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On an iMac and a Macbook, both running macOS Sierra 10.12.6, I have installed the latest LTspice IV (Build Oct 3 2016, 14:49:11 US Pacific), which prompts me to update on launch. Attempting to do so via either the Model Update or Software Update buttons in the Operation tab causes the spinning wheel for about 10 minutes before finally crashing with EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV).

On Windows I had similar issues when behind a proxy, but there are no such Internet shenanigans here.

Does anyone know a way to update LTspice IV on macOS? I'm happy to do it manually via ~/Library/Application Support/LTspice if necessary.

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    \$\begingroup\$ I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because this is not an EE question. \$\endgroup\$
    – Andy aka
    Commented Aug 11, 2017 at 9:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ I was concerned about that but saw lots of other q's about using LTSpice (rather than about EE specifically) and LTSpice is a popular tag. Looks like I've copped some reputation on this punt. Happy to close if it's off-topic, but pretty hard to determine that up front. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Aug 13, 2017 at 2:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't agree an LTspice question is off-topic. Why don't we leave it open just in case another Mac user comes along who managed to solve this? \$\endgroup\$
    – Dmitry Grigoryev
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 16:57
  • \$\begingroup\$ same problem here - LTSpice says it's 433 days old and wont update itself, hanging, crashing etc. also the Mac version doesn't know about ADxxx components. the PC version does though. Why such discrepancy... \$\endgroup\$
    – Mobigital
    Commented Dec 11, 2017 at 7:26

6 Answers 6

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LTSpice for macOS has finally been updated to LTspice XVII as of October 25th, 2018. I have verified that it has resolved the model update bug, as well as most other noticeable issues that had cropped up in the last release.

So the updated answer to this question is to simply download the latest version - it fixes the model update crash and many other issues as well. Even the icons have been tweaked.

The new URL (since Linear Technology has since become part of Analog Devices) to download the latest LTSpice version (I would be surprised if the self-update function worked, given the change) is here.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Bummer. LTSpice XVII crashes regularly. Simulating, picking a diode, picking a MOSFET, plotting. Crash, crash, crash. Proceed with caution! \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Dec 1, 2018 at 3:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ The Feb 7 2019 build fixes the vast majority of these crashing bugs. We're back in the game! \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented May 25, 2019 at 11:37
  • \$\begingroup\$ I used this link and it is not working for me I have version 10.15.3. \$\endgroup\$
    – user510
    Commented Feb 5, 2020 at 4:27
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The build date/time is hard coded in the executable. Open LTSpice executable in a hex editor and goto offset 0x49FA4A and change 0x36 to 0x38. Now it will think the build time is October 2018 and it won't popup that annoying message anymore.

LTspice MD5 = e7a2de8bb82e2419e981ed425c359626

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Wow this works! How did you know? \$\endgroup\$
    – Felix Crazzolara
    Commented Apr 12, 2018 at 17:30
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I also was stuck on this and decided to trace it down. So what the Software Update does is to download a file named LTspiceAppUpdater which is put in /Applications/LTspice.app/Contents/. This waits for LTspice to terminate itself. It then simply downloads the most recent LTspice.dmg from Linear.com in the same location and extracts the files. So basically it replaced your recent installation with the same copy. Then on restarting it just hangs in an infinite loop. I could not figure out where exactly the version is checked, but since I deleted each and every trace of LTspice and it still croaks it's most likely that they just look into some token in the program code itself.

tl;dr It's a bug in the implementation and you can only get rid of it by reporting it to Linear.com. Though I think it's unlikely they will fix it in the near future - if ever. Just click away the message at start and have a look for a new version next year.

There's a new version available, but that crashes permanently (not only with my installation). Here's a link to the old version: https://www.heise.de/download/product/lt-spice-iv-65702/download (it's a German magazine and it should be safe to download in any case) Or even better: use the link in @HiromichiMatsushima's answer. This seems to be a much more stable release.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I think this is the closest we're going to come to an answer - your answer suggests that software update is broken, but it doesn't matter anyway because there is nothing to update to. Accepted. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Dec 12, 2017 at 10:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ Yes, annoying. But that's the case with so many software. Don't make it frustrate you. Contemplate ;-) \$\endgroup\$
    – qwerty_so
    Commented Dec 12, 2017 at 10:43
  • \$\begingroup\$ This was the correct answer at the time, but there's now a more correct answer: electronics.stackexchange.com/a/404957/94854 I don't want to de-crown this effort though. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Nov 22, 2018 at 19:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ @HeathRaftery Thanks. I use LTSpice only eventually and for sure would not have noticed that update since I gave up (like most OS X users I guess ;-). I'll add a link to my answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – qwerty_so
    Commented Nov 22, 2018 at 19:54
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    \$\begingroup\$ Oh, I wasn't aware that you are the OP. Just take the check mark back and assign it to the new one. I don't mind about the points here. I got enough at SO ;-) \$\endgroup\$
    – qwerty_so
    Commented Nov 22, 2018 at 19:59
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Timestamp of "LTspice for Mac OS X" in download page is not updated, but you can download recent (updated) installer from download link in the page.

I succeeded in updating with this installer.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Confirmed! Both the Model Update and Software Update buttons seem to work. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Oct 8, 2018 at 20:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ Confirmed as well. \$\endgroup\$
    – qwerty_so
    Commented May 25, 2019 at 11:36
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A few things I would try:

1) Download the new LTSPICE IIXV (or whatever number it is) and see if that works any better

2) Un install and reinstall LT SPICE

3) find an updated copy on a different machine and move over the lib and examples folders

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    \$\begingroup\$ 1) Not available for Mac. 2) Several times 3) Can't update on any machine. Fresh install does not update. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Aug 13, 2017 at 2:26
  • \$\begingroup\$ Find a friend that has a PC, if its all your machines including the PC's check your firewall \$\endgroup\$
    – Voltage Spike ♦
    Commented Aug 14, 2017 at 15:13
  • \$\begingroup\$ No firewall. Plenty of PCs. They work. What do you suggest to do with them to solve the issue? There is no examples folder, for example. \$\endgroup\$
    – Heath Raftery
    Commented Aug 14, 2017 at 23:17
  • \$\begingroup\$ Please see idea #3 above \$\endgroup\$
    – Voltage Spike ♦
    Commented Aug 15, 2017 at 1:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ latest LTSpice for Mac on LT website is dated October 2016. Anyone know where to get a newer version? It's not showing on LT website. \$\endgroup\$
    – Mobigital
    Commented Dec 11, 2017 at 7:25
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I like rxprobe's hack, but cannot try since I got so tired of the message and figured it was never going to be resolved by LTC that I moved to LTSpice XVII. This one isn't available for macOS, but installing Wine via Homebrew and then installing this updated Windows executable works just as well. Runs just as fast and appears to be stable; updates correctly as well.

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