How to make a bootable clone with Superduper

[Luis Ortega]

I used the free version of Superduper to create a clone image on an external firewire drive but it doesn't seem to work.
The cloning process goes through to completion ok, apparently, but I can't get the computer to boot up from the external drive.
I tried holding down the option key before I even press the start button and also right after I press the start button, but in both cases it boots from the Mac hd and I never get an option to choose from which source to boot.
Can anyone please advise on what I may be doing wrong?
Thanks for any help.

 

[xUKHCx]

Is the drive formatted correctly.

To boot an Intel Mac it has to be GUID and to boot a PPC it has t be Apple Partition Map (or something like that). Go into disk utility select the drive and go across to the partition tab. Then select options. Make sure it is the right one for your system. If it is the wrong one you'll have to "partition" the drive (can be one partition but it will change the format based on the options). Then you'll have to clone all over again. See screenshot

 

[ClaphamChris]

I think I'm right in saying bootable clones are only available in the paid for version. Sure, you can clone in the free one but it doesn't go through the additional steps to make it bootable.

Someone more expert can help you more on the details of the hows and whys, but that's my simple understanding.

Perhaps try CCC if you want to go the free route? Would recommend SuperDuper if you can get the money together though. It really is very good.

Best of luck


Chris

 

[Luis Ortega]

Is the drive formatted correctly.

To boot an Intel Mac it has to be GUID and to boot a PPC it has t be Apple Partition Map (or something like that). Go into disk utility select the drive and go across to the partition tab. Then select options. Make sure it is the right one for your system. If it is the wrong one you'll have to "partition" the drive (can be one partition but it will change the format based on the options). Then you'll have to clone all over again. See screenshot

Yes I did this bit and Superduper seemed to work fine. The only thing that may be significant is that when I click on the external drive in Finder after doing the clone process in Superduper the directories that appear on the right pane are not identical to the list of directories that appear when I click on my Mac hd. If it is supposed to be an exact replica of my hd it's odd that the list of directories are not identical for both.
Is there any special trick to holdong down the options key while starting the computer? Do you hold it down before pressing the start button, or right after before the chime, or right after the chime?
Thanks.

 

[xUKHCx]

I think I'm right in saying bootable clones are only available in the paid for version. Sure, you can clone in the free one but it doesn't go through the additional steps to make it bootable.

Someone more expert can help you more on the details of the hows and whys, but that's my simple understanding.

Perhaps try CCC if you want to go the free route? Would recommend SuperDuper if you can get the money together though. It really is very good.

Best of luck


Chris

I think you are wrong when you say that. The paid version gives you extra things such as smart copy (worth it alone) and scheduling. Bootable cloning is in the free version.

 

[xUKHCx]

Yes I did this bit and Superduper seemed to work fine. The only thing that may be significant is that when I click on the external drive in Finder after doing the clone process in Superduper the directories that appear on the right pane are not identical to the list of directories that appear when I click on my Mac hd. If it is supposed to be an exact replica of my hd it's odd that the list of directories are not identical for both.
Is there any special trick to holdong down the options key while starting the computer? Do you hold it down before pressing the start button, or right after before the chime, or right after the chime?
Thanks.

Well the best way to check is to go into system preferences - start up disks. If the drive is listed there you can select it and press restart. That way you don't have to remember to hold anything down. If it is not there then there is something not quite right with your clone.

 

[ClaphamChris]

Sorry all - you're quite right. Just scanned through the user manual and it does indeed say just that - bootable clones can be made from the free version. I got the wrong end of the stick completely. Apologies.

That said, agree about Smart Update. Well worth the price of entry.


Chris

 

[plinden]

Superduper should make the drive bootable itself once it's made the clone. Try doing an update copy to the external drive and see what it does.

 

[Luis Ortega]

Well the best way to check is to go into system preferences - start up disks. If the drive is listed there you can select it and press restart. That way you don't have to remember to hold anything down. If it is not there then there is something not quite right with your clone.

Ok, I went to system prefs and selected the external drive as the startup and restarted and it did start using the external drive. I can see that it's using it as the startup disk in about this Mac. Also, it continues to start in the external drive again if I shut down and start the computer again. I have to repeat the startup disk selection process in system prefs to get it to go back to using the Mac hd.
But if this is meant to be a clone to be used if your computer becomes horribly messed up, I might not be able to start it in the Mac hd and then select the external drive through system prefs, so it seems that I still need to be able to make the selection of startup drive when I am turning the computer on.
Why won't it allow me to do that if it apparently has a good clone image and it can be started via the system prefs startup options?
Thanks.

 

[xUKHCx]

Well at least we have now narrowed it down to not being able to get the drive selected rather than a dodgy clone.

I usually just hold down option from when I press the power button and it appears. And I am using a bluetooth keyboard.

The startup volume choice is store in PRam so perhaps you could try resetting that and maybe the you'll be able to get the volume chooser. See here

 

[Luis Ortega]

Ok you guys, please excuse my extreme ignorance on Macs.
I was holding down the command key (the one with the apple on it) instead of the option key (which perversely says alt on it!!!)
The whole thing works fine when I do it right. Stupid me.
Thanks to all of you for your quick replies.

 

[xUKHCx]

Glad it works and remember to keep your backup up to date.