Like say you upgrade from MacOS 13 to 14. How does the OS still run when files are theoretically being replaced while the OS is still running.
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There is no physical rule, that the files cannot be overwritten while in use. Some OSes (like Windows) might forbid that – but that’s just a design decision. Also, if a file is loaded into RAM – it doesn’t have to match its own copy on the disk anymore. Again, some OSes may enforce that connection – but nothing prevents them from just not doing that.
On Linux, for example, you can delete a file while it is in use – the programs that have the file opened will still have access to it, but the moment the file is closed – it will be deleted for real. You can then create a new file with the same name – new programs will use that new file instead.
On systems that do not allow deletion in use – the system update process might have a right to do it anyway.
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