How to Clone Macbook Pro Internal Drive

Posted:
in Genius Bar edited January 2014
Hey Everyone -



I've got a 17" Macbook Pro and I'll be replacing it's internal hard drive (for a larger one, nothing wrong with it) this weekend.



I'm trying to find out the best way to clone the drive, as I would like to copy everything over. I don't know if it's possible to transfer over 100% of everything but I would like to if there's a way.



I have programs like: iRecord, MPEG Streamclip, VLC, VMware Fusion, Visual Hub, DVD to iPhone Converter and WMV to just name a few, that I would like to copy over.



I've come across things like SuperDuper and Carbon Copy, but I don't have any experience with them. I was also wondering if I could use "disk utilities"?



Thanks for your time and I appreciate any insight or opinions.



Cheers

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 13
    kareliakarelia Posts: 525member
    Best way I'd recommend is getting ahold of (purchase or borrow) an external enclosure for your original internal HD. Boot your MBP from the restore DVD, attach the "new" external HD (enclosure + internal HD), and use the onboard Disk Utility to restore the old drive to the new one.



    Or, if you've got a functional and sufficient external HD already, clone the whole system to it with Disk Utility (make sure there's nothing of importance first, and format the external), and then replace the HD and do the aforementioned restore procedure.
  • Reply 2 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Karelia View Post


    Best way I'd recommend is getting ahold of (purchase or borrow) an external enclosure for your original internal HD. Boot your MBP from the restore DVD, attach the "new" external HD (enclosure + internal HD), and use the onboard Disk Utility to restore the old drive to the new one.



    Or, if you've got a functional and sufficient external HD already, clone the whole system to it with Disk Utility (make sure there's nothing of importance first, and format the external), and then replace the HD and do the aforementioned restore procedure.



    Thanks! I think I just found an enclosure kit at eshop.macsales, so I'll give that a shot. If I don't have my original install disk, can I use the Mac OSX Install DVD I purchased when Leopard came out?



    Also, any recommendation for a replacement drive? Hitachi, Seagate, WD, Samsung, Toshiba?



    Thanks again!



    Aloha.
  • Reply 3 of 13
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hookalakupua View Post


    Also, any recommendation for a replacement drive? Hitachi, Seagate, WD, Samsung, Toshiba?



    Hitachi makes the best drives according to everything I read online.







    Cloning a boot drive (works perfectly as a bootable copy) copied from another post I made answering the same question.





    Carbon Copy Cloner (free, donationware)



    A blank external hard drive (preferably Firewire 400/800 for speed, USB 2) with it's own power supply. Not port power dependent.



    The external drive size must either match or exceed the drive being cloned.



    Don't use Western Digital external drives as they have a annoying sleep function that causes problems.



    First Disk Utility Erase w/Zero Option the new hard drive (or a old one) this wipes all data and maps off any bad sectors.



    It takes hours but you don't want a bad sector being written too with such valuable data. Needs to be done only once per drive to map bad sectors.



    Now run Carbon Copy Cloner (in a Admin user) and clone the entire boot drive over to the external. Will take a hour or so, depending upon how much data and all.



    After that is done, Disk Utility >repair permissions on both.





    Now you can 'hold option' and select the external drive to boot from, it will be a exact copy of the original.



    Send the computer off to be fixed, if it comes back with a new drive, simply option boot off the external and reverse clone (zeroing the new drive first of course)



    It's as easy as that.



    Time Machine is a joke in comparison and it doesn't work for Mail and other things, plus it's not bootable! Another cloning software is SuperDuper, but it's pay for, not free.



    Carbon Copy Cloner saved my arse one morning my drive was frozen solid.



    I booted off the clone, called Apple and the next afternoon had a new drive in and reversed cloned and booted.



    I lost no downtime, except a few minutes changing drives and booting.



    No files lost, since I backup, no apps or anything lost since the last time I cloned. Which should be once a week for most people.



    CCC has a auto-clone feature too, so one can set it and forget it.



    However I like to keep my drive disconnected, just in case a exploit rolls by.



