macOS auto-updates got me in a toxic loop need a quick sanity check

Alright… this one’s on me.

I had automatic updates turned on and my mid-2014 MacBook Pro decided it was cool to jump from Sequoia to “Tahoe” (??). End result: full-on “white screen of death.”

Did a reset, brought the machine back to Monterey, then installed Big Sur > OCLP> Sequioa and everything was 👌 smooth sailing.

…and then I forgot to turn off automatic updates.

So here I am again. Same boat. Same ocean. Same idiot at the helm.

I’ve got the installer on a USB drive already. My question is:

Do I need to:

• Roll it all the way back to Monterey again,
• Then Big Sur
• Then reinstall Sequoia cleanly?

I swear I saw the answer buried somewhere deep in another thread, but I’m hoping for a quick resolve before I lose my mind (or this laptop).

Any advice appreciated — and yes, I’ve learned nothing apparently