Carbon copy

[GregVDS]

Hello,

I plan to change my MacBook hard drive soon. I read that SuperDuper was the most easy solution to do this.

I would like to know precisely the backup options I should choose in order to absolutely and completely clone copy my current drive on the new one before swapping them from usb to internal. Is the 'backup all files' option let some files not copied? Is it ok to do this entirely with the free version, or the copy is limited in this situation?

Will the new drive be bootable as well as the former, or are there some things that should be optimized after that (due to bigger disk space)?

All the best,

GregVDS

[dnanian]

You'll first make sure the USB drive is partitioned using the "GUID" partition scheme and formatted as "Mac OS Extended".

Once that's done, use "Backup - all files" with "Smart Update" or "Erase, then copy".

Rename the backup drive to the same name as the original, then shut down and install the new drive. You should then be able to start up.

You can do this with the free version, sure. But registering helps to pay for useful stuff -- like support. :)

[GregVDS]

Many thanks for the confirmation of the different steps to do. I hope my Toshiba 200GB arrives soon to breath a little bit.

Sure, the software is not expensive, and the added capabilities are very interesting. Let me test it first, but I need an easy backup tool to use weekly or monthly anyway, and yours fill the bill...

Thanks again,

All the very best,

GregVDS

[gbshuler]

You'll first make sure the USB drive is partitioned using the "GUID" partition scheme and formatted as "Mac OS Extended".

Once that's done, use "Backup - all files" with "Smart Update" or "Erase, then copy".

Rename the backup drive to the same name as the original, then shut down and install the new drive. You should then be able to start up.

You can do this with the free version, sure. But registering helps to pay for useful stuff -- like support. :)

1. I am currently performing a "Backup - all files" with "Smart Update" for the first time. Is this a good idea? It seems to be slow (14.3MB/s). Could I have initially done a "Erase, then copy", then from that point on, use Smart Update? (Or do you have to use Smart Update for the initial backup also?)

2. I am trying to maintain a Smart Update of a 160GB Macbook Pro internal drive to an external USB2 drive. What size should the matching partition be for this. (I figure 160GB is "too easy" an answer. The manual mentioned needing a little "working" space. But how much?). I set it up at close to 200GB (figuring a 20% buffer should be sufficient).

Thanks
Brad (long time Mac user, SuperDuper newby..)

[dnanian]

14.3MB/s isn't at all slow for a first backup, so you're just fine. Yes, you could have done an erase-then-copy, but it would have gone at the same speed... you're fine as-is.

160GB should generally be fine if the source doesn't tend to run full. If it does, slightly larger helps.