    A note though, if your going to use the clone on another type Mac, it might not work. This is because certain Mac's have certain things for that particular type Mac. So only use cloning for the same type machines.



    If you get a different machine per chance, since you have a exact copy of your original boot drive, you can pick it clean over time and also catch things Migration Assistant or Time Machine will miss. (and it does according to what I hear)



    Cloning is the way to go for a total backup of a boot drive. It's also great doing before those new OS X updates or new application installs that could hose your machine. You have a option to return to the previous state.



    And you can not clone a Bootcamp install of Windows as it takes it's own partition on the drive with it's own filthy drive format.. VMFusion or Parralels with Windows etc., sure, no problem, clone away.
  • Reply 4 of 13
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    Hitachi makes the best drives according to everything I read online.







    Cloning a boot drive (works perfectly as a bootable copy) copied from another post I made answering the same question.





    Carbon Copy Cloner (free, donationware)



    A blank external hard drive (preferably Firewire 400/800 for speed, USB 2) with it's own power supply. Not port power dependent.



    The external drive size must either match or exceed the drive being cloned.



    Don't use Western Digital external drives as they have a annoying sleep function that causes problems.



    First Disk Utility Erase w/Zero Option the new hard drive (or a old one) this wipes all data and maps off any bad sectors.



    It takes hours but you don't want a bad sector being written too with such valuable data. Needs to be done only once per drive to map bad sectors.



    Now run Carbon Copy Cloner (in a Admin user) and clone the entire boot drive over to the external. Will take a hour or so, depending upon how much data and all.



    After that is done, Disk Utility >repair permissions on both.





    Now you can 'hold option' and select the external drive to boot from, it will be a exact copy of the original.



    Send the computer off to be fixed, if it comes back with a new drive, simply option boot off the external and reverse clone (zeroing the new drive first of course)



    It's as easy as that.



    Time Machine is a joke in comparison and it doesn't work for Mail and other things, plus it's not bootable! Another cloning software is SuperDuper, but it's pay for, not free.



    Carbon Copy Cloner saved my arse one morning my drive was frozen solid.



    I booted off the clone, called Apple and the next afternoon had a new drive in and reversed cloned and booted.



    I lost no downtime, except a few minutes changing drives and booting.



    No files lost, since I backup, no apps or anything lost since the last time I cloned. Which should be once a week for most people.



    CCC has a auto-clone feature too, so one can set it and forget it.



    However I like to keep my drive disconnected, just in case a exploit rolls by.



    A note though, if your going to use the clone on another type Mac, it might not work. This is because certain Mac's have certain things for that particular type Mac. So only use cloning for the same type machines.



    If you get a different machine per chance, since you have a exact copy of your original boot drive, you can pick it clean over time and also catch things Migration Assistant or Time Machine will miss. (and it does according to what I hear)



    Cloning is the way to go for a total backup of a boot drive. It's also great doing before those new OS X updates or new application installs that could hose your machine. You have a option to return to the previous state.



    And you can not clone a Bootcamp install of Windows as it takes it's own partition on the drive with it's own filthy drive format.. VMFusion or Parralels with Windows etc., sure, no problem, clone away.



    Thanks! I'll be recieving the Hitachi Drive in the morning and I purchased an enclosure for the one I'll be replacing. I'll give this a shot in the afternoon, so thanks for the advice.



    Aloha!
  • Reply 5 of 13
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hookalakupua View Post


    Thanks! I'll be recieving the Hitachi Drive in the morning and I purchased an enclosure for the one I'll be replacing. I'll give this a shot in the afternoon, so thanks for the advice.



    Aloha!



    Checkout the Genius>FAQ



    I've written a detailed cloning information there.



    Good luck!
  • Reply 6 of 13
    kareliakarelia Posts: 525member
    I wouldn't call Time Machine a joke for a home user. CCC is handy for a tech (but I've just gone back to Disk Utility at this point), but for a home user, Time Machine is the best thing I've seen out there.



