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ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Backup, restoring, formatting info

Some starting out information

I created this post to inform others of the various and essential ways to restore your machine, data, create backups and so forth.

10.6 and 10.7 are mostly covered with information current as of Oct 4, 2011 and subject to human error and change.

Only conduct any actions here if your prepared to take action on your own, the risk is yours, if not please seek assistance of qualified professional data recovery experts. Any product or site mention/link is purely for assistance purposes, doesn't represent a endorsement by me or Apple. Legalese blah.

Having many separate hardware copies

...of your data is essential, as the OS and programs can be replaced, but not your personal files (normally kept in your User folders of Music, Documents, Pictures, Sites, Movies etc.)

Apple currently doesn't supply much in the way of data recovery services, it's on YOU to make sure you have many copies of your personal data and perhaps many ways to restore your machine to a functional state.

There are three basic primary forms of backup and restore methods used on Macs, no one way is perfect, so a combination of ways may be better suited for your needs, but redundancy of methods and backups is the key.

1: TimeMachine Drive - which is a rotating in time image of your boot drive contents. If you remove something from your boot drive, eventually it will be removed from TimeMachine drive as well. TimeMachine drives cannot be booted from and can only restore. This is a very good basic option for most new to computers users as it's all automated (as long as the drive is connected) and gives "undelete" ability. It's not a complete solution and that's what the next two options are for.

Please, for your own sake if you don't have any backup plan or don't undestand geek speak, at least connect a new external drive and let automatic TimeMachine popup do it's buisness.

From here on out everything TimeMachine, including restoring from a TM drive, I point you to our resident expert Pondini and his web page.

http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Home.html

The steps here below out are a bit more advanced, but if you master them you will be in control of your computer and can save yourself.

2: Data / Storage Drives - these are drives that basically act as holders of data you wish to store, they don't do anything but hold your personal files in a permanent fashion unless you remove it. These are what one would use if their primary boot drive on their computer is getting full, since TimeMachine is a self rotating image, that can't be used for permanent or extra storage space. And clones are bootable images of the current boot drive, so they are subject to change as well. For all intensive purposes if you want to make sure your data doesn't disappear, to hold your personal data while your wiping your entire boot drive of all data and restoring OS X completely (aka "fresh install method"), then you use plain jane storage drives and maintain two separate hardware backups of your data at all times.

3: Hold the option key bootable Clone drive- these are (almost) exact images of your OS X partition and it's contents. The advantage with clones is in case your internal drive fails to boot, either for software or hardware reasons, you can boot from a clone, perform data recovery, drive repair and most of all get online, get help, and use your computer like almost nothing happened. In other words your life doesn't immediately stop to address a failed computer, you can in most cases continue working and resolve the issue later, or in the case of a software issue, just reverse clone form the latest clone image.

You can keep "states" of your OS X partition in a more permanent fashion unlike TimeMachine. For instance if your considering on upgrading to a new OS X version and not sure it will work, you can fall back onto the previous version of OS X at any time provided you made a clone first. Think of a clone as moving all your software to another piece of hardware and everything is almost exactly as it was before. Clones are the preferred method to upgrading to a new internal drive of perhaps larger capacity or speed.

Because of differences in computer hardware, you can't use a clone created on one Mac on another type of Mac. Only the same exact model can be perhaps be imaged to other Mac's. If your thinking this would be a nice way to pirate software, forget it. Each Mac has a ID associated with along with other identifying information.

Cloning software most Mac users use is Carbon Copy Cloner, (first and totally free, donations accepted) or Superduper (part free, part payware)

Drive size for clones: equal too or larger than the drive you intend to clone. If your going to upgrade the internal drive, then naturally one that matches or exceeds the new internal drive so you can use it as a clone afterwards. Best to clone to a larger drive than the original, as your data could exceed the smaller capacity drive.

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Drive formatting

Drive formatting is IMPORTANT and needs to be performed before a drive is used for the first time. Doesn't matter what it's used for a wrongly formatted drive can cause trouble later down the road if you don't understand drive maps and formatting. Apple's Disk Utility is the program used to format drives on a Mac, you can find it in the Applications/Utilities folder.

