How to use a pre-downloaded version of Sonoma and Install for Standard Users with Nudge

[cucaracha]

Is it possible to use a pre-downloaded version of Sonoma and install it for standard users by using Nudge?

My workflow at the moment is I am using Nudge without the erase and install script, because I am using a policy I run beforehand with only a single command line to fetch full installer in the processes and files tab. Nudge then opens system settings -> softwareupdate, but it looks like it is re-downloading even though there is a 'install macOS Sonoma' in the applications folder. Maybe I am missing something. I have watched several videos and read thru the wikis for Nudge and the erase and install script, but I can't find anything saying for sure there is way to do this for standard users.

[sdagley]

@cucaracha I believe the key is your reference to "standard users". To run the full macOS Installer app requires a user to have admin rights. For standard users Software Update can use a delta installer which only requires they be a volume owner.

[stevewood · Accepted solution]

@cucaracha 

erase-install can use a locally downloaded version of the macOS installer as long as it is in the /Applications folder. You can read about that in the first two paragraphs of this page of the wiki. This is how I used to use the script. I would pre-stage the macOS installer by running the InstallAssistant.pkg that I would download from Mr. Macintosh's site (Sonoma here) and then use a Smart Group to gather those devices that had the installer so they were in scope for a Self Service policy.

You can couple all of that with Nudge and use the "actionButtonPath" value in the Nudge config to open Self Service to the policy that has erase-install configured. This page of the Nudge wiki talks about doing that. You can find info on using Self Service URLs here. 

There is also this YouTube video that walks through how that person accomplished the task. While their configuration of Nudge seems a bit convoluted, it should at least give you an idea of how to do this.

[cucaracha]

The erase-install script creates its own display alert windows. I appreciate the alerts to download the installer and ask for credentials, but the last window starts to compete with the classic Nudge window. I think this will cause some confusion with my users. 

[McAwesome]

If memory serves, as long as they're running macOS 12.3 or higher they should no longer need admin rights to upgrade to Sonoma.  They should be able to do it straight from System Settings

[AJPinto]

Apple shifted to Apple Silicon 4 years ago now, why are people still trying to use processes that were functionally retired in 2019? Apple is very clear, for admins to manage OS updates you need to be using MDM/DDM commands. For users to manage updates, Admins need to get their hands out of the cookie jar.

To run the install macOS XYZ.app, your user will need to be an admin (and have a secure token if Apple Silicon). I would suggest scraping nudge for everything beyond basic notifications and moving to MDM/DDM commands to deploy OS updates and reinstalls. You can also deploy a configuration profile to tell macOS to precache OS updates for when they are needed.