    Not to mention, I frankly don't recommend bootable backups for anyone other than the professionals that can't be down for more than a few minutes. If your primary HD dies, the last thing you want to do is start using (and therefore risking) your only remaining copy of your data. Get the HD replaced, and restore with the Leopard DVD's "Restore from Time Machine" function. Not to mention, CCC's auto-clone feature overwrites the previous backup when it hits the scheduled backup time, whereas Time Machine lets you roll back to a previous backup, sometimes several months prior (if you've got the space to hold that far back).
  • Reply 7 of 13
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    I wouldn't call Time Machine a joke for a home user.



    "Home user" meaning someone with no computer experience what so ever. Sure.



    For the average and advanced user, TM is a joke in my opinion. Cloning is superior.







    CCC is handy for a tech...



    You mean "tech" like someone who can build their own machines?







    If one can install software and burn disks, one can clone, it's not rocket science.





    Zero new drive (if need be)

    Download software

    Clone Drive A to Drive B.

    Repair permissions on both.

    Option boot from clone.



    Not hard.







    I frankly don't recommend bootable backups for anyone other than the professionals that can't be down for more than a few minutes.





    So your saying the only reason to create bootable backups is for professionals who can't afford downtime of a few minutes?





    How about the average user who will be out their computer for days?



    Or doesn't have the time or money to have their drive replaced and can get by on a clone and just make another clone for backup?



    Or those who can't get online for help because the OS X install c.d. or Time Machine won't let one go online?



    Or their OS X install disk is damaged, lost or doesn't contain drivers or firmware for their hardware so they can't boot from it? Or has a "upgrade disk".



    Or is miles away from any kind of support?



    Or wants to run Data Rescue to recover a accidentally Trashed (not Secure Trashed) file?



    Or run Disk Warrior, Tech Tool or the other of dozens of good disk repair softwares that can only be run from another bootable backup?







    So should all these people be expected to just run with cash in hand to the nearest tech support person and expose all their sensitive data? Their browsing habits? Their "tagged" music files?







    If your primary HD dies, the last thing you want to do is start using (and therefore risking) your only remaining copy of your data.





    Good argument, except of course that assumes the user will not make another clone of their bootdrive seeing the dangers of having only one copy after the original failed. Good thing about clones, you can clone from a clone.





    Now in the case of malicious software and critical data, it would advised to have two clones on standby and disconnected. This way if one hooks up the first clone (attempting to fix the original) and it gets infected then the procedure would be to isolate the machine (from networks), "c" boot from a write protected OS X install disk and Disk Utility Erase with Zero each infected drive. Reverse clone from the second clone and disconnect.



    Naturally if you know or suspect your infected it's just best to Zero out the drive from the OS X install disk in the first place. (that nasty Java thing going around, thanks a lot APPLE!!)











    CCC's auto-clone feature overwrites the previous backup when it hits the scheduled backup time



    Well it is cloning after all. It's designed for a complete bootable OS X boot drive copy. Once a week or biweekly should be enough for most people. Before any OSX update/tweak or application install is advised.



    One can use a Time Machine drive in addition if they want all the fancy effects of being able to go back to a previous version of a file. (could have used that once in my entire computing life!)



    Just if Apple would combine the two features of bootable cloning and TM, then I wouldn't need to bitch anymore and life will be good for everyone.



    That's why I say TM is a joke, because it's half assed implemented.
  • Reply 8 of 13
    taurontauron Posts: 911member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by hookalakupua View Post


    Hey Everyone -



    I've got a 17" Macbook Pro and I'll be replacing it's internal hard drive (for a larger one, nothing wrong with it) this weekend.



    I'm trying to find out the best way to clone the drive, as I would like to copy everything over. I don't know if it's possible to transfer over 100% of everything but I would like to if there's a way.



    I have programs like: iRecord, MPEG Streamclip, VLC, VMware Fusion, Visual Hub, DVD to iPhone Converter and WMV to just name a few, that I would like to copy over.



    I've come across things like SuperDuper and Carbon Copy, but I don't have any experience with them. I was also wondering if I could use "disk utilities"?



    Thanks for your time and I appreciate any insight or opinions.



