I wouldn't do it. HDDs are so cheap that it is better to have backup on two different media.
/Jim
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Carbon Copy Cloner vs. Super Duper-Which is better?
- Thread starter kapalua12
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I wouldn't do it. HDDs are so cheap that it is better to have backup on two different media.
/Jim
Thanks for the info. I still don't see the importance of the recovery partition though. I'm wondering if you are using CCC or SD to copy/clone the OS along with all your files, is there any value to the recovery partition?
Again, sorry if this is glaringly obvious. I may be missing something. I set CCC just to clone/copy Macintosh HD.
Beyond the troubleshooting tools, like password reset etc, the recovery partition is needed for some OS X features like Filevault2 and Find my Mac.
How is the recovery partition different from a bootable partition? I'm setting up an external hd with two partitions. The first partition I've already installed a bootable OSX-10.8 and now plan to clone my hd with either SD or CCC. The second partition I will use for Time Machine backups.
I don't understand if I still need the recovery partition to be in my first partition since I have a bootable operating system already. Would someone explain if these are redundant and do the same thing if I need to recover from a hd failure? Thanks.
I don't understand if I still need the recovery partition to be in my first partition since I have a bootable operating system already. Would someone explain if these are redundant and do the same thing if I need to recover from a hd failure? Thanks.
The clone of your drive and the clone of the recovery partition are not redundant. They do not do the same thing. Read the post just before yours for an explanation of some of the uses of the recovery partition. If you've only clone your drive and not the recovery partition, you will be able to boot from your backup and have all of your files and apps, etc. If you don't also clone the recovery partition, you won't have the functionality it provides, including those functions described in the post just before yours. I recommend using CCC rather than SuperDuper, since SuperDuper cannot clone the recovery partition.
OS X: About OS X Recovery
Apple - OS X Recovery
I get that my clones of my drive and recovery partition are not redundant. But was there a need for me to install Mountain Lion separately when it is also found in the recovery partition?
Should I delete the fresh OS install from the partition if this is already available in the recovery partition. This is what I meant by redundant. Thanks.
Should I delete the fresh OS install from the partition if this is already available in the recovery partition. This is what I meant by redundant. Thanks.
I think the source of your confusion is your belief that the OS is on the recovery partition. It is not.
The recovery partition is a 650mb partition that allows you to download the 4.7gb OS over the internet. Then there are the other functions of the recovery partition I mentioned earlier.
Thanks. That makes complete sense now. The recovery partition LET'S me easily download the OS but is not already installed. So for really easy recovery without the need of waiting for the OS to download and then install, if I have the room for the already installed OS I should keep it.
I have been using SD for years with no problem. Using the smart update makes the back up real fast, 7-12 minutes for 135gigs total on my 256 ssd.
[[ How is the recovery partition different from a bootable partition? ]]
The recovery partition quasi-boots the Mac.
That is to say, the Mac is booted, but you don't get to the finder and you can't access anything or do anything other than the limited options that the recovery partition provides.
With a fully-bootable partition or volume (such as one created by either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper), you have "full control" of your Mac, just as you would have from an "internal boot". You're in the finder. You can manipulate files and folders. You can run any app you want.
Why would anyone want the "half-boot" the recovery partition provides, when you can simply clone a drive, and have a full boot instead?
To answer my own question, it's probably because of the belief that "if Apple included it to be used as a backup tool, it HAS to be the better product". 'Tain't so.
I've seen post after post after post after post after post from users in this forum, who try to boot the Mac, and can't. They're wondering what to do next. If all they have is a recovery partition to work with, their options are limited. If Disk Utility's repair function doesn't work, about the only choice they're left with is to do a complete system re-installation, and/or a complete data re-installation using Time Machine.
If they could boot from a clone, things might go much easier, with MUCH less work.
I've seen instances on my own Mac where something like a finder pref file became corrupted -- Mac would kind of half-boot, but couldn't get past the grey screen when the finder reads its prefs and then loads.
Just "booting externally" could correct this. Open internal volume, trash finder prefs, restart. Easy as pie.
For the user with only a recovery partition and TM backup, this would be a long, arduous process. The recovery partition gives no way to trash a file, and the user would have to do a complete system re-install to get a workable finder again.
I've had an instance or two where the Mac seemed to hang while booting from the internal drive. In those cases, all it took was an "external boot", then a re-boot of the internal, to get going again (whatever it was, I never found, but an external boot fixed the problem right away).
No one who owns a Mac should be without a second, fully-bootable backup.
I can't understand why Apple didn't provide the option within the TM framework for a user to do a "full clone" as well as a TM backup.
The recovery partition quasi-boots the Mac.
That is to say, the Mac is booted, but you don't get to the finder and you can't access anything or do anything other than the limited options that the recovery partition provides.
With a fully-bootable partition or volume (such as one created by either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper), you have "full control" of your Mac, just as you would have from an "internal boot". You're in the finder. You can manipulate files and folders. You can run any app you want.
Why would anyone want the "half-boot" the recovery partition provides, when you can simply clone a drive, and have a full boot instead?
