Apple fixed a bug in the macOS Big Sur installer that could result in data loss and a perpetual install loops for unlucky users.
The macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 fix, released Monday, causes Macs to carry out checks to see if users have enough free space for installation prior to updating their systems.
Before this, Big Sur failed to check that users had the sufficient 35GB needed to install the latest version of Apple’s Mac operating system. As a result, the installation could get stuck midway through the install process.
This meant that users who hadn’t backed up their Macs using Time Machine could potentially lose saved data. It’s a great example of how bugs don’t necessarily have to be massive, glaring vulnerabilities in order to make life miserable for users. It just takes one coding error (and a human error on the part of the installer, by not checking to see if their Mac had enough storage space) to make life miserable.
Read more at CultOfMac.com