    Cheers



    Screw all those choices. All you need is Time Machine and you are done. Superduper and carbon copy and all those crappy choices are going to cost you more and give you more headache and wasted time.
  • Reply 9 of 13
    taurontauron Posts: 911member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Karelia View Post


    I wouldn't call Time Machine a joke for a home user. CCC is handy for a tech (but I've just gone back to Disk Utility at this point), but for a home user, Time Machine is the best thing I've seen out there.



    Not to mention, I frankly don't recommend bootable backups for anyone other than the professionals that can't be down for more than a few minutes. If your primary HD dies, the last thing you want to do is start using (and therefore risking) your only remaining copy of your data. Get the HD replaced, and restore with the Leopard DVD's "Restore from Time Machine" function. Not to mention, CCC's auto-clone feature overwrites the previous backup when it hits the scheduled backup time, whereas Time Machine lets you roll back to a previous backup, sometimes several months prior (if you've got the space to hold that far back).



    +1



    Time Machine is the best backup program for the home user, ever, period.



    I know because I work in the field.
  • Reply 10 of 13
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tauron View Post


    Screw all those choices. All you need is Time Machine and you are done. Superduper and carbon copy and all those crappy choices are going to cost you more and give you more headache and wasted time.



    Right, and perhaps that's why Apple has a whole support forum full of Time Machine problems.



    http://discussions.apple.com/forum.j...D=1227&start=0



    Of course if Apple made Time Machine with a easy interface for users to boot off of it and repair/restore their original drive (or new one) perhaps Superduper or CCC wouldn't be needed.



    But atlas they did things half-assed as always. Introduced confusion, limitation and bling in a otherwise very simple thing. Just copying a entire drive so it's bootable for emergencies.



    So now they will learn they did things wrong and hopefully come out with a better version next time.



    Meanwhile we wait and people suffer needlessly.



    Sometimes I think Apple thinks too much like Microsoft.





    I know because I work in the field.



    Yea so do I, Level 4 8 years and my first computer was a 512k, so what?



    Doesn't mean Apple can't improve on something right? Right.
  • Reply 11 of 13
    taurontauron Posts: 911member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    Right, and perhaps that's why Apple has a whole support forum full of Time Machine problems.



    http://discussions.apple.com/forum.j...D=1227&start=0



    Of course if Apple made Time Machine with a easy interface for users to boot off of it and repair/restore their original drive (or new one) perhaps Superduper or CCC wouldn't be needed.



    But atlas they did things half-assed as always. Introduced confusion, limitation and bling in a otherwise very simple thing. Just copying a entire drive so it's bootable for emergencies.



    So now they will learn they did things wrong and hopefully come out with a better version next time.



    Meanwhile we wait and people suffer needlessly.



    Sometimes I think Apple thinks too much like Microsoft.





    I know because I work in the field.



    Yea so do I, Level 4 8 years and my first computer was a 512k, so what?



    Doesn't mean Apple can't improve on something right? Right.



    Complaints will always exist, especially when the majority of the population don't know the difference between leopard and vista. Fact is everybody I know love time machine and nobody has ever had any problems. Superduper and other crapware, on the other hand, are error prone and will not work as advertised.
  • Reply 12 of 13
    mactrippermactripper Posts: 1,328member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tauron View Post


    Fact is everybody I know love time machine and nobody has ever had any problems. Superduper and other crapware, on the other hand, are error prone and will not work as advertised.



    Well your entitled to your opinion of course and Time Machine does work as expected and it's better than nothing.



    Cloning software does what it does as expected as well, it's a different product than Time Machine.



    For experienced users, they should consider a whole boot drive cloning as it offers much more abilities and protection than Time Machine offers.



    At least one can boot from a clone.
  • Reply 13 of 13
    taurontauron Posts: 911member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by MacTripper View Post


    Well your entitled to your opinion of course and Time Machine does work as expected and it's better than nothing.



    Cloning software does what it does as expected as well, it's a different product than Time Machine.



    For experienced users, they should consider a whole boot drive cloning as it offers much more abilities and protection than Time Machine offers.



    At least one can boot from a clone.



    Time Machine is the most capable backup software ever.
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