How to update Mac mini from High Sierra to macOS 10.14 or 10.15?

H AND J (Author)

Perhaps the paths listed to 'specific installer links' within

this article, may still work to get older versions of macOS.

How to download and install macOS - Apple Support

//support.apple.com/en-us/102662

Those I'd be interested, show exact archive file D/L URLs.

You should use Safari macOS Browsers, even if outdated.

And these macappstores files will only work in Supported

Mac version 'supported hardware' vintage build versions.

These in page URLs only directly open into macappstores then choose their own paths only:

• Catalina 10.15 <macappstores://apps.apple.com/app/macos-catalina/id1466841314?mt=12>
• Mojave 10.14 <macappstores://apps.apple.com/app/macos-mojave/id1398502828?mt=12>

Use the App Store

"To download macOS from the App Store, you must download from a Mac that is

compatible with that macOS. ~IF your Mac isn't compatible, the App Store dims

the Get button, says that the macOS is not compatible with this device, - or says

that the requested version of macOS is not available."

My Late 2012 Mac Mini (server) shipped with two 1TB 5400RPM Hard Drives and

upgraded (build-version specific) Two 8GB (16GB) 1600MHz DDR3 RAM chips.

(OWC RAM) and CPU 2.3GHz dual-core intel i7 & Intel Graphics 4000 1536MB.

Presently runs two partitions per HDD; (4) approx 499GB each. One w/ Mavericks

10.9.5 original Server version, installed. Others include Mojave 10.14.x + High Sierra

10.13.6. (Also has 'downloaded non-installed' version of Catalina, on own partition.)

.KIT has Apple Cinema Display, 20-inch (1680 x 1050) & shows correct in graphics.

.And an iSight original web camera, (with box) that shows its age; a bit grainy!

H AND J wrote:

All other software is available for 10.14 & 10.15, ie, updates / combo, but NO Standalone original release of either 10.14 & 10.15.

Not quite true. The installers available from the App Store are full installers. They are not updates or combos as were availalble a long time ago with older releases of OS X.

True that you can no longer download the ".0" releases for Mojave or Catalina. But why would you even need or want them? At this point, with an older version of macOS you should want the final release, which contains all the updates that were ever issued for that version. In the case of Mojave that was 10.14.6 ... Catalina 10.15.7

If you have a Mac running Monterey or later it is possible (as of this date) to download any of the following installers via Terminal. But none earlier.

macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055650KiB, Build: 19H15

macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.7, Size: 8055522KiB, Build: 19H2

macOS Catalina, Version: 10.15.6, Size: 8055450KiB, Build: 19G2021

macOS Mojave, Version: 10.14.6, Size: 5896894KiB, Build: 18G103

macOS Mojave, Version: 10.14.4, Size: 5894794KiB, Build: 18E2034

MartinR

As the Late 2012 Mac mini (server) cited in my reply

has these installers; downloaded w/ versions of each

directly ready to further use. In my vintage quad-core

factory kit; with dual 1-TB HDD, partitioned.

This also means I also re-downloaded those same two

macOS 10.14.6 and macOS 10.15.7 latest final builds;

as I already had one of each in the machine. So the

recent replacements, proved to be true full versions.

[Mine bought and shipped to AK, indirect from GA

via Apple California; new old stock, in Dec 2014.]

..OP might believe his Late 2012 Mac mini is special..

As it is, and sits, there's no need to use Terminal; due

to facts, these are hardware-ready server downloads.

Without any tweaks, or 'custom build' non-direct macOS

to try and slide under the wire; to run a unofficial version.

Thank you for replying here, added clarity is most helpful.

James:

Sadly most of those were lost in the process, back

in the day.. Due to consolidation and avoidance of

confusion. Because most users wanted to have a

'fixed version'.. To include new security patches.

~ And not a work-in-progress!🤣

PS: ..combined 'seven-vertical hand-held images' on a nice late summer day..

H AND J (Author)

While those versions briefly existed back when they were built and supported

as 'live updates'. They no longer exist in Apple Support archives. No steps are

available; and none would be in the 'WayBack Machine' web archive pages.

How can I download an older version of OS X/macOS? - apple.stackexchange

//apple.stackexchange.com/questions/309399/how-can-i-download-an-older-version-of-os-x-macos

https://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/374026/apple-pulled-mojave-10-14-0-where-can-i-get-it-10-14-4-10-14-6-etc-ar

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ftsa&q=apple+download+updates+mojave+10.14.0&ia=web

Apple has 'proprietary ownership' of their intellectual properties, and that would

explain why they guard even older bits.~ Many great ideas, could be used again.

Yet may never, either. They OWN them; unlike our end-user licenses to USE s/w.

And reverse-engineering any protected properties are totally out of the question.

Speculative discussions are not allowed in these user-to-user Apple Communities.

Take care & good luck!

💮❄️🐟🐻🌿🍄🔥🌤⛵️

The Mac App Store version is intended to be the baseline regardless of what specific release it is, and is an upgrade, not an update.

(260990)