CCC can now make bootable backups of a Big Sur startup disk. In macOS 11.0.1, Apple addressed some of the problems with its APFS replication utility that rendered clones of the System volume non-bootable. If you have an existing backup task that's configured for a Data Volume backup, simply click on the Source selector and choose "Choose a different source", then select your Big Sur startup disk as the source to the task.
TESTBED:[/I]
2018 Mac mini, 3.2 GHz i7, 32GB RAM
MacOS 11.0.1 release candidate 2
Carbon Copy Cloner
[b]PROCEDURE:
I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS IN THE QUOTE TO THE LETTER: this appeared to work, and was bootable, but it only cloned the Data volume and left the system at a previous version of Big Sur. 👎
UPDATED CCC: For some reason CCC had failed to alert me there was any update, as it normally does. Updating took several attempts, including a reboot, restoring CCC from Time Machine, and more pinwheels than I have seen cumulatively over the past two years.
RE-ATTEMPTED THE CLONE during this process I once again was regaled with lots of spinning pinwheels, multiple requests to install the CCC Helper application, and even more and longer periods where it was impossible to determine what, if anything was happening, including an interminable wait (11 minutes +) for the tasks to load. Once all that finally completed the process worked really well. It only took 9:57 to clone 319.3 GB and create a bootable clone of both the system and data. 🎉ðŸ‘ðŸ‘👌😄
NOTES:
If you have used CCC's or Tinkertool Systems Full Clone{/I] you will recognize the process (I believe Super Duper's developer rejected offering that option)
The target drive will always be completely erased. You must approve the erasure before CCC will proceed. (I haven't had time find out how that happens with automated clones.)
The drives entire volume structure is first copied and then everything else is transferred [i]en mass without regard to files and folders per se. The target becomes a true mirror of the source, warts, winkles, and all.
I have no explanation for my initial installation and startup difficulties but I have no reason to believe they represent any issue with CCC and hopefully not with macOS 11.0.1 running on Intel instead of Apple SoC. I will not hesitate to use or rely on CCC in the future and look forward to using it on Apple SoC next week.
Obviously I misjudged the priority Apple assigned to cloning.😢
If we knew what it was we were doing, it wouldn't be called research, would it?
