Sugestions Using External Bootable SSD

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Sugestions Using External Bootable SSD

I have a 2017 iMac with a 1TB fusion drive that is getting really slow on boot-up currently running the most current Ventura OS. Booting from an external SSD drive seems to be the way to go. I have a question though -- if I choose this route, which means I will no longer boot from the internal fusion drive, how do I get access to all the data and applications I currently have on my internal drive?

Is it possible, in recovery mode, to format the SSD with the most recent Time Machine backup and thus not format the SSD with the downloaded Ventura install app from the App Store?

I just want to make sure I can still get access to all my data and apps without having to reinstall everything.

Appreciate your help

iMac 27″ 5K, macOS 13.6

Posted on Oct 12, 2023 9:11 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

PRP_53

Level 10

85,435 points

Oct 13, 2023 2:55 AM in response to ChuckAtCedar

Using this method from Apple that may contain insights to achieve your desired results

link below

Transfer to a new Mac with Migration Assistant

In your case, not a New Computer just the External Drive which becomes your Main Drive to run the computer

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Answer 2

PRP_53

Level 10

85,435 points

Oct 14, 2023 7:12 AM in response to ChuckAtCedar

Not possible

Gave up attempting to Clone the Internal Drive to External Drive

Even using Dedicated Third Party Cloning Software like SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner are a Best Effort as per developer

The ASR function ( Apples ) in macOS in both SD and CCC are required to incorporate into the Cloning Software is a very iffy at best.

There are some who may drop by this question and insist that can use one of the two mentioned softwares and it works

I only use CCC as an Adjunct backup to TM

With the advent of The Operating System resides in a Sealed and Read Only Volume that can not be opened by the User nor by Third Party Applications.

Therefore, to Clone one drive to another drive would require Opening the Sealed and Read Only Volume which Apple clearly say, it can not be opened.

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Answer 3

ChuckAtCedar Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 14, 2023 9:42 AM in response to PRP_53

OMG, you guys are awesome. I introduced myself to the Apple world in 2017 with the fusion drive model iMac (yuk). I love my iMac but not the drive. Only last 2 years it started to slowly slow down.

When I was in IT support (retired last year), we were strictly a Windows shop, I used Clonezilla for cloning Windows PC's, worked perfect every time.

Out of curiousity I checked to see if I can use Clonezilla on macOS, seems like it doable, but not sure if it would be on Ventura with OS restrictions.

I'll probably try it out to create an image and apply the image to the external SSD...

Morte than likely I will stick with the Migration Tool option P Phillips suggested.

How do I use Clonezilla on my Mac?

USB setup with MacOS

Download the Clonezilla Live iso file.
Insert a USB flash drive on the Mac machine.
Erase it using the standard Mac Disk Utility (exFAT works fine).
Download balenaEtcher for MacOS, then follow its document to burn the image to the USB flash drive.
Eject the USB drive.

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Answer 4

ChuckAtCedar Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 18, 2023 8:22 AM in response to PRP_53

Running into a problem. Got my SanDisk Pro-G40 SSD- Thunderbolt 3 today. Erased it using the below settings, is this correct?

Migration Assistant is not finding it, though it is accessible in the OS. I don't get it...Any suggestions?

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Answer 5

ChuckAtCedar Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 13, 2023 7:31 AM in response to PRP_53

That is an awesome article, thank you, just what I was looking for...

I think I will be fine doing it this way. I dreaded opening up my iMac and physically replacing the internal drive. Too much can go wrong. Never had a problem working inside PC's though, but mac's are a different beast.

Thanks again.

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Answer 6

Ian Leckie

Level 4

2,243 points

Oct 14, 2023 9:19 AM in response to PRP_53

There are some who may drop by this question and insist that can use one of the two mentioned softwares and it works

I´m one of them. I’d been using Carbon Copy Cloner for years to make clones, but after Apple introduced the “sealed and read only volume” for macOS I was never able to get CCC to make a working clone on my external ssd drives. About two years ago I tried SuperDuper. And it worked, and has done ever since...for me. I use the paid version, which lets me do incremental backups once a full clone has been made. Like you, I now only use CCC as an adjunct to Time Machine. Just my own experience here, I’m not insisting it would work for everybody! I should mention that I’m on the latest Ventura, and can’t upgrade my 2017 Intel iMac to Sonoma, so have no idea if SuperDuper will then still work! We shall see...

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Answer 7

PRP_53

Level 10

85,435 points

Oct 14, 2023 9:27 AM in response to Ian Leckie

Thank you for the come back 👍

Yup, CCC can make a Legacy Clone but personally do not Trust the process on Mission Critical Setup computers.

SD, like CCC, are required by Apple to utilize the ASR function as part of the Functions is their respective software.

Even Using the ASR function in Terminal does not always produce the Desired Results - Exact Clone of Both the Sealed and Read Volume and all other aspects of the Drive Structure

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Answer 8

PRP_53

Level 10

85,435 points

Oct 15, 2023 1:41 AM in response to ChuckAtCedar

Looks interesting and may explore this on my wife's Windows 10 machine

The Builtin Windows Create Disk Image Backup, pardon my wording as MS Windows is more a hobby vs serious interest since about 2004 when switched 100 % to Apple

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Answer 9

ChuckAtCedar Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 15, 2023 4:51 AM in response to PRP_53

There is an awesome FREE utility that you can use to create a bootable USB drives with a current Windows image along with your product ID of course. It's called RUFUS. Search for the app via Google search...then YouTube how to use. But it's pretty self explanatory..

But yes, you can create a bootable USB with RUFUS to create a Clonezilla image of a Windows PC to another USB, then you apply that image to a new drive, if that's what you to do, like apply to a SSD.

Rufus and Clonezilla were life savers at work and at home. The best freebies to have.

Hope that helps for the Windows stuff. I do love both worlds..

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