Restoring my iMac confusion

[blackxacto]

19,1 iMac, Monterrey 12.3.1:

Suddenly today when I opened the iMac, my Strongbox app said that the database was not in iCloud. Yes it was. I see the Strongbox folder w database inside. So I go about reinstalling Strongbox. I have to sign out of iCloud to do this process. I have had issues w iCloud lately. So thinking something has been corrupted, I wiped the internal SSD, formatting GUID APSF Encrypted. Then selected it in OSX install, and said install OSX. Immediately I was told: “The drive is encrypted w password.” Why did the install refuse to install on an empty encrypted SSD? Why can’t it ask me for a password?

So I formatted the internal w/o encryption. Proceeded to install Monterey. I get to Migration and pick my external backup on the internal SSD. The Migration window says: Does not contain an installation of OSX.” So I had to pick my TimeMachine Disk. Why does Migration need a disk w OSX installed? I’m not trying to reinstall Monterey in Migration, I want to install everything else, BUT? Is a disk w OSX installed (bootable) the only way, except for TimeMachine?

 

[Fishrrman]

Hmmmm....

I'm guessing setup assistant or migration assistant ASSUMES that the user is migrating from another Mac or from a backup of another Mac (that DOES contain a copy of the OS).

Looks like Apple wrote the software to behave that way.

Setup assistant/migration assistant ALSO WORK from cloned backups (created by either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper). But these drives, too, have a copy of the OS on them.

What counts is that you DID have a tm backup available, and it worked.