App Store update in a loop

I have searched various forums for this problem and it seems to have been around for some years but I couldn't find a definitive solution where the original poster reports success.

I am running El Capitan. Two days ago I got a notification for a software update - in this case for Safari 10.0.

When I click on the Update button in App Store the 'Restarting your computer' notification appears. Whether I click 'Restart' or let the countdown expire, an App Store popup appears "Available updates have changed" with buttons 'Cancel' and 'Show details'. Clicking either button makes the popup disappear and the update screen is as before, with its 'Update All' and 'Update' buttons. The update process doesn't start.

Quitting and restarting App Store doesn't help: on reloading the same thing happens. I have tried rebooting and a power cycle, all to no avail.

I don't think it's specific to the Safari update because the other users have reported it with other apps and OS X upgrades.

Can anyone help?

- Malcolm

I had that notification also, but it went away after I updated to macOS Sierra.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/macos-sierra/id1127487414?mt=12&ls=1

Hmm .. updating to Sierra is a bit drastic - I was going to let it Sierra mature before upgrading - but I guess that is one option, so thanks for the suggestion

Is it possible to download Safari 10.0 directly from App Store? I couldn't find it when I searched.

- Malcolm

malcolmi said:

Hmm .. updating to Sierra is a bit drastic - I was going to let it Sierra mature before upgrading - but I guess that is one option, so thanks for the suggestion

Is it possible to download Safari 10.0 directly from App Store? I couldn't find it when I searched.

- Malcolm

Click to expand...

Yes you definitely can download Safari 10 directly from the App Store. I did that yesterday no problem. I am still on El Capitan. '

Like you, I am waiting awhile before going for Sierra.

Ian

IWT said:

Yes you definitely can download Safari 10 directly from the App Store. I did that yesterday no problem. I am still on El Capitan. '

Like you, I am waiting awhile before going for Sierra.

Ian

Click to expand...

After all these years I don't seem to know my way around App Store! - if I search for Safari 10, App Store returns two Learn apps - for Snow Leopard and Mavericks. It's not in Apps made by Apple or Utilities. Where do I find it, please?

- Malcolm

In the App Store, select the Updates tab, if you have updates available, they will show there. You may need to log in with your Apple ID account first.

If you do not have any updates available, they have already been installed.

Malcolm

Bob made a good point there. Depending on how you've got updates organised, it is possible for updates to occur automatically in certain circumstances.

Open Safari, click on its icon and then select "About Safari". It will tell you whether it's 10 or not.

The update to 10 was for Yosemite and El Capitan. It is bundled in with Sierra for those upgrading from an earlier OS.

Ian

IWT said:

Malcolm

Bob made a good point there. Depending on how you've got updates organised, it is possible for updates to occur automatically in certain circumstances.

Open Safari, click on its icon and then select "About Safari". It will tell you whether it's 10 or not.

The update to 10 was for Yosemite and El Capitan. It is bundled in with Sierra for those upgrading from an earlier OS.

Ian

Click to expand...

Hmm... we've come full circle!

I started this thread because App Store Updates won't work for me - I can't get out of a loop with the AppStore dialogue boxes. I'm on Safari 9.1.3: Update is offering Safari 10.0 but the download won't start. Which is why I wanted to download Safari 10.0 from the App Store WITHOUT using the Update window.

Is this possible?

Is there a way of getting App Store updates from the command line?

- Malcolm

Is there a way of getting App Store updates from the command line?

Click to expand...

Try this LINK to download the latest Safari without going thru updates.

chscag said:

Try this LINK to download the latest Safari without going thru updates.

Click to expand...

Following the link takes me to a page saying "Safari is included with your Mac. To get the latest version of Safari, install the latest macOS." which rather looks as if I will be committed to downloading Sierra - but I would prefer to let Sierra bed down a bit before I take that route.

Thanks to everyone who has replied to this thread but it does look as if I'm stuck with a faulty App Store Update process and Safari 9. This may be a signal to switch to Firefox or Chrome for secure browsing.

- Malcolm

If you've ever downloaded El Cap, you can just reinstall that. You don't have to move to Sierra.

Someone in another thread mentioned Launchpad. If you open Launchpad, do you see Safari, does the icon look different like paused or waiting? If you click and hold on it, what are your options when it starts its' jiggle?

I also found this, it is a few years old, but could still be relevant. https://computers.tutsplus.com/tuto...ng-mac-app-store-download-problems--mac-50439

Malcolm you have told us you are using El Capitan, but have you updated to the latest version OS X.11.6? If still problems suggest you run the Auto Updater from here.


https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1885?locale=en_AU

harryb2448 said:

Malcolm you have told us you are using El Capitan, but have you updated to the latest version OS X.11.6? If still problems suggest you run the Auto Updater from here.


https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1885?locale=en_AU

Click to expand...

Yes, I have 10.11.6. I'm not too happy about reinstalling the OS as it takes ages and it's always a nailbiting experience for me. I might as well wait until I move to Sierra.

The failure of App Store Update is really annoying and seems so unnecessary. Why does it have to happen to me?!

- Malcolm

ferrarr said:

Someone in another thread mentioned Launchpad. If you open Launchpad, do you see Safari, does the icon look different like paused or waiting? If you click and hold on it, what are your options when it starts its' jiggle?

Safari under Launchpad looks fine, but I don't see any options when it jiggles.

I also found this, it is a few years old, but could still be relevant. https://computers.tutsplus.com/tuto...ng-mac-app-store-download-problems--mac-50439

Click to expand...

That looks as if could be relevant. I may well give that a try, thank you for the link.

- Malcolm

Malcolm,

I share your anxieties, although I have to say, that they nearly always turn out to be misplaced - after the event, of course.

However, what Harry is suggesting in the post above, #13, is not a reinstall in the way in which we usually mean this.

It is a Combo update, which basically means it brings your Mac bang up to date by downloading the latest version in complete form. This overwrites your current, misbehaving version and gives you a fresh OS.

It differs from the classical reinstall in that there is no installer download, then installation and all the other time-consuming annoyances.

I would recommend it because it is quicker than a reinstall, carries less risk of misadventure and is likely to sort out your App Store problem. It is time honoured.

Naturally, the decision is entirely yours and you may prefer to wait till you're ready for Sierra. All I would say is that it is generally better to sort out a problem before upgrading. Upgrading sometimes exposes more problems than it solves.

Up to you, and the very best of luck.

Ian

My sympathies to you, Malcolm. I'm having the same issues and this thread has not helped.

For anyone who has had the same problem, I can report that following the 25 October update to the update list the problem with App Store in a loop has gone away.

I installed Security Update 2016-002 and then found I could install the earlier Safari 10.0.1 update which had previously given so much trouble.

- Malcolm