To answer my own question, it's probably because of the belief that "if Apple included it to be used as a backup tool, it HAS to be the better product". 'Tain't so.
I've seen post after post after post after post after post from users in this forum, who try to boot the Mac, and can't. They're wondering what to do next. If all they have is a recovery partition to work with, their options are limited. If Disk Utility's repair function doesn't work, about the only choice they're left with is to do a complete system re-installation, and/or a complete data re-installation using Time Machine.
If they could boot from a clone, things might go much easier, with MUCH less work.
I've seen instances on my own Mac where something like a finder pref file became corrupted -- Mac would kind of half-boot, but couldn't get past the grey screen when the finder reads its prefs and then loads.
Just "booting externally" could correct this. Open internal volume, trash finder prefs, restart. Easy as pie.
For the user with only a recovery partition and TM backup, this would be a long, arduous process. The recovery partition gives no way to trash a file, and the user would have to do a complete system re-install to get a workable finder again.
I've had an instance or two where the Mac seemed to hang while booting from the internal drive. In those cases, all it took was an "external boot", then a re-boot of the internal, to get going again (whatever it was, I never found, but an external boot fixed the problem right away).
No one who owns a Mac should be without a second, fully-bootable backup.
I can't understand why Apple didn't provide the option within the TM framework for a user to do a "full clone" as well as a TM backup.
Apple has provided a tool to make a full clone that provides exactly the same end result one gets with CCC or SD and it is Disk Utility. Disk Utility can easily make a fully bootable clone to an external drive just like CCC and SD.
Here is a walkthrough.
[[ Apple has provided a tool to make a full clone that provides exactly the same end result one gets with CCC or SD and it is Disk Utility. Disk Utility can easily make a fully bootable clone to an external drive just like CCC and SD. ]]
Yes, but the only problem is they make it somewhat of a procedure for the average end-user to work through. So much so, that most folks aren't going to bother.
Why not incorporate it into TM (or a small and basic standalone app) to make clone creation as basic for the end user as is the "switch" that turns TM on and off?
Perhaps Apple's software department believes that this has already been covered by the developers of CCC and SD. Granted, both apps work very well...
Yes, but the only problem is they make it somewhat of a procedure for the average end-user to work through. So much so, that most folks aren't going to bother.
Why not incorporate it into TM (or a small and basic standalone app) to make clone creation as basic for the end user as is the "switch" that turns TM on and off?
Perhaps Apple's software department believes that this has already been covered by the developers of CCC and SD. Granted, both apps work very well...
Yep... that works just fine.
Sure... just uncheck apps you don't want to copy in /Applications folder in the cloning app.
No... Disk Util will clone over the entire partition. How many apps do you have installed? A new system with a default OS install plus the iLife and iWorks apps uses about 20GB of space, so you could easily clone that whole thing to a 32GB USB key if that is what you are trying to do.
I want to use a 32 GB thumb drive to clone Mac OS to it. It is not necessary to copy Word and other programs.
CCC looks like a great software, but now it is not free anymore. Anyway if it is as good for backup and cloning as stated then to pay is not a problem. Specially incremental cloning is an excellent tool. I have used it on Windows for years as a great backup strategy with Acronis True Image and lately with Shadow Protect.
I just like to add that CCC is not the only way to clone the recovery partition + your boot partition. You can do this with Apple's own DiskUtyl with no problems:
- Start from recovery partition
- Launch Disk Utilities
- Make a DMG image your HOLE boot hard disk (the recovery partition is hidden but it will be stored in the image). Save the image to an external disk.
- Restore the DMG image to a new disk but be sure that you create first a partition on it (volume). Use this created volume as the destination. DiskUtyl takes care of resizing the partitions and all.
- Jobb done. Boot from the new disk. It will have both your boot partition and the recovery partition.
It takes time, but its free and comes from Apple itself.
Cheers.
I just like to add that CCC is not the only way to clone the recovery partition + your boot partition. You can do this with Apple's own DiskUtyl with no problems:
- Start from recovery partition
- Launch Disk Utilities
- Make a DMG image your HOLE boot hard disk (the recovery partition is hidden but it will be stored in the image). Save the image to an external disk.
- Restore the DMG image to a new disk but be sure that you create first a partition on it (volume). Use this created volume as the destination. DiskUtyl takes care of resizing the partitions and all.
- Jobb done. Boot from the new disk. It will have both your boot partition and the recovery partition.
It takes time, but its free and comes from Apple itself.
Cheers.
You can do this with Apple's own DiskUtyl with no problems:
I've been using CCC, can I ask if i use disk utility what image format do I choose i.e. read/write read only compressed and encription does 128/25 bit matter
I've been using CCC, can I ask if i use disk utility what image format do I choose i.e. read/write read only compressed and encription does 128/25 bit matter
You can do this with Apple's own DiskUtyl with no problems:
I've been using CCC, can I ask if i use disk utility what image format do I choose i.e. read/write read only compressed and encription does 128/25 bit matter
Select the drive at the top in Disk Utility then go to erase tab. Now in the Format: drop down choose the very first choice in the list "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)". Then type Macintosh HD in the Name: field. Then click the Erase button at the lower right. Done.