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BIG SUR


CAROL SAUNDERS

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49 minutes ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Just wondered if anyone with an iMac has upgraded to Big Sur ?- I hate doing updates😵

 

Thank you

 

Carol

 

I have an iMac 27inch 5K (late 2015) updated to Big Sur and now to Big Sur 11.1.   Only problem has been with Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is probably a Adobe bug rather than a Big Sur bug.  I did switch back to Lightroom Classic 10.0 and run the monitor with the Adobe RGB profile (one of the suggestions). 

 

Big Sur is very pretty.  I found that it stuck some of my photos in Photo off in a database I couldn't get to, so I disabled that as well as I could since removing it may destabilize the machine.  I thought I'd set Photo to not incorporate photos into its database.   Oh, well.  Don't let Photo(s) get anywhere near anything other than casual recreational photos.

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3 hours ago, MizBrown said:

 

I have an iMac 27inch 5K (late 2015) updated to Big Sur and now to Big Sur 11.1.   Only problem has been with Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is probably a Adobe bug rather than a Big Sur bug.  I did switch back to Lightroom Classic 10.0 and run the monitor with the Adobe RGB profile (one of the suggestions). 

 

 

What was the problem?

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15 hours ago, MizBrown said:

 

I have an iMac 27inch 5K (late 2015) updated to Big Sur and now to Big Sur 11.1.   Only problem has been with Adobe Lightroom Classic, which is probably a Adobe bug rather than a Big Sur bug.  I did switch back to Lightroom Classic 10.0 and run the monitor with the Adobe RGB profile (one of the suggestions). 

 

Big Sur is very pretty.  I found that it stuck some of my photos in Photo off in a database I couldn't get to, so I disabled that as well as I could since removing it may destabilize the machine.  I thought I'd set Photo to not incorporate photos into its database.   Oh, well.  Don't let Photo(s) get anywhere near anything other than casual recreational photos.

 

Thank you for the info, I don't use Lightroom but just Bridge/Adobe Raw and PS.  Last time when I did an update on Catalina there was a bug with Adobe which got sorted in a few weeks. 

 

15 hours ago, Richard Coombs said:

I updated as soon as it was released, no problems.

Hi Richard can I ask how long it took to do the update ? I hate when the screen goes black for hours, I go into panic mode !😠

 

Thank you.

 

Carol

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A very timely thread as I was wondering the same thing. I am still on High Sierra and am loath to change as it all buzzes along nicely. Are there any big advantages to upgrading or am I better sticking to HS? All techie advice welcomed, if not always understood.

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6 minutes ago, Colin Woods said:

A very timely thread as I was wondering the same thing. I am still on High Sierra and am loath to change as it all buzzes along nicely. Are there any big advantages to upgrading or am I better sticking to HS? All techie advice welcomed, if not always understood.

I'm still on Mojave and am wondering  about updating too. But I think I might still be using some 32bit apps which won't run on Catalina or Big Sur. I need to do some careful checking first.... I think I'd also have to update Parallels, which I'd have to pay for. Although Big Sur is free I suspect there will be some "hidden" costs.

 

Mark

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41 minutes ago, M.Chapman said:

I'm still on Mojave and am wondering  about updating too. But I think I might still be using some 32bit apps which won't run on Catalina or Big Sur. I need to do some careful checking first.... I think I'd also have to update Parallels, which I'd have to pay for. Although Big Sur is free I suspect there will be some "hidden" costs.

 

Mark

 

The security settings in Catalina onwards are a pain if you like to do any level of tinkering in the OS at all and to use basic commands in the terminal you have to grant access that wasn't previously needed. Bash is also no longer the default shell.

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48 minutes ago, M.Chapman said:

I'm still on Mojave and am wondering  about updating too. But I think I might still be using some 32bit apps which won't run on Catalina or Big Sur. I need to do some careful checking first.... I think I'd also have to update Parallels, which I'd have to pay for. Although Big Sur is free I suspect there will be some "hidden" costs.

 

Mark

Completely flummoxed now😁

 

4 minutes ago, Cal said:

 

The security settings in Catalina onwards are a pain if you like to do any level of tinkering in the OS at all and to use basic commands in the terminal you have to grant access that wasn't previously needed. Bash is also no longer the default shell.