Partition Maps

These are roadmap instructions to how many partitions (separate areas on the physical drive) there are and what format they contain. Unfortunately not all operating systems can read others partition map schemes. So when one gets a NEW drive, it has to be completely erased and formatted to meet the partition map needs of the operating system and/or firmware used on the computer.

For instance Mac's need a GUID Partition Table (GPT), Windows uses a Master Boot Record (MBR), Linux uses either and reads anything.

Mac's can use a MBR as it can read some Windows drive formats, trouble is you won't be able to boot from any partition or drive with OS X on it without a GPT.

Since most drives come from the factory formatted MBR with a Fat32 (MSDOS) drive format, in order to use the drive on a Mac you need to format it GPT and OS X Extended (Journaled) (aka HFS+) in Apple's Disk Utility before using it.

If you place data on the drive and then realize it's the wrong partition map scheme and need to change it, then all the data off all the partitions on the entire drive must be removed first.

If you place data on a partition and you need to format it differently, you need to get the data off only that partition your going to reformat.

Current drive formats - there are many different formats how data is placed on the drive, and a drive can have many partitions each with a different format!

Windows currently uses:

NTFS - used primarily for the operating system, but external drives can also be formatted this way

FAT32 (MSDOS in Apple's Disk Utility) this is a universal format between PC's and Macs, but limited to 4GB file sizes.

exFAT a new patented pending format both Mac's and PC's can currently read/write, it can have files in excesses of 4GB in size.

(if you have Windows XP, a free exFAT download from Microsoft is available, just search for it)

Mac's OS X currently uses:

HFS+ (OS X Extended Journaled) required to boot OS X. All new Mac's come formatted this way, and perhaps some drive sold at Apple.

FAT32 (MSDOS) file exchange with PC's to 4GB sized files. Most drives sold in regular computer and office stores come formatted this way for PC's. (with a MBR)

exFAT - file exchange with PC's over 4GB sized files (Mac's pre 10.6.5 won't have exFAT)

Linux currently uses EXT4 for itself, can read/write anything.

Software called MacDrive installed on a Windows machine can read Apple's HFS formats.

Software like Tuxera, 3GNTFS, Paragon, allows Mac's to read the NTFS format of Windows drives.

It is PREFERRED not to rely upon third party software for reading drive formats, rather use a interchangeable format like FAT32 or exFAT instead.

When formatted a drive for both PC and Mac use, it's perhaps easier to format it on Windows into FAT32 or exFAT first, so you get the MBR, then confirm it works, then on the Mac before using it to transfer vital data over long distances.

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Apple's Disk Utility allows one more partition to be carved out from the bottom clear existing OS X partition, you will learn all about this if you going the BootCamp route with Windows. I don't advise messing around unless you made backups of your data first.

When Bootcamp creates the Window partition it formats it MSDOS (FAT32) which you have to change to NTFS on the Windows installer disk before you can install Windows. Make sure you printout and read the Bootcamp instructions and have the Mac hardware drivers on hand.

If your machine keeps booting into Windows and gets stuck, simply hold the option key upon boot to select OS X and set OS X as the start up disk in System Preferences.

https://www.apple.com/support/bootcamp/

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Restoring OS X 10.5 10.6. 10.7 - simple overwrite OS method

Ok, you got a OS X problem and you want to just reinstall OS X (and bundled Apple programs) without touching anything else, not your files or most third party programs.

1: Backup your user files via drag and drop methods of your User folders (Music, Documents, Pictures, Movies etc) regardless to a data drive as outlined above, as the problem you may be having could be more serious, like a hardware or firmware issue. Disconnect all other drives.

2: For Snow Leopard and Leopard - stick the original grey disk (free iLife included) into the computer and reboot holding down c, simply reinstall OS X (archive and install for Leopard)

If you upgraded Snow Leopard over Leopard, then your going to be using the white Snow Leopard Retail disks (no free iLife) and it naturally won't replace iLife, just OS X.

