SuperDuper no longer works after Big Sur installation in my iMac

Super Duper's developer posted in November that they weren't able to get the app working with Big Sur. It may happen in the future but right now, it's no go :(

https://www.shirtpocket.com/blog/index.php/shadedgrey/comments/big_sur/

Hello babowa, Something you seemed to communicate by inference or through my imagination persuaded me to visit Bombich's software store, investigate CCC5, read up on many of the materials there. I bought a Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch 2TB USB3.2. Given how uncomfortable I have felt waiting for Dave to arrive with a SD release for Big Sur and the important files on my iMac that I do not wish to leave it to Time Machine to protect me from Time Machine backups (ironical isn't it?), I downloaded a CCC5 trial. I also liked that with a CCC5 license one can use the program on any computer in a non-commercial setting, i.e., one's home. So, after one formatting the new SSD (the size of a credit card) and very fast, with the guidance of CCC5 for GUID and format, I created a bootable clone of my Macintosh HD (finally) since upgrading to Big Sur (if it's really an upgrade). And I was so pleased with CCC5, I bought the program right after the first trial complete backup completed and it did so in a reasonably fast time by comparison. Give Mike Bombich permits one to use CCC5 on multiple computers in one's home, does one download the CCC5 and use it under the same registration code as the first purchase? I hope you don't mind my asking someone with your years of experience with the program. If so, I''ll head over to their website and pose the question to Mike given I am new; and I read the license allows for multiple computer use but I didn't notice any steps to take to accomplish that. In any case, I wanted to thank you for whatever the vibe was that sent me over to Mike's place to try out CCC5 and how pleased I am that I did. I regret any hurt I may cause Dave. And I hope he is able to release a version of his creation that works with Big Sur soon so that he can prosper along with the other talented software engineers. With Appreciation, 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

SuperDuper on there website specifically sates it is not compatible with Big Sur whereas Carbon Copy Cloner 5.1.25 

say yes compatible

I confirm that SuperDuper does not works on Big Sur. I had it running fine on Catalina then I updated to Big Sur and then I could not access the external hard drive I was using for backup for lack of permission. I tried to update the backup but nothing was happening so I delete it to start over with SuperDuper then after a nugjt of running none of the steps showed up and no data was saved. I think it should be wiser to use Time Machine until a compatible update.

Hello tbirdvet, what a handle! You are precisely correct. It's about as simple as pouring a drink. Download the program after becoming a client and being a registered one at that. Simply install the program and remind CCC you are one, and Voila! Installed and ready to go.

To be certain, Dave, is a fine person. And I wish him well. He's always supported me for the last 13 years and saved my iMac when Apple was ready to ignore Dave's prediction for the failure of an almost new iMac Fusion drive. They denied Dave's prediction until an AppleCare customer service re-submitted Dave's logs for my iMac/SuperDuper and then they realized they had a global problem and soon thereafter were willing to replace (How Many?) drives in other iMacs with the same drive that they knew might fail and what, ruin, someone. Keeping this in mind,

My experience with CCC5 has been superb. And I have had to change software clients in order to address the requirements of Big Sur. Dave is correct. I did not have to upgrade. Except. I did. Yes, there is a sorting out. But for me, it's imperative that I stay current through out all my devices Mac or iOS. And now that they are including an iWatch6, the interactivity and sharing is unlike it's ever been. Sorry Dave. But my decision doesn't discount you. It merely acknowledges another channel of working with Apple's devices and their software, peccadilloes and all. Thank you all for the help in your posts. I am sure Dave will surface once again. And will be welcomed! I've moved to CCC5 and it works just fine for me. Best, REShaman

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.

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.

Not really; I used to have several Canon devices - including cameras - and they were notoriously slow and late in offering new drivers or other updates when a new OS was published. Sometimes it took months.

This change to Big Sur is very difficult since it is now "sequestering" the mac OS and system files in their own read only volume which means neither you nor anyone or anything has any access to it. That is excellent for security, but not so much for any software that requires access to such files.

From the non beta installed app you set download betas in the Preferences and the download will be presented to install.

A couple weeks ago I emailed to Pocket Shirt support the company of SuperDuper to say that their app did not work on Big Sur and they answered that they are working on an update.. Still waiting

Hello All,

Back again because while I value SuperDuper and have done so since 2008 and been helped in significant and critical ways by Dave before a catastrophic Fusion disk failure SuperDuper took notice of (a bit anthropomorphizing) and rescued me with logs Dave made me aware of the impending failure, referred to in an earlier post. The delay for which I am not blaming Dave, but given that I don't trust Time Machine (and for good reasons), I persuaded by our discussions on top of the delay that I can not afford a catastrophe that can happen to any electronic device. And so I peruse the CCC website and found the information relevant to my present needs and circumstances. I have decided to purchase a separate SSD and take CCC for a trial spin (pun intended). If Dave is monitoring this thread, I am sorry but with no communications and with the length of the delay etc., I feel I must switch over to CCC at least for the time being and safe guard the critically important data since upgrading to Big Sur. Of course, the irony may be that in doing so, the timing will coincide with an imagined announcement from Dave that SuperDuper for Big Sur has arrived. One needs a sense of the ironical at times like these.under the present circumstances and not a hint from Dave when to expect SuperDuper's Big Sur arrival.. Like jimpal and with babowa's shared experience, the time has arrived for me to change over. Continuing to wish Dave good fortune with SuperDuper for Big Sur. Best, REShaman