As above, unfortunately I'm just not tekky enough to understand some things.  All I want to do is run Adobe CC😁

 

On the plus side a friend of mine has just updated his and says no problem though it took a while.  He just carried on doing other things whilst his iMac did it's stuff.  However, when I do any updates sadly I feel compelled to sit and look at the screen even if it's dark in case something goes wrong.  Having said that even if something went wrong I wouldn't even know what to do !😁

 

Caro

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Basically, if you're running 32 bit apps that you know you need, stay with Mojave, but there's a program that can check for 32 bit programs: Go64.app.   I didn't find that I needed any 32bit programs at this point, but Epsom was a bit slow getting everything updates (and it is updated now).    I haven't had problems with any other programs besides Lightroom.  Those seem to be resolved by turning off using the graphics card (especially iMacs from late 2015 which only have 2 GB memory on the graphics card).    

 

I think Apple also was contributing to the glitches since recent update to Big Sur 11.1 seemed to take running Lightroom Classic with graphics card acceleration easier with no system freezing and crashing.   If Lightroom is mission critical, it seems turning off use of the graphics card and creating a  new color profile solves the more spectacular problems.   Haven't seen anything else problematic and Photoshop runs with the use of the graphics card acceleration without issues.  

 

Big Sur didn't take any more or less time than any other Mac update with a decent internet connection.   Usual warnings -- back up your drive before proceeding.   Also, if you run Carbon Copy Cloner or any other backup software that gives you a bootable backup, Big Sur divides the OS from the data files and makes it impossible to do a complete back-up unless you install Big Sur on the backup disk.  CCC will make it easier to do with instructions in the program in the future.    Time Machine backs up most things but isn't bootable, and I have two separate drives for backing up photos. 

 

If I had it to do over again, I'd have kept a separate bootable drive with the last version that CCC could copy as a bootable drive. 

 

Edited by MizBrown
Clarification.
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Many thanks for all the info, much appreciated.  I've also just been on to Adobe Live Chat and asked if  CC was compatible with Big Sur as I had read there were a few known issues.  They confirmed it was compatible so I will think about it😀  I just hate the pop ups telling me of updates .....

 

Carol

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16 hours ago, Cal said:

 

What was the problem?

 

Lockup, crashes, corruption of my Bluetooth files.  Only with Lightroom 10.1.  Hadn't had the problem with Lightroom 10.0.   I did Disk FirstAid, couple of other things, rebuilt Bluetooth preferences and re-paired the keyboard and mouse.   Apple got something like three or four crash reports.  Big Sur's second version 11.1 seems to have fixed whatever Big Sur 11.01 was contributing to the mess.  With  LRC 10.1 and Big Sur 11.01, Lightroom Classic froze, then Big Sur crashed, generally when I was using the mouse.   I hadn't had crashed OSen in quite some time.  Pulled out the iPad and went looking for what was going on.   This problem seems to be most common on iMacs like mine: older graphics processors with not much memory, older displays, but with okay amounts of memory (24 GB on mine), late 2015 models.  Apple released a new version (11.1) and Adobe is working on a new version that will be kinder to the 27" Retina Display i5 processor machines.

 

For now, turn off the graphics processor use in Lightroom.  As I said earlier, Photoshop seems to be fine.  Also DXO PhotoLab.   The speculation is that none of the beta testers had an older iMac 27" and that Apple and Adobe are more concerned with making things nice for higher spec'ed machines including Apple's new processor machines and Adobe for users who store their photos in Adobe's cloud, and so pay more rent than the LRC users do.

 

Given that Apple is locking everything up and is using soldered in components now, I'm somewhat tempted to go to Windows in the future.  I have a medium quality Dell with some upgrades I installed (SSD, more memory) that has a crappy display, but I can either get an external monitor or replace the display with a better spec'ed Dell 30 pin display.

 

The new LRC does have some nice features, but the new Photoshop has even nicer features and is far better behaved at this point.

Edited by MizBrown
clarifying.
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My policy is to stay one OS upgrade behind on my imac. However I never let the imac get two OS upgrades behind.

 

The best time to upgrade the imac OS is to upgrade your old OS to the present OS at the time Apple announces a brand new OS is only a few weeks away. This way the, soon to be obsolete, present OS upgrade is still available for download from the Apple site and is finally bug free.

 

Presently I am still running Catalina, and I will upgrade to Big Sur when Apple announces an new upgrade higher than Big Sur.

 

Any OS upgrade will show bugs in both the OS, and the software that runs on it, like Adobe. This is why, in quick succession, you have Big Sur 11.0, Big Sur 11.01, and now Big Sur 11.1. All of them bug fixes. You also have a flurry of bug fixing updates from Adobe and others. The process takes a month or so for Apple and people like Adobe to slap the bugs. There is no need for a user to put up with this over a few months after a new upgrade.  Apple and Adobe will go as far as denying the bugs exist, so you are on your own.