3: For Lion, you need a reliable, fast Internet connection. Hold Command r and boot into Lion Recovery, get online and simply reinstall Lion. You'll have to use the AppStore to download iLife.

4: Once you have done this and rebooted normally, immediately Software Update under the Apple Menu so your Apple programs match your files (like iPhoto Library and iTunes Library that were changed with later versions)

5: Any programs you bought via App Store can be redownloaded by holding option key and clicking on Purchases.

Note: if you have installed root level system third party software, it may not function anymore, simply reinstall it from original sources.

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Restoring OS X - 10.6 "fresh install method"

2: Hold c and boot off the 10.6 grey disks (or if you want the free iLife on the 10.5 disks, then that first, then upgrade to 10.6) and use Disk Utility under the Utilities menu to erase the internal drive media.

Select media on left, click partition, click big box, select 1 partition, option GUID, format OS X Extended (journ) give it the same drive name as before, (to match pathnames used in your iTunes and other files to locate where music is stored on the drive) Format OS X Extended journaled click Apply and confirm.

Optional for privacy/security or for all new drives for better data retention. Select the drive, erase tab, erase>Security option Zero all data. Takes about a hour per 500GB.

3: When finished quit and install OS X Snow Leopard and reboot and see the familiar Welcome to Mac animation. (if you shutdown after installing, this makes a nice way to treat the new owner of your used Mac and lets then go through the setup process.)

4: When creating the new user, use the same user name as before, this again, like the same drive name, matches the pathnames in files to locate other files on your drive when you return your files. Use a different password naturally.

5: Next you install all your programs next, the more the better as they will run faster on hard drives if they are placed further near the front of the drive.

6: Lastly hook up your external data drive and move just the contents of your Music, Document, Pictures etc folders right back into their respective new folders on the new configuration.

Note: If you used this method to downgrade from Lion. It's possible your iPhoto and iTunes Library (and other Apple programs) may have altered their respective files. You need to be careful replacing the old copies with the newer altered versions. You can right or option click on iPhoto Library to "show package contents" to find the folder with the originals and re-import into the older iPhoto version format. For iTunes, the originals are in the folder, if you have copy of the older iTunes Library files, then replace with those. Ideally it's best to first make a Snow clone first BEFORE messing with Lion.

Note: Only a Mac that had Snow previously can be downgraded from Lion back to Snow, not a Mac that had Lion from the factory (some under certain circumstances)

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Restoring OS X - 10.7 - wipe and install

2: You have two options depending upon if your Mac had Snow Leopard previously. If it did, then you can go the above Restoring OS X - 10.6 "fresh install method" and then make a clone, then update to Lion via the AppStore with a very strong, reliable, fast Internet connection.

3: Your Mac came with OS X Lion, then you hold Command R and boot into Lion Recovery Partition, get online, use Disk Utility to Erase (and Zero if needed) the Lion OS X Partition, then quit and simply reinstall Lion from the menu.

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Restoring OS X 10.7 (new drive, total reformat method)

This method is for restoring Lion drive completely, including restoring a Lion Recovery Partition and reestablishing a GUID Partition Table (GPT) on the drive for machines that don't have Lion Internet Recovery. This could occur if the hard drive was replaced, the GPT got messed up, more than 2 multi-partition machines or whatever.

As you know Apple only allows one more partition to be created using Disk Utility, any more partitions on the drive require a complete GPT reformat.

2: You need to have a copy of your Lion Recovery Partition on a 1GB or larger USB stick created first using the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant software from Apple that copies YOUR PRESENT Lion Recovery Partition. So that means you need to have this made as soon as possible in advance or your going to have to buy the $69 Lion USB installer if you can't do the 10.6 to 10.7 upgrade method.

Lion Recovery Disk Assistant.

You must first FORMAT the USB GPT and OSX Extended (journ) in Disk Utility before using the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant.

https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1433

3: Stick the USB in, reboot the machine holding option key and get online, use Disk Utility to format the drive

Optional for privacy/security or for all new drives for better data retention. Select the drive, erase tab, erase>Security option Zero all data. Takes about a hour per 500GB.

