USB flash drive recovery media?

[elf69]

So I am going to setup a brand new 2017 MacBook Air for a friend early next week when it arrives.

Once I got it set up and running as it should be...
Can I use a USB 3.0 flash drive to make a time machine back up.
Kinda like a recovery media on a windows laptop.

He not know much about computers but if/when he messes it up it could help me get him running again sooner.

Is it possible to use a flash drive?
He ordered the 128GB model and with what little data there at beginning I'd guess a 16GB or 64GB would be big enough for the one time use.

Advice or input on this sort of thing from anyone?

 

[MacDawg]

If your purpose is to get him back up and running like he was from the beginning... I'd suggest making a bootable Carbon Copy Clone instead

 

[elf69]

I only suggest TM as I'm familiar with it.

never used CCC or super duper etc.

It is only if have reinstall, but it has internet recovery so either way is fine.

if I used CCC, will I need CCC to put the clone back to the internal SSD in future?

 

[MacDawg]

Yes, you would run CCC in reverse to clone back to the internal drive
I find having a bootable clone to be the quickest and most complete way to restore, but there are certainly other ways

Regardless, I would suggest your friend have a regular, sustainable backup plan in place
I use Time Machine and Carbon Copy Cloner (in addition to having files in DropBox)

 

[elf69]

I will get him do regular TM back ups, but I bet he forget though.

CCC only free for short time so I will not be able recover it without buying?

That's why thought about TM.
Can boot to recover and restore from TM ok not best/fastest but no more than few hours to put right if he mess it up.

It's main use is to run powerpoint via a projector.
He does talks/etc.

as he has an iPad/iphone and so does his wife he though apple laptop would be better route than windows as his old windows laptop after only 10 months is dying.

 

[Fishrrman]

elf wrote:
"I only suggest TM as I'm familiar with it.
never used CCC or super duper etc."

Then... it's time to start learning.
I suggest CCC.
Free to download and use for 30 days:
http://www.bombich.com/download.html

You -can- use a USB flashdrive for the cloned backup (or any backup).
It won't be as fast as using an actual external SSD.
64gb would do "for a start".

If at some point your friend's data (on the MacBook) exceeds 64gb, just get a larger-capacity flashdrive (or perhaps an external SSD or platter-based hard drive, 2.5"), and do another clone.

A BOOTABLE cloned drive will be of much more value to your friend, particularly if he gets into an "I can't boot!" moment.
Just connect the bootable backup and --- boot back up.

 

[elf69]

the idea of flash drive is just to "factory reset" but the factory is when I finished setting it up.

nothing more.

he will have a external HDD for actual running backups.

with CCC though if I make a backup then 12 months 24 months later his free period is over so how would I put it back as he will not pay for the program.

That is why I thought about TM, just slower and not as simple as restoring a CCC.
This is a big step getting him to buy a Mac so baby steps guys lol

appreciate all the input though.
Never failed in here to find answers.

 

[Fishrrman]

"with CCC though if I make a backup then 12 months 24 months later his free period is over so how would I put it back as he will not pay for the program."

Well... you could completely UNinstall CCC (including plist files, etc.) using something like App Cleaner, then re-download it and "run it fresh". That might work.

Another alternative:
SuperDuper will let you do a "full clone" (that means "clone the entire drive") FOREVER without registering. You have to register SD to do incremental backups, however.
That means SD would still work, so long as you cloned over the entire drive.
You can still "mount the drive in the finder" and copy over whatever you want.

I agree about doing a clone of the factory install to a spare drive. I've done it myself.
A flashdrive would work fine for this.
But... although I always liked the idea of having such a backup around, I've very seldom actually used one.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

You don't need CCC installed to use it as a bootable backup. You can use it to make an image now, and boot off that in 31 or 301 (or whatever) days.
[doublepost=1518208140][/doublepost]If all you're wanting to do is a fresh install, you should read up on Recovery and createinstallmedia:

https://support.apple.com/en-ca/HT201314
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

 

[elf69]

thank you, but know about both them.

but will not put in the apps etc.

I was thinking TM back up AFTER installing the required apps.
The can reinstall OS and then put the TM back and it will be back to as it was with the apps installed.

I dont want boot from backup. I want be able put the backup back to the internal SSD if/when he messes up the install or corruption etc.