USB hubs, printers, Java, and more seemingly broken by macOS 14.4 update

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Reported 14.4 Regressions

  • External displays: some monitors via USB‑C/Thunderbolt docks stop waking after sleep; users resort to resolution toggling, KVM/USB switch tricks, or seek dock firmware updates.
  • USB / storage: issues with USB hubs, SD/JetDrive not mounting, flaky monitor‑integrated KVMs, and peripheral disconnects (mics, webcams, audio interfaces).
  • Printing: Safari crashes when printing to PDF; some printer drivers (esp. older Canon/Samsung) break or intermittently work.
  • Security/ID: certain smart‑card–based BankID setups stop working; vendor explicitly warns users not to update.
  • Apps: Java tools (IDEs, debuggers, profilers), Docker Desktop, PHPStorm and other JVM apps see new crashes; Safari sometimes forgets logins; window‑focus keyboard shortcuts misbehave; Time Machine may reject existing encrypted backups.
  • iCloud: separate report that 14.4 can wipe prior file versions in iCloud Drive.

Java / Signals Technical Discussion

  • Java has generally worked well on Apple Silicon, but 14.4 triggers crashes in specific JIT edge cases.
  • Thread links this to a kernel behavior change around page faults and signals (SIGSEGV vs SIGKILL), with debate on whether this is a security hardening or a POSIX violation.
  • Some note the problematic HotSpot code has already been removed in upcoming Java versions.

Printing & CUPS Debates

  • Multiple stories of printers working for years then breaking after macOS upgrades, with Canon singled out as especially poor at updating drivers.
  • Others argue OS vendors, not printer makers, should provide a stable driver API.
  • Discussion on CUPS stewardship and whether macOS still uses it; some evidence that cupsd still runs.

File System, SIP, and Control Over the Machine

  • Complaints that macOS upgrades “delete” files in /.
  • Others explain the sealed system volume / Data volume split and “Relocated Items” mechanism: user data is moved, not erased, but poorly communicated.
  • Strong disagreement over whether Apple is overreaching by locking down root and making customizations hard, versus providing a managed, safer system.

Update Strategy, QA, and Platform Philosophy

  • Some report flawless upgrades on multiple Apple Silicon machines and see media coverage as amplifying a small failure rate.
  • Others see 14.4 as unusually buggy for a minor release and part of a long‑term quality decline since older macOS versions.
  • Comparisons with Windows and Linux:
    • Windows praised for long‑tail hardware and printer support, but also remembered for historically fragile updates.
    • Linux distros (Arch, Fedora, Ubuntu, EndeavourOS) cited as more predictable by some, risky by others.
  • Debate over Apple’s short hardware support window, aggressive deprecation, and prioritizing new hardware/features vs. backward compatibility.

Workarounds and User Responses

  • Suggested mitigations: use CLI tools (e.g., for display resolution), KVM/USB switches to force reconnects, firmware updates, printer sharing or raw network printing, downgrading macOS, or switching primary work to Linux/Windows.
  • Some accept Apple’s constraints as the price of the “managed” ecosystem; others see 14.4 as a tipping point pushing them off macOS entirely.