Run Apps from Other Startup Volumes

[bayswater]

I’m into the process of trying to turn my Monterey test volume into a production volume, so I can move on from Mojave. I’ve noticed that there are several apps I can just run from the Mojave Applications folder, rather than installing them in the Monterey Applications folder. In some cases I have to enter authorization info, but sometimes they just run.

Is there any info about this, when it works and when it doesn’t, etc?

[mikehalloran]

It depends on the Application Support files and the version of the apps.

Apple apps are contained and create their own the first time run. Other apps will update older support files. Then there are those that must be installed. Other than Apple, if there's a rhyme or reason, I've never been able to discern it.

Since my Mojave drive is now reserved for 32 bit applications, I boot into it first before running them.

Although the builds of Office that run over Mojave no longer run over Ventura and vise versa, I can work on any Office file in either MacOS. A PowerPoint that was giving me grief in Monterey last year compiled quickly when I booted into Mojave and pulled it over—and ran fine when I moved it back. I bet that Microsoft Support would have taken a bit of time.

[bayswater]

Apple apps are contained and create their own the first time run. Other apps will update older support files. Then there are those that must be installed. Other than Apple, if there's a rhyme or reason, I've never been able to discern it.

Thats what I though. I suppose since I’m stuck with multiple OS versions, it might be time to put a VM on the most recent startup to run things under the older versions. I’d always hoped I could run a production and test volume and then promote the test to product at some point, but there are too many things I need that aren’t going to run on Apple’s latest OS versions.