Mac Update Mayhem: macOS Sonoma 14.4 Bites Back
Hold off on those celebratory emoji smashes! While macOS Sonoma 14.4 brought a fresh batch of emoji goodness, it also unleashed a gremlin menagerie, causing havoc for Mac users.
Here’s the lowdown on the three biggest culprits:
- USB Uprising: Numerous users report their USB devices staging a mutiny after the 14.4 update. Fear not; a potential fix involves a trip to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Allow accessories to connect. Set it to “Always,” then switch it back to “Ask every time” (don’t forget to restart!). If that doesn’t work, try disconnecting all USB devices, adjusting the settings, and reconnecting them after the restart – a confirmation prompt might appear. Hopefully, your USB devices will rejoin the party.
- iCloud Drive File Vanishing Act: This bug targets users who rely on previous file versions and store their files in iCloud Drive with “Optimize Mac Storage” enabled. Deleting a file with this setting triggers the disappearance of those precious saved versions. To avoid this poof of productivity, disable “Optimize Mac Storage” (System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud).
- Java Jolt: Java users, brace yourselves! Oracle warns that Java processes are experiencing unexpected shutdowns in macOS 14.4. This jolt is specific to Apple silicon Macs, where a wrong signal disrupts the memory flow. For now, Java users should steer clear of 14.4.
What’s the Apple of the Situation?
Today, Apple hasn’t publicly released a fix (macOS 14.4.1) or addressed these issues. They also still need to pull the update, which, to their credit, includes over 60 security patches.
So, Update or Wait?
If you still need to update, consider holding your horses until Apple releases a fix, likely dubbed 14.4.1. Unlike their usual routine, there’s no beta for macOS 14.5 yet, suggesting a wait of at least a month.
For those already grappling with 14.4’s bugs, the only way to roll back to a stable version (macOS Sonoma 14.3.1) involves a complete data wipe (System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Contents and Settings) followed by a restoration from an old backup made before the update. Yikes!
Apple will address these issues soon, restoring harmony to the Mac ecosystem. Until then, proceed with caution and keep those backups handy!