4: Formatting the drive like this will rebuilt the GPT if it was broken. Reinstall Lion from the menu and it will install Lion Recovery Partition and Lion at the same time.

If you have one of those new Mac's with Lion Internet Recovery, it's built into the firmware, so after a new drive install, rebooting should start the whole process automatically.

5: If you have a clone of OS X Lion previously made, then simply option boot from it and reverse clone it onto the OS X Lion Partition. When you clone 10.7 (and only 10.7) it just clones the OS X Lion Partition. Not the Lion Recovery Partition. That's why you need to reinstall the Lion Recovery Partition first (steps 1-4 above) then replace the Lion configuration with the previous cloned version.. You can choose to reverse clone the Lion Partition only, the machine will work without Lion Recovery Partition, but you may have need of it one day.

6: If you don't have a previous clone of your 10.7 OS X partition then when creating the new user, use the same user name as before, this again, like the same drive name as before, matches the pathnames in files iTunes uses to locate other files on your drive when you return your files. Use a different password naturally.

7: Next you install all your programs next, the more the better as they will run faster on hard drives if they are placed further near the front of the drive.

8: Lastly hook up your external data drive and move just the contents of your Music, Document, Pictures, Movies etc folders right back into their respective new folders on the new configuration.

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Click on a picture to enlarge, drag and drop onto your desktop for keeping a copy, or use Command Shift 4 to take a picture.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8), 17" i7, XP, Vista, 7, Linux(s)

Posted on Oct 4, 2011 12:21 AM

47 replies

ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Oct 12, 2011 5:24 AM in response to ds store

About Hard drives "Bad Sectors" and Disk Utilities "Zero Erase" feature

Well I went ahead and tried to partition my boot hard drive 50/50 and three attempts all resulted in the same issue, the progress bar stopped, Activity Monitor reported a sudden stop in drive activity and my computer completely froze solid requiring holding the power button down and doing a "hard reset".

Good thing I had AppleJack installed (not updated for 10.7 at the time of this posting), I simply held Command S, booted into Single User mode and typed "applejack AUTO" at the prompt. It fixed the whole mess and repaired my partition (I took a look in Disk Utility and it was reporting double the space taken for the main HD instead of below 50% like I had it)

Now supposedly when the computer comes across a bad sector on the drive and can't write to it, it's supposed to map it off, all done automatically behind the scenes, apparently not during formatting it seems in my case. So after wasting 6 hours trying to format another partition on the drive, I choose to use Disk Utility > Erase Free Space option > Zero and let it rip for 3 hours. Once that was completed I had no trouble creating the second partition, another 3 hours later I had a clone of my first 50% on the second 50%.

What the "Zero Erase" does is essentially write 0's to every available bit on the drive, if the driver can't successfully write 0's to all bits in a sector, it's mapped off not to be used again. This "Zero" is considered a security option to erase all traces of 1's and 0's combinations that represent your data on the drive, but also doubles as a bit sector check.

Disk Utility has two options with a Zero Erase, one that does the whole drive with a format, and another that does just the free space. Free space meaning space anywhere on the drive not currently occupied by files not targeted for overwriting with new data.

When one trashes a file normally, it's not erased off the drive, just it's space is made available for overwrite for the next file. Secure Empty Trash will overwrite the file immediately, but takes considerably longer on large files and may not be necessary if they don't contain anything private, so why bog down the computer for nothing?

If you are going to incur major changes to large sections of the drive, like partitioning or deal with very large files (like video clips) which can run across many sectors, it's perhaps best to incorporate Zeroing either free space or the entire new drive during formatting before you do so the first time, despite it's considerable length of time it takes.

My drive was zeroed before, so this bad sector appeared later on. Why I tried three times to format it, thinking it was some other issue responsible.

So if you come across something like this, save yourself some time and simply erase free space. 😀

Oct 21, 2011 5:22 AM in response to M3ZR

You need the discs. Or at least a retail disc for a compatible OS X version (one later than that your Mac shipped with, but which your Mac has the specs to handle).

You boot to the installer disc by holding the C key on start up until the apple logo appears.

An alternative may be to hook up to a second Mac by firewire and use Target Disc Mode to run DU from the second Mac.

ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Oct 23, 2011 4:32 AM in response to M3ZR

M3ZR wrote:

im currently going through this process now but i am without my original discs and when i boot up with the options or c held down i only show one HDD please help

The firmware will not allow you to c or option boot off OS X install disks that are earlier OS X version than the machine originally came with and/or grey disk from another Mac model, or if the hardware drivers are not present on the install disks.

If you need replacement OS X install disks, get your serial number (from under the Apple menu> about this Mac> more information) or detailed information from other locations (box, manual etc) and contact Apple for replacement grey disks that match your machine model specifically. If you get it wrong, you may be paying again to get the correct disks.

If you Mac came with OS X 10.7 "Lion"

then you can't boot from earlier OS X install disks, and there isn't any Lion disks from Apple. It's a "recovery partition" (a separate space on the internal boot drive) that one holds command and r keys down (option also works) to boot into this partition. There is no Lion there, you need a Internet connection, a AppleID to download Lion again from Apple's servers.

If your Internet connection isn't reliable or fast enough, you will have to purchase the $69 Lion USB thumb drive from Apple to reinstall/overwrite your operating system with a fresh version.

ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Oct 25, 2011 6:26 AM in response to ds store

Quick quide to drive formatting to use with Mac's and PC's.

Mac's can read and write: HFS+, FAT32 (MSDOS) and exFAT

Windows PC's can read and write: NTFS, FAT32 (MSDOS) and exFAT (Windows XP needs a free download)

Linux can read and write to just about any format and uses EXT4 (currently) for itself.

Either OS X or Windows can read more formats with software (usually payware) installed.

The HFS+ (Mac OS X Extended) maximum file size limit is 8 exabytes, or 8 billion gigabytes (8,000,000,000 GB)

FAT32 (FAT or "MSDOS") has the 4GB (minus a byte) file size limit.

You can use exFAT (with a MBR partition map) which allows for greater than 4GB sized files to share with PC's and Mac's.

Warning: remove all data from the drive before changing it's format/partition map as it will be erased!!

Also unmount and disconnect any other drive or writable media before using Disk Utility to prevent accidents.

To format the drive exFAT:

Use Disk Utility (in your Applications>Utilities folder) to select the "media" name on the far left, then the partition tab, select 1 partition, option: MBR, format: exFAT and click Apply.

(if you don't see the partiton tab, you didn't select the "drive media" on the far left, likely you selected a partition that is slightly indented instead)

To format the drive FAT (FAT32):

Use Disk Utility (in your Applications>Utilities folder) to select the "media" name on the far left, then the partition tab, select 1 partition, option: MBR, format: MSDOS and click Apply.

(if you don't see the partiton tab, you didn't select the "drive media" on the far left, likely you selected a partition that is slightly indented instead)

To format the drive HFS+ (OSX extended):

Use Disk Utility (in your Applications>Utilities folder) to select the "media" name on the far left, then the partition tab, select 1 partition, option: GUID, format: OS X Extended (journaled) and click Apply.

(if you don't see the partiton tab, you didn't select the "drive media" on the far left, likely you selected a partition that is slightly indented instead)

For hard drives IT's ADVISED: to erase with security option Zero All Data to give the drive a chance to map off bad sectors, especially if your have a problem formatting the drive.

If your creating more partitions on a existing drive, it's wise to Erase Free Space with Zero option to map off any new bad sectors that appear before formatting another partition.

For some reason Disk Utility gets hung up on new bad sectors while formatting, existing ones mapped off are just fine. Thus the "Zero erase" will map them off before formatting occurs.

If your 10.6 Mac hasn't been updated to 10.6.5 -10.6.8, you need to do this under the Apple menu> Software Update to use exFAT. 10.7+ is fine.

If you have a Windows XP machine, you can download a free exFAT from Microsoft, Windows Vista and 7 already have exFAT installed.

https://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=19364

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Nov 15, 2011 4:52 PM in response to ds store

ds store wrote:

. . .

