Chronosync vs Carbon Copy Cloner

[MistD]

Hello!
What would be the best backup software: Chronosync or Carbon Copy Cloner?
Thanks!

I purchased and used both.

Both of them have some overlap in functionality regarding backups:
- both can do incremental backups
- both can do mirroring / sync
- both can do “versioning” and “snapshots” (keep safe deleted / modified files)
- etc

I like CCC more because it feels a little bit more “polished” and for some reason it gives me more peace of mind (no particular reason, just psychological bias )

ChronoSync has one BIG advantage though: you can choose cloud services as a destination target , so basically you can do also off-site (cloud) backups / mirroring within the same software.

I really hope that CCC will add cloud backups in the near future.

 

[scouser75]

Guys, I'm about to use CCC to backup my MBP M2. I'll be using a new Lacie Mobile Drive https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-drives-provide-up-to-5tb-of-storage.2356538/

Do I need to format the Lacie before using CCC?

 

[MistD]

Do I need to format the Lacie before using CCC?

I would format it first (HFS+ for a HDD) give it a unique drive name and just use it for CCC backup.

When the drive is connected, formated and ready available setup the backup task.

 

[scouser75]

Thanks mate. After I posted, I did a bot of research on the Lacie page. It mentioned there that if running Ventura, APFS might be the better option. But I wasn't sure whether this was or HDD and/or SSD. What do you think would be the better option - HFS+ or APFS?

 

[Madhatter32]

Thanks mate. After I posted, I did a bot of research on the Lacie page. It mentioned there that if running Ventura, APFS might be the better option. But I wasn't sure whether this was or HDD and/or SSD. What do you think would be the better option - HFS+ or APFS?

No harm in going with APFS for a CCC backup to a HDD. I think this is recommended these days anyways.

 

[MistD]

Yeah, i kind of remained “old-school” with HFS+ for HDDs and APFS for SSDs.

Some time ago APFS was slower on HDDs and HFS+ was recommended.

I am not updated on the topic though, i might be wrong and times have changed 🙂

My external HDDs used for CCC are HFS+ and didn’t bother to re-format, works great.

 

[scouser75]

No harm in going with APFS for a CCC backup to a HDD. I think this is recommended these days anyways.

I read something similar. But before I go down the APFS route, are there any disadvantages to this over HFS+?

 

[scouser75]

Yeah, i kind of remained “old-school” with HFS+ for HDDs and APFS for SSDs.

Some time ago APFS was slower on HDDs and HFS+ was recommended.

I am not updated on the topic though, i might be wrong and times have changed 🙂

My external HDDs used for CCC are HFS+ and didn’t bother to re-format, works great.

How long ago was this?

Most things I like old skool - music, clothes, style, furniture, cars - but my tech has to be modern.

 

[MistD]

Around the time when Apple launched APFS, i think during Mac OS High Sierra …

There was some blog post also on CCC website about this

See below:

An analysis of APFS enumeration performance on rotational hard drives | Bombich Software

bombich.com

Everything you need to know about Carbon Copy Cloner and APFS | Bombich Software

bombich.com

 

[scouser75]

Thanks MistD

Wow! There's some hardcore technical stuff there. What I can gather from it though is that APFS might actually be slow than HFS+. I'm in no major rush to backup so will do a bit more research first and then decide - APFS or HFS+

 

[Miguel Cunha]

APFS might actually be slow than HFS+

Really?! If so, what's the advantage?

 

[scouser75]

A quick question before I format and backup on CCC - once I've backed up, can I use the backup drive to create a Time Machine backup, store other data - files, films, music etc? Or will this drive have to solely be for CCC backups?

Edit: I ended up using APFS and did my first back up. Approximately 300gb took 90 minutes.

 

[gilby101]

A quick question before I format and backup on CCC - once I've backed up, can I use the backup drive to create a Time Machine backup, store other data - files, films, music etc? Or will this drive have to solely be for CCC backups?

I do all three, TM, CCC and data. So long as it is APFS format it is easy to add additional volumes. So, yes, you can mix CCC and TM destinations on the same drive. But, before putting other data on the disk, you need to consider its backup requirements.

 

[scouser75]

I do all three, TM, CCC and data. So long as it is APFS format it is easy to add additional volumes. So, yes, you can mix CCC and TM destinations on the same drive. But, before putting other data on the disk, you need to consider its backup requirements.

