Mode, if that is what the User actually meant, would not offer the Software Update Applet in System Preferences to even be presented.

That specific Applet would Only be offered when booted into the Full Version of the Operating System

Further, Recovery Mode would pull the Full Version of the latest version of Big Sur and comment the Software update

The Full Version of Big Sur is about 12.xx GB in Size

) Downloaded 11.7.2 update of 2.6 Gig. I too am ethernet connected to internet (5 minutes)

c) Updater went through the Preparing The Update phase, which started out as 15 minutes remaining, then 10, then 5. The entire preparation which was supposed to last 15 minutes actually took 80 minutes.

d) SIX update generated restarts later, I was up and functional on 11.7.2. (45 minutes)

e) Total time to load and process 11.7.2 update was roughly 2.5 hours.

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Answer 7

Dec 15, 2022 03:58 PM in response to Henry Wolford

Whew! Glad you made it through. Mine said it'll take 15 minutes too. But seeing your scenario, I may have stared at the progress bar & black screen restarts even longer than I thought !?! 😵‍💫

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Software Update stuck at "Checking for updates"

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