Resolved Clone APFS to image

[Faloude]

Hi all. I've got a problem which is surprisingly little discussed on the forums. I'm upgrading my MacBook Air 11" 2013 SSD to a bigger NVMe SSD and I need to have an exact copy from old to new SSD using only disk utility.

Here's my plan:

1. Clone current SSD to an image and save it on some external drive
2. Remove old SSD and mount new SSD internally
3. Boot to Catalina installer USB (for disk utility only)
4. Restore image to new internal SSD

This has gone wrong with all kinds of error messages so here are my main questions:

1. Is this plan at all viable?
2. When creating the image, do I clone to a read or read/write image? Or does that not matter?
3. When creating the image, do I click on the SSD or the container?
4. When restoring the image, do I click on the SSD and recover to *that* or do I erase as APFS first, click on the container and restore to *that*?

 

[Audit13]

I use Time Machine to create a backup of my Apple SSD running Catalina.

I install the nvme, boot using Internet recovery, use disk utility to erase and partition the nvme, restore Catalina.

It has always worked perfectly for me with a mid-2014 13" Air, early 2015 13" Air, and mid-2014 Pro 13".

 

[maflynn]

Will Cabon Copy Cloner fit the bill?

 

[Faloude]

I use Time Machine to create a backup of my Apple SSD running Catalina.

I've been wary of Time Machine because of two reasons: my understanding of the mechanism behind it is still limited and secondly I've had a failed recovery once from a HD to SSD, reason unknown.

Will Cabon Copy Cloner fit the bill?

I was actually waiting for someone to mention it I've tried version 5.1.x and it seems to only allow me to clone partitions seperately instead of the whole APFS container at once. It was confusing.

Anyway, I've managed to restore the image through disk utility, still not knowing what was the magic step / important detail. Just booted to a Catalina installer for disk utility, wiped the internal SSD to APFS, clicked the APFS container and restored the image to that.

 

[Fishrrman]

You didn't tell us which version of the OS is running on the MBA RIGHT NOW.

Do you have an external USB3 drive (hard drive or SSD)?

You could clone the contents of the internal drive to the external drive using CarbonCopyCloner. CCC is FREE to download and use for 30 days. Get it here:
Carbon Copy Cloner - Download
The external drive will be BOOTABLE.

Then -- swap the old drive for the new one.

Then -- boot from the clone, and use disk utility to initialize (erase) the new drive.

Then -- either use CCC to clone the backup drive BACK TO the SSD, or...
... install a completely new copy of Catalina onto the SSD, then use migration assistant to "bring over" your data from the backup.

BTW -- I'd suggest Mojave rather than Catalina...

 

[Faloude]

@Fishrrman that sounds like a good way to go as well for next time. Also, I've just learned that CCC also allows for full drive cloning - I was complaining that it only enables me to choose volumes.

Off-topic: why would you suggest Mojave over Catalina?

 

[Fishrrman]

"why would you suggest Mojave over Catalina?"

Spend some time reading the posts in the Catalina sub-forum here, and you'll see why...