'Couldn't set up partitions on target device - operation AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, Line #5481' upon drive restoration

Question

Level 1

8 points

'Couldn't set up partitions on target device - operation AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, Line #5481' upon drive restoration

Trying to Restore my 2015 iMac to a SSD drive, it's saying 'Couldn't set up partitions on target device - operation AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, Line #5481

iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2015)

Using macOS Monterey 12.6.9

Trying to restore to a WD SSD Drive 1TB, formatted to APFS.

Also getting The operation couldn’t be completed. (OSStatus error 49153.)

How can I fix this?

[Edited by Moderator]

iMac 21.5″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Oct 31, 2023 11:29 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

HWTech

Community+ 2026

Level 9

75,002 points

Nov 1, 2023 6:21 PM in response to Ian12457

Thanks for confirming. Disk Utility has never been reliable for cloning a macOS boot drive. The third party app Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC) is one of two popular & respected apps for cloning a macOS boot drive. By default CCC will only copy the data, so to make the CCC clone bootable, you must right-click or Control-click on the destination within CCC and select "Legacy". CCC will prompt you to erase the destination. See this article as reference:

https://bombich.com/kb/ccc6/cloning-macos-system-volumes-apple-software-restore

Another option would be to install macOS 12.6.7 onto the external SSD, then during initial setup migrate everything from the internal drive. This latter option does not require any third party software.

Reply

Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

251,399 points

Nov 1, 2023 8:34 PM in response to Ian12457

Another vote for CCC.:)

Reply

Answer 3

Oct 31, 2023 4:57 PM in response to Ian12457

What exactly do you mean by "Restore"? Do you mean using Disk Utility "Restore", or using a cloning app like CCC or SuperDuper?

Or do you mean restoring from a backup (if so, what type of backup? Time Machine, or specific third party backup?)

Writing an effective Apple Support Communities question - Apple Community

Reply

Answer 4

Ian12457 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 1, 2023 11:24 AM in response to HWTech

Hello HWTech,

My iMac is taking along time to boot up, I'm trying to copy the original Macintosh HD to a WD SSD drive. So that I can use the much quicker SSD to start the iMac, meaning that the iMac fusion drive will no longer be used.

I'm using 'Restore' on 'Disc Utility', I have formatted the SSD to APFS, the same as the iMac HD.

But I'm getting the above message and error.

Is there another way to copy the information over to the SSD. ?

Ian12457

Reply

Answer 5

Ian12457 Author

Level 1

8 points

Nov 4, 2023 4:06 AM in response to HWTech

Hello HWTech,

Thank you for your helpful advice, I used the CCC on the trial mode and everything is so much quicker.

Regards,

Ian

Reply

'Couldn't set up partitions on target device - operation AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, Line #5481' upon drive restoration

Similar questions