Apple Configurator: Download iOS Updates in advance of iPad Refresh?

[JJanisch]

Starting to get annoyed by this, seems like every time I add a new app my "15 minutes" estimation turns into 2 hours+. Any way to do as the title suggests?

[Andie]

I was equally annoyed by this. The update to iOS 8 and 8.02 was a nightmare with estimated times of 6 hours coming up one afternoon, just adding one small app!

 

One thing to check is that you are not set to restore a backup at the same time. This is on the Settings tab and once I turned it off things did seem quicker. I couldn't find any way to download the iOS update into Configurator in advance.

 

I have to put iMovie on our set this afternoon. I'll let you know how I get on, and if I find a better way to do things.

[tmoon-mint]

You can indeed download them in advance. If you put your IPSW files in "~/Library/Containers/com.apple.configurator/Data/Library/Caches/com.apple.configurator/Firmware/" these can be used in configurator. I recommend you get them from Download Firmware (IPSW) Files for iOS Devices

[Andie]

OK, I have done some testing this afternoon. The trolley I have for the iPads has 30 iPads, and you can update 15 at a time from the Mac. Last time, as I said, this took ages because of iOS updates. So this afternoon I have disconnected all but one basket of 5 iPads, made sure that I wasn't restoring a backup (on the Settings tab) and then applied the iMovie app (keeping all of the apps already installed ticked as well). There was an 8.1 update to do as well when it started, but the 5 iPads took about 15 minutes total.

 

When I connected up the next lot of 5, these were quicker. As I watched what was happening on one of them, the iOS update didn't download or unpack but went straight to install. So I guess it only gets downloaded and unpacked once. This means that for me it is safer to do 5 iPads first and then the rest in bigger batches.

 

Of course, you could use the method outlined above from the firmware site too..... But I haven't tested that.

 

Certainly not restoring a backup has dramatically reduced the time needed. I am still very much a learner in this whole process!!