Block "Upgrade to Sierra" Notification

[benshawuk]

Does anyone know how to prevent Notification Centre from advertising this update?
It looks like Apple have recently made this pop up, and despite blocking the process and preventing the download from the app store (as per other threads), I'd like to be able to stop this notification.

Does anyone have a method/script to do this?
Many thanks..

[PeterClarke]

Well you could stop software update notifications, by turn off the automatic software update schedule
- but in that case you must also arrange some other mechanism for expected software updates to be completed, since they are still required..

Switching off the Apple Software Update Schedule via:
sudo /usr/bin/softwareupdate --schedule off

Update notifications then won't pop-up.. Since now - they are not even looked for..

Apple updates can still be done via:
sudo /usr/bin/softwareupdate -l == Only List available software Updates

sudo /usr/bin/softwareupdate -i "Update-ID" == install this Update ID

Specific Example: sudo /usr/bin/softwareupdate -i iTunesX-12.5.1
would install the iTunes Vn 12.5.1 Update..

Some updates, such as security updates, require a system restart

Commands run from Casper already run as root, so do not need sudo
but if you try these manually, you would need to specify sudo. (super user do)

[benshawuk]

Thanks, but I'd rather leave software update scheduler switched on. I control updates via a Reposado server.

I wondered if there was a notification center plist or sqllite db that could be modified to set the Sierra advertisement as having "been seen".

[PeterClarke]

I can see why - Should have said, I am only using the Software Updates Schedule off in two particular areas, where I need to stop software updates going beyond 10.11.3 - due to software compatibility issues..

Turning the software update schedule off, in this area was a bit of quick a dirty solution to that problem.

One would think that there should be an easy solution to the issue you describe..
- apart from disabling notifications all together, I've not yet seen one..

[benshawuk]

Thanks for your response, and agreed.
I'm surprised more people aren't bothered about this, after going to the effort of blocking the update and the installer process etc. and then Apple wave it in the user's faces!

I noticed that within ~/Library/Application Support/NotificationCenter there are two SQLlite .db files.
Using the free app "DB Browser for SQLite", I am able to open these files and see a database that stores information related to notifications.

My next step (when I have time), is to figure out how to script writing into this DB in order to set the notification flag to "viewed", or whatever the key is once a user has clicked on the "ignore" button following the Sierra notification. (I can't help thinking that this is more complicated than it should be)!
I don't understand Apple's new interest in these SQLlite databases, when a .plist used to suffice for such scenarios.

Anyway! If and when I figure this out and wrap it up in a nice script, I'll share it here.
If anyone else reading this beats me to it, then please feel free to share the knowledge! :)

[mconners]

Has anyone been able to figure out how to block the "notification" of macOS Sierra? We imaged 70 of physics laptops over our winter break and since then, they are all being asked to update to Sierra. The lab coordinator is fighting some other issues unrelated to this. I would like to be able to at least solve one thing for her. Removing this notification would be nice to have.

Thanks!!

[Hugonaut]

try this scripted at boot

launchctl unload -w /System/Library/LaunchAgents/com.apple.softwareupdate_notify_agent.plist;