January 6, 2020, by Chris Finch

Upgrading to macOS Catalina

Apple computer users may be aware that a new version of macOS (10.15 Catalina) was released a last year.

The update introduces changes that affect the use of some key University software due to compatibility with the new system.

macOS Catalina has now been available for a number of months. There are now less compatibility issues with the December release of 10.15.2, and we are now able to support the operating system upgrade for Mac users.

Do take time to prepare for the upgrade, as most application issues can be easily resolved by updating before the OS upgrade. However we would strongly recommend the following considerations before upgrading:

• Please update to the latest available version of all apps, in particular the ones with compatibility issues Office365, Endnote, and SPSS. These can be easily updated using existing Mac management facilities like Managed Software Centre and Jamf, if you are not already enrolled in these systems then please ask Campus IT Support for guidance on how to get on board.
• Any software that is 32 bit will not work with Catalina, so it’s a good idea to run Apple System Profiler (From About this Mac – System Report) beforehand and note anything that says it is 32 bit. Install the required 64 bit versions before upgrading.
• There are known problems with Bruker TopSpin – if you use this software, please hold back on the Catalina upgrade for now.

If you have already updated and have experienced a compatibility issue please contact your local Campus IT Support teams or the IT Service Desk to report this.

Please note: for users of the Mac Mail app for email, there is a known issue with possible data loss when updating the Mail app in macOS Mojave or Catalina. It is advised that users who rely on Mac Mail to hold off updating, see MacRumors for example.

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