Brilliant. Are volumes like partitions? So I create a separate volume for CCC, TM and data?

And what do you mean by "consider its backup requirements"? Whether or not I really need the stuff? If so, you're spot on. I tend to be a harder. My thinking is its better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. A bit like Carlito Brigante 😂

 

[gilby101]

Are volumes like partitions? So I create a separate volume for CCC, TM and data?

Not quite, and yes!

The APFS container fills a partition. So roughly: APFS container = partition. Within an APFS container/partition you can create multiple volumes (e.g. TM, CCC, data).

Hierarchy: Disk has partitions; a partition can be filled with an APFS container; an APFS container has one or more volumes. You can see the three levels in Disk Utility if you enable the menu item: View > Show All Devices.

Note carefully: The volumes share the space in the container. Therefore, you need to keep an eye on the dynamic sizes of the volumes and make sure their total size leaves some free space. Flexible, but not entirely set and forget.

 

[scouser75]

Gilby thank you for that breakdown.

So, is the following correct for my 2tb HDD?

I had a 2tb container to start with.

When I did the CCC backup, that created a Volume, which I labelled CCC Backup. That backup was 300gb, so the Volume is 300gb.

This now leaves me with a 1700GB Container and within this Container I can create another Volume for a TM Backup, another Volume for other files etc

Have i got this right?

 

[gilby101]

Have i got this right?

Yes. But be aware that the 300GB CCC volume will grow in size - 300GB is its current size, not its maximum size. The same is true of a TM volume. How fast they grow will depend on your file size and creation rate.

Strictly speaking, your container remains at 2TB, but now has 1700GB free.

 

[scouser75]

Yes. But be aware that the 300GB CCC volume will grow in size - 300GB is its current size, not its maximum size. The same is true of a TM volume. How fast they grow will depend on your file size and creation rate.

Strictly speaking, your container remains at 2TB, but now has 1700GB free the volume will grow the more I backup

Yup. The more I back up using CCC or TM, or the more files I add, the volumes will grow.

 

[geeman]

Hello!
What would be the best backup software: Chronosync or Carbon Copy Cloner?
Thanks!

Some points not mentioned so far:


→ CCC works with MacOS as far back as Yosemite (OS X 10.10) including full developer support. CCC v4 works with Mountain Lion (10.8) or Mavericks (10.9) but without developer support. ChronoSync needs at least MacOS Sierra (10.12).
→ ChronoSync licenses are registered to a single Mac. If you want to install ChronoSync on more than one machine, you need to buy an additional license. CCC licenses can be installed on as many Macs as you want.
→ ChronoSync updates are free for life. CCC updates are 25% to 50% of the current new license price.
→ The latest version of CCC offers a number of ChronoSync features - e.g. scheduled backups and hot folder monitoring.
→ I've never had the need to contact CCC support, but I call tell you from past experience that ChronoSync support is awesome. Prompt, knowledgeable, and super-helpful.

 

[GerritV]

→ I've never had the need to contact CCC support, but I call tell you from past experience that ChronoSync support is awesome. Prompt, knowledgeable, and super-helpful.

+1 (I'm a long time happy CS user)

 

[organerito]

I used to have Goodsync when I had a Windows computer. I tried Chronosync when I moved to Mac. I am still on a Mac, but I came back to Goodsync. I sync my Macbook Air with my iMac and a Windows computer on OneDrive.

 

[Irwin Fayne]

Hello!
What would be the best backup software: Chronosync or Carbon Copy Cloner?
Thanks!

Hi, I'm getting ready to migrate to Mac and am looking for software that will synch changes from my internal drive to a backup ssd automatically (in the background) anytime a file is changed or added to the internal drive. which of the 2 prorams would be best for this?

 

[gilby101]

I'm getting ready to migrate to Mac and am looking for software that will synch changes from my internal drive to a backup ssd automatically (in the background) anytime a file is changed or added to the internal drive. which of the 2 prorams would be best for this?

Assuming your backup SSS is an external drive connected to the Mac: Both CCC and CS can run on any file change. But be aware that will put a load on the system. More usual is to sync on a time interval - like 1 hour. For a synchronisation task I would use CS. Try both.