macOS EOL OS Upgrade Process - INTERNAL
macOS End of Life (EOL) Operating System Notifications
UIS is currently working towards updating Apple computers running legacy versions of macOS throughout the University. Currently any version prior to macOS 10.15 Catalina has reached end of life status, and will no longer receive security updates from Apple. If your computer is running a version of macOS prior to 10.15 Catalina you will receive a notice once a day like the one below, prompting you to upgrade the operating system on your computer
This notice will appear on computers daily until the upgrade is completed, so that you can perform the upgrade at a time and date that is convenient for you.
By clicking install, the macOS upgrade tool will open and walk you through the process of installing the latest supported version of macOS supported by your computer. This version could be macOS 10.15 Catalina, macOS 11 Big Sur, or macOS 12 Monterey. This will depend on the computer that received this notification, as not all Apple computers can run the latest version of macOS. You could receive a pop up of any of these three operating systems:
Click “continue” and follow the on screen instructions to install the updated version of macOS on your computer.
The upgrade to macOS will address a number of security patches that address known vulnerabilities and ensure the operation of your computer. A security patch doesn’t just fix an ordinary error or bug, though. Security patches address vulnerabilities in the software cybercriminals might use to gain unauthorized access to your device and your data. Security patches for the operating system (OS) of your device are crucial because an OS vulnerability can have far-reaching implications.
Please ensure you have a backup of business critical data before proceeding with the upgrade, to prevent any unexpected data loss.
If you have any questions about this upgrade process, or believe an upgrade would impede a business process please contact the UIS Helpdesk at help.georgetown.edu so that we may find a resolution for you.
Alternative Notifications
The following notifications may appear on your screen if the following conditions are met:
Low Disk Space: If your Mac doesn’t have enough disk space to download an upgrade you will receive the following notification. In order to perform an OS upgrade, there must be 45 GB of free space on your computer. You can check disk space by clicking on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen > About this mac > Storage.
Unsupported Hardware: If your Mac has reached what Apple considers legacy or obsolete hardware, then it is no longer able to be upgraded to a supported version of macOS. This means the device must be decommissioned as it represents an exploitable vulnerability to the University Community. Please reach out to UIS for support on decommissioning or replacing this device.
Internal Notes Only:
For this entire process to run, the computer must be communicating with JAMF properly. If a user is requesting support with an upgrade/update you can verify JAMF is functioning on the device with the following support article: https://help.georgetown.edu/a/solutions/articles/16000046727