Sayehh

Q: How to back up a mac using disk utility in recovery mode

my Macbook pro suddenly hanged one day and I switched it off. When I switched it on , it gave me an icon file with a ? in the centre icon.Now I cant access my mac so I pressed command + R when I started my computer. I tried to repair my Macintosh HD but it failed. Is there a way to back up the data using the restore tab or anything else?  How do I back up my HD when it's corrupted? I have an old backup but I rather try to back up what is there in the computer now. I would really appreciate if some one also tell me what is this 'disk 1 OS X BASE SYSTEM' that I see the left side of the window.


Thanks

MacBook Pro, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Mar 13, 2015 2:24 PM

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Q: How to back up a mac using disk utility in recovery mode

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Mar 13, 2015 2:26 PM in response to Sayehh
    Level 10 (313,488 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 13, 2015 2:26 PM in response to Sayehh

    1. Try using the Restore function to put that data onto an external drive, or connect the MacBook Pro with another Mac through FireWire or Thunderbolt, start it up with the T key held down, and run a product such as these ones.

    2. That’s the recovery partition.

     

    (124090)

  • by Sayehh,

    Sayehh Sayehh Mar 13, 2015 2:27 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 13, 2015 2:27 PM in response to Niel

    Thank youu,

    What is a recovery partition?

    How do I use it? How does it work?

  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Mar 13, 2015 2:29 PM in response to Sayehh
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 13, 2015 2:29 PM in response to Sayehh

    If the drive is truly damaged, then Disk Utility won't be able to read it in order to clone it. But you do this:

     

    Boot to the Recovery HD:

     

    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

     

         1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu then press the Continue

             button.

         2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.

         3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

         4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it

             to the Destination entry field.

         5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to

             the Source entry field.

         6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

     

    Destination means an external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.


    If you don't have an external drive you can use, then use Niel's suggestion to use Target Disk Mode.

  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Mar 13, 2015 2:29 PM in response to Sayehh
    Level 10 (313,488 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 13, 2015 2:29 PM in response to Sayehh

    1. To provide a way of installing the OS or repairing systems for Macs/OS versions which don’t have install disks.

    2. It depends on what you’re trying to do.

     

    (124091)

  • by Sayehh,

    Sayehh Sayehh Mar 13, 2015 2:31 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 13, 2015 2:31 PM in response to Kappy

    Thank you so much

    Ill try to do that right away.Will this erase everything on my computer or not?

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Mar 13, 2015 2:32 PM in response to Sayehh
    Level 10 (313,488 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 13, 2015 2:32 PM in response to Sayehh

    It won’t erase the data on the computer.

     

    (124092)

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Mar 13, 2015 2:42 PM in response to Sayehh
    Level 10 (271,367 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 13, 2015 2:42 PM in response to Sayehh

    No, it won't erase anything on the computer. But cloning will erase the destination or target drive to which you make the copy.