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User profile for user: Darvadee
Darvadee Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Problem Cloning HD to SSD via Target Disk Mode - MacPro to Macbook Pro

I'm trying to clone my HD to a new SSD on my MacPro using Target Disk Mode to my MacBook Pro.


I had no problem connecting the two via fire-wire, BUT....


the estimated time to copy the HD (1.3 TB) to the SSD is over 2 1/2 days, and is increasing rather than decreasing as I wait.


I'm using a firewire 800 to connect the two computers. Is there any way to speed this up?


It took over an hour just to calculate the time it would take to clone the disk, and the time remaining has gone from 2 days, five hours to 2 days, fourteen hours, to 3 days eighteen hours . . . and still climbing. At this rate, both my computers will be tied up . . . forever . . . ? Help!


My equipment:


MacPro 12 Core, 68GB (Target)
Macbook Pro 2 Core Duo 4GB (Host)


I'm running 10.6.8, as I'm just finishing a feature film and don't want to upgrade software until the film is finished and I can pull the entire project.


In the time it took me to type this, the estimated time has grown to over 4 days.


Should I cancel or will it eventually start going down? It feels as though I am tying up both my computers forever . . . :-/

MacBook Pro, iOS 6.1.6, 10.6.8 OS

Posted on May 17, 2015 12:58 PM

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9 replies
User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,980 points

May 17, 2015 1:54 PM in response to Darvadee

Me: DO Clean Install. You can deal with Migration and Setup Assistant later.


Have to ask: what drive bay or path is the SSD? On PCIe SATA III or any other 3rd party controllers?

GPU: ?


FW800 interface?


I would nuke what you are doing, remove all drives etch except new SSD system drive.

That should take 30 minutes or less.


Full listing of hardware helps, any flashed device and what slot(s) used.

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User profile for user: Darvadee
Darvadee Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

May 17, 2015 3:15 PM in response to The hatter

My install disk for Snow Leopard is damaged, so I can't do a clean install. I have other disks for Lion, Mt. Lion, etc..., but I don't want to upgrade my MacPro to a new operating system until I finish the feature film I'm currently in the final stages of Post on... which is a couple of months out. I also cannot locate my original Adobe Master Suite Disks... and I don't want to migrate to CC until this movie is done.


I have Snow Leopard on my old MacBook Pro that I haven't used for about 3 years . . . so I am using Target Disk Mode with that laptop.


My final goal is actually more complicated than my first post - I was trying to simplify the question.


Right now I'm actually cloning my 2TB HD in Bay 1 to a 4TB HD in Bay 2 so I have a backup before I partition the Bay 1 HD start up disk... which at 2TB is too large for the 980GB SSD I want to use for my startup disk.


My current plan is to
1) Clone my 2TB HD to a second 4 TB HD - currently in bay 2, both as a backup and to use as my final Home Folder

2) Relocate my Home Folder to the 4TB HD (it will already be cloned there)

3) Partition my current 2TB HD in Bay 1 (after relocating and deleting my Home Folder), as my SSD isn't big enough to hold my home folder, so I have to partition the startup drive to be smaller than 980GB

4) Clone my operating system from my partitioned 2TBHD to my SSD so I can use the SSD as my new startup disk.
5) Replace the 2TB drive in bay 1 with a 4 or 6TB drive... movie making takes a lot of storage space, but I'm not quite ready for an external RAID yet.


I'll be able (I think!) to clone the partitioned 2TB HD to the SSD within the MacPro (without having to do Target-Disk) since I'll be able to boot from the startup clone I'm creating right now . . .


I currently have 4 bays full, plus a SSD in the ESATA port:

My SSD is an Excellsior 980GB - installed to my ESATA port.

2 TB in bay one - (current operating system and home folder)

4 TB in bay two

4 TB in bay three

6 TB in bay four


My MacPro and Macbook Pro are connected with an FW800.

My MacPro is a 2.88GHz 12 Core with 64GB RAM

My Macbook is a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo with 4 GB RAM, 1067 MHz DDR3


I'm trying to be extra careful ... I don't want to mess anything up when I'm in the final stages of finishing this feature film... it's been a three year process. I've already backed up my footage and my Premiere files.


But I don't really want to wait until the film is finished, as I feel the SSD will speed up my render times and help me get this film finished faster.



Thank you so much for your time. It has now settled down to 2 days and 5 hours, but that's still a long time...


Can I buy a new snow leopard disk at the apple store (available for 19.99) to streamline this process? But then I would still have to figure out how to migrate my home folder to the 4TB drive . . .

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User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,980 points

May 18, 2015 5:38 AM in response to Darvadee

All you really need to get your system back off they ground:


On laptop: direct connect, clone basic system

That can be used to build other systems, act as cleanest available installer to bootstrap everything else

And from there build another working system


Going about it the long road.


Once you can clone and sneaker net system over that boosts Mac Pro do the rest and backup or clone locally.


Make sure to enable advanced preference setting for CCC to do checkup on all files copied.

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User profile for user: Darvadee
Darvadee Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

May 18, 2015 3:52 PM in response to The hatter

Thank you, The hatter! So - just to make sure I'm following you. I should:

1) Clone my system (does this include applications?) to my laptop...

Do I do this using Disk Utility? Can I clone the system while it's running my desktop, or do I need to clone it while in RT Mode?
2) Clone the system (including apps?) BACK to a new drive on my desktop...


I don't know what you mean by "clone and sneaker net system over that boosts Mac Pro do the rest and backup or clone locally."


I also don't know what you mean by advanced preference setting for CCC to do checkup on all files copied. I don't know what CCC is...


Sorry - I've had to do a lot of trouble shooting on my Macs over the years, but I'm not an expert by any measuring stick. But I've still got a day to wait before the machines are scheduled to be done with this initial cloning, so ... I'm game to try anything that will safely get me there.


Thank you!

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User profile for user: The hatter
The hatter
User level: Level 9
60,980 points

May 19, 2015 6:11 AM in response to Darvadee

Sneaker net - walk it over from laptop to Mac Pro physically.


OS and apps only take 20GB for basic minimal system - a full system can be 40GB up to 200GB (rarely more).


That gives you a foundation to build from and do it all on the Mac Pro.


Backup! multiple times and sets, redundant, and often with more than one method.


Never use Disk Utility to copy a system or drive - it only does full volume copy


CCC has been around cloning system and volumes since 10.2.2 back in 2003 reliably.


http://www.bombich.com


And you can see easier than I can say how to deselect / select folders, and advanced preference (FAQ and Features, plus Support on web site with screen shots) to do checksum on files copied.


You could have a functional system in no time, and like building a skyscrapper lifting itself you should be set.


Sounded like you were going about it the long way, and doing backups instead of after up and running, trying to do it all first and from remote laptop which is slower.


2-3 sets of systems - emergency ./ base system / full working copy / backup clone of working copy


with good backups you can always be back and running immediately


three sets of data: live set / backup A / backup B


Clone and TimeMachine everything for two methods.


A backup recovery plan is only as good as ability to use and should be tested at least once.


"CCC" your laptop system to a drive.

Move drive to Mac Pro

Move system onto its new home leaving the copy drive as is and safe

Clone user data to a new home that is data only and not a system drive.


your system drive will have /Users/my-home-account/

- but only the /Library sub-folder (benefits from SSD a lot)


ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

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Problem Cloning HD to SSD via Target Disk Mode - MacPro to Macbook Pro

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