 

I purchased a new imac, with the latest OS, in 2015. I had no control over the OS as it came with the imac. The brand new imac with the latest OS would freeze after 30 minutes, and then automatically reboot itself. I would loose the last 10 minutes of my work before the freeze up. Apple acted mystified, but then they added a .o1 bug fix to the OS, and the problem cleared up.

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On 16/12/2020 at 10:56, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Hi Richard can I ask how long it took to do the update ? I hate when the screen goes black for hours, I go into panic mode !😠

 

Thank you.

 

Carol

Hi Carol.

 

Sorry its taken me a while to reply. It was a surprisingly short time. I wasn't watching the clock but I think it was around 30 to 40 minutes. I know what you mean about the black screen, I just walk away from it for 15 minutes or so and do something else!

 

All the best.

 

Rich :0)

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On 16/12/2020 at 15:39, MizBrown said:

Given that Apple is locking everything up and is using soldered in components now, I'm somewhat tempted to go to Windows in the future.  I have a medium quality Dell with some upgrades I installed (SSD, more memory) that has a crappy display, but I can either get an external monitor or replace the display with a better spec'ed Dell 30 pin display.

MizBrown.

 

I'm thinking along the same lines. Apple aren't doing themselves any favours. As much as I dislike Microsoft Windows, it "might" make more sense in the future. I'll review things when my iMac eventually goes to meet it's maker!

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On 16/12/2020 at 12:28, Colin Woods said:

A very timely thread as I was wondering the same thing. I am still on High Sierra and am loath to change as it all buzzes along nicely. Are there any big advantages to upgrading or am I better sticking to HS? All techie advice welcomed, if not always understood.

Colin, I haven't found anything of any use to me yet!!!

It would appear to me to be an "incremental" upgrade from Catalina. There's always something useful for some people, but for me, not really. I use Adobe CC, Capture 1, Safari, Mail and Microsoft Office. They all look and work as they did with Catalina, High Sierra etc.

 

Rich.

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The real importance of this update is for the new M1 Macs. For Intel Macs it does appear to be a pretty cosmetic update from Catalina but word has it that for the M1 Macs it is going to be a game changer for the world of graphics. At the moment I think there are very few programs apart from Apple's own video apps (Final Cut Pro, Motion) that can take really advantage of it but, if the reviews are to be believed, even the new and relatively low spec laptops can do amazing things with Final Cut Pro. Video is far more demanding of computers than stills of course. Adobe will have to do their video apps if they want to keep up with Apple. It will be interesting to see native Photoshop and Lightroom for these M1 Macs.  

 

I installed Big Sur on an older but reasonably well specified Mac out of curiosity and so far Photoshop and Lightroom are fine. Installation was about an hour including download which was slow for some reason. I initially installed on an external drive to be on the safe side. It is often the peripheral hardware that has problems on new operating systems until the manufacturers get their act together. I would generally advise non-techie people not to update early. It also seems more difficult to go back to an earlier OS now than it used to be but it is definitely possible.

 

Most importantly, back up all data externally before updating. 

Edited by MDM
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2 hours ago, Richard Coombs said:

MizBrown.

 

I'm thinking along the same lines. Apple aren't doing themselves any favours. As much as I dislike Microsoft Windows, it "might" make more sense in the future. I'll review things when my iMac eventually goes to meet it's maker!

 

My iMac (Late 2015) has developed minor display problems around the edges.   One Apple authorized repair shop gave another owner of a Late 2015 27 inch 5K iMac with the same problem a quote of $400 to replace the screen.    Most of the people reporting the problem find that it's out of warranty and Apple is denying that anything is affecting more than a few machines (maybe true).   $400 would buy a decent monitor.

 

If Apple doesn't use the best hardware for the computers, and has also made the components so that owner repairs are impossible or difficult, it's not what it was.

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25 minutes ago, MizBrown said:

 

 

If Apple doesn't use the best hardware for the computers, and has also made the components so that owner repairs are impossible or difficult, it's not what it was.

 

This is nothing new. All MacBook Pros in the last several years cannot be owner upgraded for anything other than the SSD which is easy to do. The iMacs can be user-upgraded for RAM (simple) but not much else due to the design. If one is handy with hands and happy removing the screen then it is possible but not for the faint-hearted.

 

I don't see any evidence that Apple is using inferior hardware either. Problems arise every now and then no doubt but I don't believe there is a consistent pattern. I bought one of the first ever PowerBooks back in the mid-90s and the screen started to come away. Apple did recognise it was a general fault and did repair free of charge. I know Edo had a problem a few years ago with the keyboard on his MacBook Pro and Apple did repair free of charge. 

