Thread 'Updating BOINC on Mac failed when running downloaded app file with "digital signature is invalid"'

Author	Message
paulcre Send message Joined: 25 Nov 20 Posts: 3	Message 101760 - Posted: 25 Nov 2020, 11:28:42 UTC In BOINC on my Mac I got a message saying "A new version available (7.6.12)" I clicked on the "Download" link. A folder downloaded. I double clicked on the BOINC Installer app file inside the folder. It advised BOINC.pkg can't be installed becasuse its digital signature is invalid. Please help. ID: 101760 ·

Richard Haselgrove Volunteer tester Help desk expert Send message Joined: 5 Oct 06 Posts: 5149	Message 101762 - Posted: 25 Nov 2020, 11:51:02 UTC - in response to Message 101760. There's nothing much we can do at this end - digital signatures are issued to the developer, and tightly guarded. But I've sent an email to the developer concerned, and drawn attention to this report. There may be a delay in responding, because of time-zones. ID: 101762 ·

Charlie Fenton Project developer Send message Joined: 17 Jul 06 Posts: 287	Message 101763 - Posted: 25 Nov 2020, 12:33:46 UTC - in response to Message 101760. Which version of MacOS are you running? Charlie Fenton BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer ID: 101763 ·

Richard Haselgrove Volunteer tester Help desk expert Send message Joined: 5 Oct 06 Posts: 5149	Message 101786 - Posted: 26 Nov 2020, 17:14:01 UTC Charlie has provided some more background privately. It seems there was a subtle change in the digital signature system round about version 10.9 - older versions of the Mac OS can't read the newer signatures. Owners of older Macs can go on running BOINC version 7.16.11 - Charlie has made that visible again on the download all page, in case you don't have a copy to hand. He's also replaced 7.16.12 with 7.16.13 - no change to the actual program, just an extra safeguard to stop people trying to install it on the older Macs. There's no added benefit in upgrading to 7.16.12/13 anyway - those versions were only released to support the brand new 'Apple Silicon' range launched this month. ID: 101786 ·

KaylinQ Send message Joined: 27 Nov 20 Posts: 1	Message 101797 - Posted: 27 Nov 2020, 0:22:07 UTC - in response to Message 101760. Have the same problem. ID: 101797 ·

Charlie Fenton Project developer Send message Joined: 17 Jul 06 Posts: 287	Message 101798 - Posted: 27 Nov 2020, 0:53:06 UTC - in response to Message 101797. What version of MacOS are you running? Have you tried the new BOINC 7.16.13? Note that BOINC 7.16.11 is the last version that can run on MacOS 10.7 and 10.8. Charlie Fenton BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer ID: 101798 ·

Charlie Fenton Project developer Send message Joined: 17 Jul 06 Posts: 287	Message 101825 - Posted: 27 Nov 2020, 22:02:25 UTC Last modified: 27 Nov 2020, 22:02:40 UTC I have unlocked this thread again. This is an ongoing issue under investigation. Charlie Fenton BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer ID: 101825 ·

Charlie Fenton Project developer Send message Joined: 17 Jul 06 Posts: 287	Message 101871 - Posted: 1 Dec 2020, 13:50:33 UTC I have released BOINC 7.16.14 for Macintosh which I believe has fixed this problem, but it requires MacOS 10.9.0 or later. BOINC 7.16.11 is the last version that will run on MacOS 10.7 or 10.8. Unfortunately, the logic on the server will continue to tell users of those MacOS versions that there is newer version available and will offer them BOINC 7.16.14. You can find older releases of BOINC at https://boinc.berkeley.edu/download_all.php. Charlie Fenton BOINC / SETI@home Macintosh & Windows Programmer ID: 101871 ·

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