How to use Combo Update OS X to troubleshoot installation

Apple regularly releases updates for OS X available through the Software Update or Mac App Store process, depending on the version of OS X you are using. These software updates, available from the Apple menu, often provide the simplest method to ensure the Mac's operating system is always up to date. They may also cause problems, especially if the Mac freezes, loses power or prevents the update from being completed. When this happens, you will end up with a faulty system update, which can simply indicate instability, such as occasionally freezing or system or application being locked. In the worst case, you may have problems starting up, forcing you to consider reinstalling the operating system.

Another problem related to OS X's incremental model (incremental) approach to updates is that Software Update only downloads and installs system files that need to be updated, so some files have can be obsolete compared to other system files. This can sometimes freeze the system or application, can't even launch the application.

Although the issue with Software Update does not occur often and most Mac users will never encounter this problem. But if you encounter some unexplained problems with your Mac, the problem with Software Update may be the culprit. Troubleshooting with Software Update is also very easy to implement.

Use the Combo Update OS X package

You can use Combo Update OS X to update your system and in the process, replace most major system software files with the latest versions available in the update. Unlike the incremental model approach used in the Software Update system, Combo Update performs updates for all affected system files.

Combo Update only updates OS X system files, not overwriting any user data. However, backups should still be performed before applying any system updates.

The downside of combo updates is that they are very large. Combo Update Mac OS X 10.11.3 currently has capacity up to 1.5GB. OS X combo updates in the future will be even bigger.

To apply the Mac OS X update combo, locate the file on the Apple website, download the file to your Mac, then run the update, to install the latest system on your Mac. You cannot use combo updates unless the baseline (officially approved, grounded software development product) of that OS X version is installed. For example, Mac OS X v10.10.2 Update requires the installation of OS X 10.10.0 or higher. Similarly, Mac OS X v10.5.8 Update (Combo) requires installation of OS X 10.5.0 or later.

Locate the Combo Update OS X package you need

Apple keeps all OS X update combos available on Apple's support website. A quick way to determine the correct combo is to access the OS X Support Download page. There you will see the latest 3 OS X versions, along with a link to older versions. Click the link for the version you are interested in, then set the Alphabetical view option and scan the list to find the combo update package you need. All combo update packages will have the word "combo" in the name. If you don't see the word 'combo', it is not a full installer.

Below are quick links to the latest update combo packages (as of the time of this writing) for the latest 5 OS X versions:

Combo update packages are stored as a .dmg file (disk image) that will be mounted on a Mac as if they were removable media, such as a CD or DVD.If the .dmg file does not automatically mount, double-click the downloaded file that you saved to your Mac.

When the .dmg file is mounted, you will see a single installation package.Double-click the package to start the installation process and follow the prompts on the screen.

Hope you are succesful.

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