 

I have a 2012 iPhone4 that has been through the mill and still works, my wife has a 2009 MacBook Pro that works although on its last legs in terms of speed and my son has my original 1st generation 2011 MacBook Air which he uses for basic stuff (not graphics). I also have an ancient 2008 MacPro which still runs on Snow Leopard. I used it for a while to check out a slide scanner which wouldn't work on later hardware/software. So no I don't see any evidence for that conjecture and I hope I don't end up eating my words - ever. No doubt Macs are overpriced but these new M1 machines seem reasonable if they are as good as the reviews claim. 

 

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, MDM said:

I don't see any evidence that Apple is using inferior hardware either. Problems arise every now and then no doubt but I don't believe there is a consistent pattern. I bought one of the first ever PowerBooks back in the mid-90s and the screen started to come away. Apple did recognise it was a general fault and did repair free of charge. I know Edo had a problem a few years ago with the keyboard on his MacBook Pro and Apple did repair free of charge. 

 

I did a search for the problem with this machine and found a lot of people had had the same problems and were blaming them on issues with how the display was installed, either overheating and melting red adhesive which was reflecting in the display, or something else.  Mine is also showing ghosting when my background is white.    The computer is now five years old.   Don't know if Apple in Managua can or will do anything.  It's well out of warranty.   I suppose I can ask, but hauling things to Managua is not trivial.   With a Windows machine, I can take it to one of several local repair people, including my ex-landlord.   If I build a machine myself, I can replace parts myself.

 

 

Edited by MizBrown
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You might be best to buy a new monitor - BenQ do some good ones at decent prices. A 2560x1440 would be cheaper than a 4 or 5K monitor and in my opinion better for photo editing.

 

I wasn't saying that Apple never produce problem-free hardware, just that this is not a consistent direction - in other words their stuff is not getting worse. I have had problems over the years but very few really and I think the general quality of the hardware is very good. Having used Windows (not for years) and Macs, it would take some serious problems to make me go back and I am pretty good with techie stuff. I got a guy in a local computer shop to build me a high end Windows machine back in 2003 but the fan he used was not good enough to cool the processor so it kept crashing and damaged the processor. I must have carried it in and out of his shop 20 times before we diagnosed the problem. He replaced the processor and it worked until I went back to Mac. Really Macs just make life easy, everything works out of the box but you do pay a premium for that. 

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12 minutes ago, MDM said:

You might be best to buy a new monitor - BenQ do some good ones at decent prices. A 2560x1440 would be cheaper than a 4 or 5K monitor and in my opinion better for photo editing.

 

What you're saying matches what I've read and watched on YouTube reviews -- that a 2560x1440 would be fine for photo editing.   Next time I'm in Managua, I'll see what's available there.   I've found that I pay the same buying locally as I'd pay for something ordered from the US after shipping costs, duties, and taxes are factored in.   According to B&H, BenQs can't be shipped to Nicaragua, but Dells can be.   Customs charged duty and taxes on the total package price, including the shipping cost.   I can also ask one of the local photographers who has a studio in Jinotega where he got his monitors.

 

People with the same iMac as mine tend to be the ones having problems with Big Sur/Lightroom Classic 10.1.   One of the regulars on the Lightroom Queen forum is telling us we need to buy newer machines.  

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21 minutes ago, MizBrown said:

 

What you're saying matches what I've read and watched on YouTube reviews -- that a 2560x1440 would be fine for photo editing.   Next time I'm in Managua, I'll see what's available there.   I've found that I pay the same buying locally as I'd pay for something ordered from the US after shipping costs, duties, and taxes are factored in.   According to B&H, BenQs can't be shipped to Nicaragua, but Dells can be.   Customs charged duty and taxes on the total package price, including the shipping cost.   I can also ask one of the local photographers who has a studio in Jinotega where he got his monitors.

 

People with the same iMac as mine tend to be the ones having problems with Big Sur/Lightroom Classic 10.1.   One of the regulars on the Lightroom Queen forum is telling us we need to buy newer machines.  

Here's a good cheap $200 Dell. Review.

He has good reviews of everything from Benq to Eizo.

The rest is a good read also.

 

wim

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7 minutes ago, wiskerke said:

Here's a good cheap $200 Dell. Review.

He has good reviews of everything from Benq to Eizo.

The rest is a good read also.

 

wim

 

That is more likely to be available in Nicaragua than the Eizos (sigh) or the very high end Dell.   And if the iMac screen becomes too flaky to edit photos on, but still otherwise useful, I can set up to have two monitors.

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