Cloning - from 2 partitions to 1 bootable clone?

[Noeb]

Hi!

My setup is as follows:

- An SSD with applications, OS and some images/docs
- An HDD with lots of images and music

I'd like to have a bootable clone of these data on one external disk.

1) Is this possible at all?
2) If yes - is CCC, SuperDuper or another app my best choice?
3) If no - suggestions for a better solution?

The point is to have a complete backup stored offsite. A Time Machine backup on an external disk is of course possible, but this will not be bootable.

Thanks in advance!

 

[HobeSoundDarryl]

Use CCC or Superduper to clone the SSD
Then manually copy the images & music from the HDD

Subsequently, you could use a tool like Chronosync to update the new images & music after this first (complete) backup.

However, beware. At least in the past, a "restore" operation from a bigger drive to a smaller drive has been problematic. I remember backing up a smallish drive to a bigger drive. The latter was otherwise empty, so it had the same amount of data on it. But the "restore" operation wanted to restore to a like-sized drive. Maybe this is a problem that has long been fixed but I'd look into it before you do this. If the goal is a separate boot drive and you have no intention of restoring, this may not matter.

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi!

My setup is as follows:

- An SSD with applications, OS and some images/docs
- An HDD with lots of images and music

I'd like to have a bootable clone of these data on one external disk.

1) Is this possible at all?
2) If yes - is CCC, SuperDuper or another app my best choice?
3) If no - suggestions for a better solution?

The point is to have a complete backup stored offsite. A Time Machine backup on an external disk is of course possible, but this will not be bootable.

Thanks in advance!

First.. use CCC because it clones over the recovery partition and SD does not.

I would partition the new external into two partitions. One for the SSD data and the other for the HDD data. Then use CCC to clone the SSD to partition one and the HDD to partition two. The if you need to you can option key boot to partition one and operate and also see partition two with your music etc.

 

[Noeb]

But the ssd and the external are both 500 GB. Will that still work?

 

[Weaselboy]

But the ssd and the external are both 500 GB. Will that still work?

All that matters is the amount of data. The size of the drives does not matter (at least not directly).

So say your SSD has 150GB of data and the HDD has 200GB of data, you could use a 500GB external with one 200GB partition for the SSD and a 300GB partition for the HDD and be in good shape with room to spare. Make sense?

How much data is on each SSD/HDD now?

 

[Noeb]

I really didnt think that would work.

Both ssd and hdd about 150 GB each. External 500 GB

 

[Noeb]

worked like a charm - thanks

 

[Fishrrman]

OP wrote:
[[ I'd like to have a bootable clone of these data on one external disk. ]]

Agreed with weaselboy above:

Answer is simple:
Get one disk of adequate capacity.
Then, partition it into two "pieces":
- First partition (uppermost in Disk Utility) will be equal in size to your SSD and become your boot partition.
- Remaining space (whatever's left) can become the backup of your HDD

CCC will have no problems creating a bootable clone of your SSD on the first partition, and a backup of your HDD on the second one.

CCC can also clone the recovery partition, already mentioned above. Pretty seamless operation...

Nothing to it...