SuperDuper no longer works after Big Sur installation in my iMac

Neither does CarbonCopyCloner as Apple has closed off most ways to access info those two apps need.

I know that CCC is working on it and is getting close, but not reliable yet. So, do check with SD - at the moment, I can make a backup with CCC, but would have to download/install the OS via recovery onto that external in order to make it bootable.

So, I am not installing Big Sur onto my main machine until I can make a reliable bootable clone.

jimpal wrote:

I've satisfactorily used SuperDuper with a G-DRIVE Mini (APFS format) to back up my 2015 iMac for the past five years until I installed Big Sur today. Always has worked flawlessly. Other than this Big Sur seems to be working fine on my iMac.

Now, when I open Super Duper a window notes that it can't see my hard drive. I can select it manually, however. And it doesn't see my G-DRIVE Mini at all. So, nothing works anymore.

Any suggestions for what I should do about this?

You can expect some delay in third party cloning apps / boot clones with any new release as grandiose as Big Sur and rewriting/ disallowing of system extensions.

These  significant change in the underpinnings of macOS Big Sur, all working towards better security.

Rest assurred now that the golden master release is out , developers will be working for an update to their software.

I agree. Use an external drive with Big Sur for testing. I found that even after loading the OS system on my external it will not show in startup pane in preferences. I need to restart Mac with "option" and pick that drive to boot... I'm sure CCC will figure it out.

It's a common problem with bootable backups on Big Sur, regardless of the software used.

I use ChronoSync and this is how they describe the issue and a sort of workaround:

https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/TN-CS-BigSurBootable.html

I'm still on Catalina, waiting for some apps to be updated for compatibility (a Mail plugin and Acrobat Pro DC) and to see if bootable backups will be made easier.

My suggestion, jimpal, if you wish, is to wait for a reliable version of SuperDuper to work with Big Sur. Visiting Shirt Pocket, David Nanian has already replied re Big Sur. I, too, am a long time user (since 2008). Dave stated that it would be foolish at this stage of just being introduced to Big Sur to rush a version that may work with Big Sur. He recommends using Time Machine in the interim. Dave is working on a solution for a version that he feels is worthy of being released that will work to the standards he maintains for Shirt Pocket's SuperDuper which Dave founded. I, too, was very disappointed hoping that Apple would have released to creators like Dave in advance and with adequate time to develop a proper release. There are also a number of other apps I use that are advising their user base that they, the engineers/creators are taking their time before rushing out a version. Frankly, I rely on these apps and miss them, but I also respect Dave and others who are not going to rush a version that will turn around and bite us and then in turn Dave. So I am just being patient. Time Machine is set to do its thing but I never rely on Time Machine. I doubt what I have posited is any surprise and a source of. help, other than to join in the lament. But I know how to be mindful of how Dave does things, and waiting is...

Best regards,

REShaman

You say use TimeMachine in the interim, however on Catalina I was using TimeMachine with my NAS storage device on my network but this no longer works on Big Sur as there is an issue with TimeMachine connecting with NAS devices using Big Sur!

Dear Phil,

Sorry, but you read my post incorrectly. It's Dave, the creator of SuperDuper, in his website blog recommendations who advised us to use Time Machine. I was only repeating his advice in case it was useful. Sorry also to learn of your difficulties with Time Machine. On my iMac with an external 3TB bus powered (love it), Time Machine is working dandily for me. The irony is when ever I need to depend on Time Machine, it falters. Thank G-d for SuperDuper, which never falters, and for the time being feel lost without it. SuperDuper is not an app as I erroroniously referred to it. It's a program. An app, I also miss, CuteClips3 doesn't work either and the creator is working on a new version. I use that program often. Yet other programs, utilities as they are probably termed have been updated. One is Moom. The other PopClip. I am grateful for those that work with Big Sur. I gather Dave who does things so well wants especially to get it right as making clone backups that are bootable must be a touch more complicated than some other programs. In any case, sorry for your troubles. I hope the resolutions you require arrive as soon as possible. Same for me.

Best regards,

REShaman

Just to add further information that others may find useful, which is the purpose of this post, I "borrowed" some text from TidBits which I read routinely. I have not asked permission to copy this from one of the publications received by email, so please be judicious with the use of the following (unlike me who took it without asking -- guilty!).

TidBITS: 6 November 2020

#1540: 

"The good news is that Mike Bombich, developer of Carbon Copy Cloner, has worked with Apple to resolve the issues. Carbon Copy Cloner 5.1.23-b1 includes full support for making bootable backups in Big Sur. However, we can’t recommend upgrading to an operating system that requires a beta release to make bootable duplicates.

Similarly, Dave Nanian, the developer of the SuperDuper cloning utility, has said, “it’s going to be a while” before SuperDuper works with Big Sur. He recommends waiting to upgrade or using Time Machine, although Time Machine backups serve a different purpose than a bootable backup.

Econ Technologies has developed a technique for creating bootable backups with ChronoSync, but it’s complicated. In short, you install Big Sur on the backup drive and then copy over the contents of the Data volume (see “ChronoSync 4.9.12,” 13 November 2020)."

Hope I get a pardon from TidBITS and understanding that my intentions were good. Useful to our community?

Best,

REShaman

REShaman wrote:

"The good news is that Mike Bombich, developer of Carbon Copy Cloner, has worked with Apple to resolve the issues. Carbon Copy Cloner 5.1.23-b1 includes full support for making bootable backups in Big Sur.

Where do you see CCC 5.1.23-b1 to download ?

I still have not gotten SuperDuper to work on OSX 11 Big Sur either.....however, I checked the permissions for the destination drive, (on Get Info) and found that only System had read-write permission. I unlocked permissions and changed both Admin and everyone to read-write successfully. Then it would recognize the external drive as a destination. It spent over 20 minutes "preparing" Macintosh HD, but no backup! I re-formatted it in disk utilities, again changed the permissions to read-write. Again Preparing Macintosh HD, but no backup.

Excuse me, but haven't we already discussed this circumstance and provided some direct and helpful information about the cloning programs that have been adversely affected by the release of Big Sur such that the various creators have needed time to get it right. While other app creators have had to actually redo their programs rather than revise. I don't see the discussions that expected to find that were written or so I thought for this thread. Am I missing something? I thought the matter was "solved" several replies ago. Or did I get that wrong?

Best, REShaman

Or did I get that wrong?

No, you did not. If you spend some time here, you will notice at some point that some posters do not appear to read some of the posts in a thread except the original subject line or post.

Hello babowa,

Just to be clear I have spent some time. And chose not to respond to every post from those who have not read the comprehensive posts that are very helpful to those who have discovered the consequences of upgrading to Big Sur and how that upgrade has affected certain programs that provide backup cloning.

It doesn't serve anyone to reply each time some one has not read through the thread. But I couldn't resist my prior post as a way of auditing how this thread is being used. So I do spend time here, but I chose not to respond continuously with the information that has been adequately addressed. Like you I have reached the same determination. It's just my way of commenting sometimes with a touch of irony. N'est-ce pas?

Best regards,

REShaman