IronManJFF

Q: Cloning a Time Machine backup with Applescript

According to Time Machine: How to transfer backups from a current backup drive to a new backup drive - Apple Support the safe way to create a clone of a Time Machine drive is to copy the Backups.backupsdb folder to to 'new' drive. If one would make an AppleScript that instruct the Finder to copy the folder .. would it give the correct result ? Has anyone done this before ?

 

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MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008), OS X Yosemite (10.10)

Posted on Oct 21, 2015 6:46 AM

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Q: Cloning a Time Machine backup with Applescript

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  • by Linc Davis,

    Linc Davis Linc Davis Oct 21, 2015 2:11 PM in response to IronManJFF
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    Oct 21, 2015 2:11 PM in response to IronManJFF

    Although Apple documentation says you can copy Time Machine backups in the Finder, it's very slow and sometimes doesn't work at all.

    This technique will only work if the volume you're copying to is the same size, or larger than, the one you're copying from.

    First, open the Time Machine preference pane and click the Select Disk... button. You may have to unlock the settings first by clicking the padlock icon in the lower left corner of the window. Authenticate as an administrator.

    Delete the volume you're going to copy from the list of backup destinations. Then turn Time Machine OFF.

    Launch Disk Utility, open the built-in help, and search for the term "Duplicate." Follow the instructions. All existing data on the destination volume will be erased. That shouldn't be a problem, because you don't want to mix backup and non-backup data on the same drive anyway.

    If the volume you're copying was encrypted by Time Machine, you may have to unlock it first. Click the Unlock button in the toolbar of the Disk Utility window.

    Turn Time Machine back ON and select the new volume as a backup destination. You can also continue to use the old volume, if you wish. The two will be alternated when both are available.

    CAUTION: If the volume you're copying is corrupt, as shown by Repair Disk or Verify Disk in Disk Utility, then that corruption will be copied to the new drive. Don't copy data from a corrupt volume on a malfunctioning drive. Put the drive aside and don't use it until you're sure you'll no longer need the data. Then securely erase it and take it to a recycling center. Do the same if the Restore operation fails with "disk errors."