So HOW do we know that 10.11.5 is OS X Build 15F34?

[Goldilocs]

My Info.plist file of the El Capitan installer app, which I downloaded from App Store two days ago, says the "BuildMachineOSBuild" value is "15F31". My present, installed version of El Capitan says it is OS X 10.11.5 (15F34). So the El Capitan download from Apple must be an older version which you must update after installing.

hmm..... 10.11 was build 15A284
10.11.1 - 15B42
10.11.2 - 15C50
10.11.3 - 15D21
10.11.4.- 15E65
10.11.5 - 15F34

The 15F31 maybe 10.11.5 downloadableversion for Hackintosh!

 

[irrationalJohn]

hmm..... 10.11 was build 15A284
10.11.1 - 15B42
10.11.2 - 15C50
10.11.3 - 15D21
10.11.4.- 15E65
10.11.5 - 15F34

Interesting. The progression of "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F" corresponding to 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5 is hard to ignore. Of course, it's apparently not always going to match up that well. I noticed that the Build Version for my copy of Lion 10.7.5 is 11G64. Apparently some "point updates" are created during development which never get publically released?

The 15F31 maybe 10.11.5 downloadableversion for Hackintosh!

No, I don't think so. I think the comment @RehabMan made earlier in this thread was spot on. This is the "build of OS X that was used to build the Install OS X El Capitan.app." In other words this value is just what the label <key>BuildMachineOSBuild</key> implies it to be. Sometimes I am more than a little slow to catch on.

After a bit of more directed Googling, I think I have found what I actually looking for when I started this thread in this blog entry: "Finding the OS X version and build information in an Install*OS X*.app"

I am going to try to update my original post to point to that blog entry since things to have wandered all over the place from the question I was actually trying to ask in the first place. And maybe I can persuade the powers that be to add a thread/post about this information to The Basics category. It seems to be both something useful to know and also something not that many others here were aware of.

 

[irrationalJohn]

<posted by mistake and I don't know how to delete a post>

 

[RehabMan]

My Info.plist file of the El Capitan installer app, which I downloaded from App Store two days ago, says the "BuildMachineOSBuild" value is "15F31". My present, installed version of El Capitan says it is OS X 10.11.5 (15F34). So the El Capitan download from Apple must be an older version which you must update after installing.

The version of OS X that was used to build the installer has nothing to do with the version of OS X that will be installed by the installer.

After a bit of more directed Googling, I think I have found what I actually looking for when I started this thread in this blog entry: "Finding the OS X version and build information in an Install*OS X*.app"

Yes...

 

[TOAOSOG]

Yes, I realize this question probably does not belong here. But where the heck should I have posted it?

I did look around. I tried to find another spot to ask questions about the basic mechanics of working with OS X install media. Sure, there's the "The Basics" category. But that's clearly not for questions, only for answers.

So here I am because I couldn't think of any better place to ask this.

The post "OS X 10.11.5 Update" points out that 10.11.5 is OS X Build 15F34. Where/how does one look to make use of that information?

One of the problems I have is how to sort out which version of, for example, "Install OS X El Capitan.app" I tucked away in some obscure backup folder for possible later use. I am still not really sure how to do that.

If I "Show Package Contents" of "Install OS X El Capitan.app", then I see "Info.plist" and "version.plist". Info.plist lists 15F31 as the value for both BuildMachiineOSBuild and DTSDKBuild. There is also "Bundle versions string, short" 1.7.46

That's about as far as I got in terms of guessing on my own. At this point since I did not seem to be looking in the right places, I decided to just ask.

Yes, I realize this question probably does not belong here. But where the heck should I have posted it?

I did look around. I tried to find another spot to ask questions about the basic mechanics of working with OS X install media. Sure, there's the "The Basics" category. But that's clearly not for questions, only for answers.

So here I am because I couldn't think of any better place to ask this.

The post "OS X 10.11.5 Update" points out that 10.11.5 is OS X Build 15F34. Where/how does one look to make use of that information?

One of the problems I have is how to sort out which version of, for example, "Install OS X El Capitan.app" I tucked away in some obscure backup folder for possible later use. I am still not really sure how to do that.

If I "Show Package Contents" of "Install OS X El Capitan.app", then I see "Info.plist" and "version.plist". Info.plist lists 15F31 as the value for both BuildMachiineOSBuild and DTSDKBuild. There is also "Bundle versions string, short" 1.7.46

That's about as far as I got in terms of guessing on my own. At this point since I did not seem to be looking in the right places, I decided to just ask.

 

[TOAOSOG]

The answer is...
Before I answer I cannot help but notice how people do not pay any attention to the question asked and instead, rattle off some irrelevant nonsense.

Which El Capitan installer installs which version?

10.11.1 is installer 1.7.33
10.11.2 is installer 1.7.37
10.11.3 is installer 1.7.41
(I missed 10.11.4 if there is one)
10.11.5 is installer 1.7.46
10.11.6 is installer 1.7.50

 

[TOAOSOG]

Please NOTE:
1. Viewing the build by inspecting the package contents is tedious.
2. Each installer download is DATE dependent and build numbers will change with each new version of Security Update released.
(build numbers will change based upon current security update release but OSX version installed will not)
3. Viewing the "Version" of the installer is very easy.
Simply hit Command+J and select Version or Get Info Command+I.

So, don't worry about the build numbers in the package contents.
The only thing that will change is the Security Update involved. (perhaps some others minor things as well)

Also....
I just verified these installer versions Today.
Nov 15 2016.

My two cents.
First hand experience with El Capitan 10.11.5 and 10.11.6 has made me choose 10.11.5 because my Mac Pro tower runs nearly twice as fast with 10.11.5.
No doubt due to some useless internet junk constantly running in the background seeking a connection.
I use my Mac Pro OFFLINE ALWAYS unless "forced" to make a connection.
This probably makes the difference. (yes, I do miss out on a few compatibilities that 10.11.6 provides)
Oh Well!!!