From here on out everything TimeMachine, including restoring from a TM drive, I point you to our resident expert Pondini and his web page.

http://web.me.com/pondini/Time_Machine/Home.html

Hi, ds,

Just for future reference, I've moved my site to http://pondini.org, since Apple is dropping web hosting in June.

Both sites are active now; after a few days, I'll put redirect notices on the old one, then leave it there until it goes "poof."

Thanks,

Jim

ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Nov 16, 2011 8:49 AM in response to Pondini

Pondini wrote:

Just for future reference, I've moved my site to http://pondini.org, since Apple is dropping web hosting in June.

Both sites are active now; after a few days, I'll put redirect notices on the old one, then leave it there until it goes "poof."

Ok,

Time to let this thread die anyway as I can't edit anything.

I tried something, I learned something. 🙂

Nov 24, 2011 8:17 AM in response to ds store

Thank you for all the information. I have found this discussion to answer all my inquiries on restoring my new MacBook pro back to original factory settings.

I’m new to this and I’m going to do a fresh install of lion10.7.2. Under the disk utility I see a 500.11 GB ST9500325AGS drive and below that I see in indentions a Macintosh HD, which one would be the one I erase and reformat?

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nov 24, 2011 8:28 AM in response to noondaywitch

Here goes another question, by restoring my mac back to factory setting with the Lion thumb drive that i ordered from Apple, would I be destroying the ability to restore my MacBook Pro from the Internet recovery option at a future date?

Thank you in advance…

ds store Author

Level 7

30,815 points

Nov 24, 2011 9:46 AM in response to jorgefromupland

jorgefromupland wrote:

I’m new to this and I’m going to do a fresh install of lion10.7.2. Under the disk utility I see a 500.11 GB ST9500325AGS drive and below that I see in indentions a Macintosh HD, which one would be the one I erase and reformat?

A "fresh install" means your going to wipe the entire drive of all data, the operating system, the programs and your files.

The only thing that is going to be on the drive is the operating system and Apple bundled programs installed from the Lion USB thumb drive.

If this is not what you want to do, then stop, shutdown and let a qualified professional or knowledgeable friend to assist you.

Select the 500.11 GB drive, click Erase tab, click Security Options, select Zero All Data, ok, click Erase, wait a hour or so until it's finished.

(This is going to check the entire drive for any defective or failing bad sectors before you place anything on the drive.)

Then select the Partition Tab, select 1 Partition, click Option: select GUID, Format: OS X Extended (Journaled), name it MacIntosh HD and click Apply.

This is a fast step and makes sure the drive partition map is exactly formatted as intended for the OS X version your installing.

Quit Disk Utility and click the Lion Installer, install Lion onto the 500.11 GB drive.

The Lion installer will install the Lion Recovery Partition automatically, and No it will not affect you being able to, in the future, install Lion via the Lion Internet Recovery Partition.

Your AppleID determines if your allowed to download Lion from Apple's Servers using the Lion Recovery Partition.

Nov 26, 2011 10:45 AM in response to ds store

HI,

Very very useful for a beginner like me just preparing to make backups and clones on my recently purchased MacBook Air.

Do you think that a directly USB connected, externally powered, external drive, such as the WD for Mac, or the LaCie Porsche Design would be suitable for this duty? Partitioned for Time Machine and a Clone?

There is also Seagate Wireless Home drive which connects to the Airport Extreme and works wirelessly. Do you think that this is an appropriate drive to use with Time Machine wirelessly, while a separate external drive could be used directly connected to hold the Clone?

Which system do you think would be preferable?

Thank you,

roystonfrombrighton.

Nov 27, 2011 4:26 AM in response to Pondini

Pondini, hello,

I have just discovered your extremely useful exposition on the Time Machine. Thank you for making such information available to me, and other beginners, I am sure. I have made extensive bookmarks, and also printed some of the FAQs for use in extremis.

Unfortunately, I bought the Airport Extreme before I realised that I would need TM to make backups, and that I should make backups. (Nothing against the AE which works very well).

I am a casual, if intensive, user of my MacBook Air, that is, there is no critical information, which would be damaging if lost. I think, therefore, that in view of the widespread reports regarding the WD external drive, I will go for a LaCie Porsche, and use it alone with two partitions.

