Can/should I use Disk Utility to mount a System Volume or Recovery Volume?

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Can/should I use Disk Utility to mount a System Volume or Recovery Volume?

Deep diving into APFS tonight made me realize I have an unmounted storage volume. I also do not see a Recovery Volume anywhere. Could this be the Recovery Volume? Also, since I cannot access that volume would Disk Utility First Aid even help?

I do not have a formal Time Machine backup of this MacBook. Would that affect whither or not a Recovery Volume exists?

I am aware that starting with Big Sur the System Volume actually runs from a "snapshot" but have no idea what that actually means. "In macOS 11, the system volume is captured in a snapshot. The operating system boots from a snapshot of the system volume, not just from a read-only mount of the mutable system volume."

I see that the snapshot is mounted, encrypted, not writable, etc. but it looks like it is inside of the unmounted original System Volume. Is this how it should look and, again, would First Aid help at all if not?

MacBook Pro 13″, 11.2

Posted on Apr 24, 2021 10:38 PM

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Answer 1

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Jack-19

Level 8

46,014 points

Apr 24, 2021 11:06 PM in response to Scott-he-him

Hi berryso,

"1 not mounted" is the Recovery Volume.
Do not mount "Macintosh HD". Let the Mac manage all of this.
A System Snapshot is a Sealed System Volume (SSV). This ensures no malicious software can write to the system, since it is "sealed" and read-only.

Also, it is not a good idea to operate a Mac without a backup.

Cheers,

Jack

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Answer 2

Scott-he-him Author

Level 5

4,474 points

Apr 25, 2021 1:27 PM in response to PRP_53

Very good point. Apple does have it in https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209174 but you are absolutely right that it is not an equal replacement.

Also not a safe backup option: I added a partition to my HD while in Recovery Disk Utility which allows me to create a volume for Time Machine to use. Now at least I have the ability to restore apps and files.

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Answer 3

Scott-he-him Author

Level 5

4,474 points

Apr 25, 2021 2:15 AM in response to Jack-19

Thank you! I do have a make-shift backup through iCloud. I just don’t have an external drive available to use with Time Machine.

In Recovery Mode the Disk Utility first aid was able to correct the above issues.

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Answer 4

PRP_53

Level 10

91,453 points

Apr 25, 2021 3:47 AM in response to Scott-he-him

Caution - iCloud should not be considered as a Backup drive. iCloud is only a conduit / means to have files available to sync with other Apple Devices. If a File on a device is removed and syncs to iCloud, that same files on ALL Other devices syncing to iCloud will also be deleted.

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Can/should I use Disk Utility to mount a System Volume or Recovery Volume?

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