Using SupderDuper or Carbon Copy

[gakuran hitori]

Hello,

Right now I use Time Machine with an external hard drive. However, I'd like to purchase a 2.5" HDD with the same specifications as the one inside my Macbook Pro, place it in an external enclosure and clone my internal HDD using SupderDuper or Carbon Copy. In the event of an internal HDD failure, I could literally just swap in the other drive from the external enclosure and be all set.

In your own opinion, which is better for doing this, SuperDuper or Carbon Copy? They both seem to do the same thing.

Also, how well does using one of these programs go? If I ever need to replace the HDD with the cloned one, will everything work exactly like the original?

Thank you for any help.

 

[GGJstudios]

In your own opinion, which is better for doing this, SuperDuper or Carbon Copy? They both seem to do the same thing.

I use CCC, but either one is fine. They do the same thing.

If I ever need to replace the HDD with the cloned one, will everything work exactly like the original?

Yes, exactly the same.

 

[gakuran hitori]

I use CCC, but either one is fine. They do the same thing.

Great, I figured as much so I thought I'd just go with whichever one someone seems to prefer.

 

[tomllama]

The key is which YOU prefer. Try them both. (I like and use CCC).

 

[fungus]

I've been using CCC for a few years now and have nothing bad to say about it.

 

[gakuran hitori]

The key is which YOU prefer. Try them both. (I like and use CCC).

I feel like the only way I'd really know if I prefer one over the other is if I had to recover from a HDD failure and I'm hoping that never even happens. The UI on both seems fine and they both do the same thing, so since 3 people in a row said they use CCC I'll just go with that.

 

[Jolly Jimmy]

Make that 4. CCC is a lifesaver.

 

[Modernape]

CCC is cheaper, that's for sure. Incremental backups are included in the free (donation-ware) version. Superduper won't do incremental backups unless you buy the full version.

 

[Mactasia]

CCC for me!

 

[DewGuy1999]

Another Carbon Copy Cloner user here!

 

[Ray W]

Another Carbon Copy Cloner user here!

Ditto for me.

The good thing about it (and probably SuperDuper??) is that it is useful in less dramatic circumstances than a complete HD failure. Recently, I reinstalled my system from scratch meaning that I wiped all my information. In doing the reinstall, my intention was to reinstall most of my apps from fresh downloads of .dmg files and my documents and other files from the back up. This makes it a very useful utility and, of course, Time Machine can be used like this to some extent at least. I haven't tested this extensively yet but individual files can be restored from TM very easily. I have also heard of people having trouble with the TM back up not working as it should, that is why I use both methods. All the best with CCC, it is great.