Download file size difference - balancedview

Because the Stand-alone version has to have all the pieces and modules necessary to update any OSX capable Mac model - from portables to desktops to towers, with a variety of chips. So it is big.

On the other hand, when you run software update, the minimal info that Apple can discern about the software that you have on your machine (which it queries in order to know what updates to offer you), lets it offer you a somewhat more tailored version. So it is smaller because some of the pieces that do not apply to your machine or configuration do not need to be downloaded. Thus, the software update 'version' is smaller.

Cool, huh?

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Tuesday, November 01 2005 @ 12:17 AM PST

Download file size difference - Seaskan

Thanks for that information. Very informative.

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Tuesday, November 01 2005 @ 01:18 AM PST

Download file size difference - JazzyGB1

Because the standalone version (Conbo updater) has all the updates from OS 10.4 to 10.43 & can apply them in one go (without having to first apply the 10.41 & 10.42 updates).
As previously mentioned, the incremental update (found in you software update), only updates from 10.42 to 10.43, so is therefore a lot smaller in size. Had you been running OS10.41 on your Mac, then the combo updater would have shown in your Software Update rather than the incremental version - phew!
Anyway I find it good practice to always download the big Combo update. It makes it much easier to apply the update if you have more than one Mac, because it will update anything from 10.4 onwards & if you have to do do a fresh OS install for any reason, the combo updater brings you to the latest OS much more quickly.

Geoff

PS: Combo updaters have historically been MUCH more reliable than incremental ones too. Should you encounter any problems with your Mac after applying the incremental updater, try applying the Combo updater instead.

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Tuesday, November 01 2005 @ 02:27 AM PST