software update files

you mean when you just elect to have software update install and not download to your desktop?

i think they are created in /tmp

yes that is what i mean.

Actually I think they are kept. Look in /Library/Receipts/ and you'll find the packages for all updates that you've downloaded. I am not sure the consequences (if any) of deleting all these packages. It might be that the Update looks for the packages to know which updates have been installed already. It may also be that these are 'holding' areas for the packages from .DMGs.

nope.

$ du -sh /Library/Receipts/MacOSXUpdate10.2.4.pkg/
1.7M /Library/Receipts/MacOSXUpdate10.2.4.pkg

the receipt contains a profile of what was installed. not the actual package.

i stand by my claim that SU downloads the package to /tmp

I stand corrected, Merv is right.

I think it was my buddy who posted this question on my behalf. I have a G4 at work with a 56k dial-up (!), so downloading the 78Mg OS updater would be painfully slow if not impossible. I had already downloaded the OS 10.2.4 (via Software Udate in System Preferences) at home, and wondered if I could simply burn a CD, and use it at work.....nope.
Gotta go to www.info.apple.com and download the update from there. It's a "dmg" at 78 Mg, and expands to over 500Mg. I really don't know if it will show a marked difference at work, but I sure would like to get my Apple Stylewriter to work with OS X.

I too have wondered about this, but maybe for different reasons - At the moment, I can only afford dial-up and have had to update a few times since getting my quicksilver 800 (512k/10.2.4/SCSI card w/ older Lacie Burner) - one time, a member here was kind enough to broadband download & snail me the CD - the last (10.2.4) I did via software update - my concern is; if and when I need to do a re-install, aside from the CD I have from the friend, how the hell is a dial-up guy supposed to get back "up to speed"? - Realize now, as whatever any of us receive w/ our machines is soon outdated? Are you following me? What "backup" does one have - in terms of bringing his/her system UP TO DATE if they (he/she) updates vis software update? Is there something SPECIFIC we can burn?...... As for Boot CDs and the like, I've tried them all - they (in my opinion, on my system) are UNrelaible- I'm a webmaster & need reliability - every day or I lose money.

Help is appreciated.

That's a valid question. If you or I buy a machine with OS 10.1.?...and we need to update ad-nauseum, where are we going to reboot from if we have a system failure, to get back to where we were when we left off? Since most machines these days are sold with CD-RW, you should probably look within your Mac for a "System Backup". I've been a Mac user for about 7 yrs, and have every reason to believe there is such a thing. Barring that...one can buy a 60 Gb hard drive these days for about $170. One could save all necessary info to a separate drive for what would eventually be a low, low price.

There are, however, much more knowledgable Mac users out there than myself, so watch for further messages.

Any way, gotta go, watching the Leafs. Mogilny gets a penaly shot!

that was sundin wasn't it?

After further review. when you actually have the software updates window pop up you can choose to download to the desktop. i don't know what menu to look under but do that then save the installers to cd for future use.

back up software to use on a mac is called Retrospect by Dantz. As far as resorrecting a dead system. it isn't necessary to blow off the whole drive if you know what to do. like they say knowledge is power. like in real estate the 3 most important things to look for when buying, location, location, location. 3 of the most important things to do to protect yourself from down time, backup, backup, backup.