Mac 2018 downloads update, then fails to install or relaunch, repeatedly

[etiffany]

When I launch the Mac 2018 TurboTax Home Business app, it offers to download the latest update.  It downloads 220MB of update, then claims it will install and relaunch, which it fails to do.  Wash, rinse, repeat.

Also, if I decline to update when I launch TT, and then try to force an update (Option-click on  TurboTax in the menu bar), it does the same thing.

[etiffany · Accepted solution]

OK, after emptying the trash* as suggested by some post I saw, the download/update/restart worked on like the 5th attempt.   This is a pretty weak approach to software updates.

* which didn't contain anything related to TT

[abrittis]

Worked for me as well.  This is strange, but glad it worked.

[takeda]

Indeed - I was in the same cycle. I had nothing in the trash, so I put something in and emptied it an Voila! it worked...

[tulsaag]

I just emptied my trash and the install relaunch finally worked, poor programming Intuit.

[Aviator11]

OK just clear the trash, no TT in basket, but it works.  Thanks to all

[Anonymous]

FYI- It still seems true for the 2019 tax year program as well, done in Feb 2020 on a 2012 Mac (this device is almost ready to be retired). I did the download/launch cycle three times without success before heading to Google and finding this forum. Emptied my trash and tried it a fourth time and it worked. Weird.

[jesse-cambridge]

I am so grateful to this thread! I would have never guessed this non-intuitive trick. It worked just as everyone else described. 

I'm running Mojave 10.14.3 on a fairly recent macbook pro. I experienced the same failure to complete the update cycle. Then I found this thread, emptied the trash and, bingo, it worked. THANKS!

[JayBe1]

Also, if the trash empty doesn't work, check for running TurboTax.

Open Terminal

ps -ef | grep tax

kill (the process id of any ttax running)