Thank you again.

roystonfrombrighton.

Dec 1, 2011 4:37 AM in response to ds store

ds store, hello,

I have been studying your post on Backup, Restoring and Formatting, under the sub-heading of 'Clone and Reverse Clone'.

There I find the advice:

"Cloning back and forth is not for SSDs x x x".

As you will know, my MacBook Air uses an SSD hard drive. Incidentally, I built my old Windows computer with an SSD hard drive, and I am aware of the shortcomings of SSD drives relative to wear restrictions.

Will you kindly expand upon that piece of advice? Do you advise that the SSD not be cloned at all, or, do you advise that cloning can be done but not too frequently? And of course, the whole point of making a clone is to write it back onto the SSD, in case of need.

Thank you

roystonfrombrighton.

Dec 5, 2011 10:22 AM in response to ds store

I'm not sure if this is the right discussion to ask this but anyways, what do you have to do if you want to carry out the "Repair Disk" feature in "Disk Utility"? Do you need to back up your hard drive by making a clone of it? Do you run the "Repair Disk" in recovery mode? Once you run the "Repair Disk" feature will you lose any data in your computer?

Pondini

Level 8

38,863 points

Dec 5, 2011 2:14 PM in response to Benjamin2203

You can use one that has other data, although there are some downsides. See #3 in Time Machine - Frequently Asked Questions.

If the other data is important to you, you can have Time Machine back it up (if it's in a separate parititon), but that's not very reliable -- when (not if) the drive fails, you risk losing both the originals and the backups.

So it's much safer to use a separate drive. 🙂

Dec 6, 2011 1:11 PM in response to ds store

I just purchased a refurbed February 2011 15" 2.3Ghz i7 quad-core MacBook Pro. I went with a refurbed Feb 2011 model because I ultimately wanted to be able to run 10.6.8 for a while longer in addition to 10.7. Before I make any changes to partitions and install multiple OSs I want to be sure I am clear on a few things.

I spent the last week scouring the Apple Support Forums and internet and found mounds of information but in some cases different sources contradict one another so I am hoping to clarify a few things….

ITEM ONE:

Clarification of limitations when booting MacBook Pro from Optical Media.

From ds store post 10-23-11:

"The firmware will not allow you to c or option boot off OS X install disks that are earlier OS X version that the machine originally came with and/or grey disk from another Mac model, or of the hardware drivers are not present on the install disks."

The refurbed MacBook Pro came with Lion installed. I contacted AppleCare, requested and received a replacement copy of the install disk that would have been shipped with the MacBook Pro originally. I confirmed that it is 10.6.6 and that it DOES boot from the install disk and will allow me to install 10.6.6.

(10.6.6 was released on 1-6-11 or about 6 weeks prior to the release of the early 2011 MacBook Pros and would have been shipped with 10.6.6???)

I also understand that my retail copy of Snow Leopard which is 10.6.3 will NOT boot on this MacBook Pro because it is a version of OS X that is earlier than the release date of this particular MacBook Pro.

What I am not clear on… (and this is almost purely a matter of curiosity) is:

whether the 10.6.3 disk won't boot specifically because the firmware on the MacBook Pro looks at the version of the OS and refuses to boot an earlier version.

is it because of hardware drivers that are not present on the 10.6.3 disk that predates the hardware I am attempting to install the OS on???

I also found a post somewhere that indicated that 10.6.3 will not boot because it is confused by the presence of the Lion Recovery HD partition… Is there any truth to that???

Lastly, although future hardware will most likely not come with install disks…

Am I correct in my understanding that the grey install disks that came with hardware in the past ONLY contained the hardware drivers for that particular configuration of hardware and therefore should only be used to boot the specific hardware they came with???

On the other hand, when purchasing versions of OS X that were provided on optical media (not accompanied by hardware) ALL of the hardware drivers for hardware available at that time were included on the optical media and could therefore be used to boot and load onto any approved hardware????

Please let me know if I have this correct or not…

THANKS

John

Backup, restoring, formatting info