General Tips

  1. I recommend that you run a Disk Utility application on the source and target drives before cloning (Apple's Disk Utility is adequate). This is not required, but will prevent disk or directory-related errors from causing problems during the clone operation. Note: Boot block errors are commonly reported by older disk utilities. In my experience, this is normal and generally does not cause problems, but should be fixed.
  2. If convenient, it is preferable to format the target disk before cloning to it, especially if it is a firewire device. Note that formatting an iPod will remove all the music and software to make the iPod function as an MP3 player. If you choose to format the iPod anyway, you can restore the MP3 player functionality at a later time by using the iPod Restore application from Apple. Note that that application will remove everything from the iPod as well. Finally, formatting the disk is not required for routine synchronizations.
  3. If you are just trying to backup some files and do not intend to make a bootable backup, deselect the "Make bootable" option. This option blesses the target disk and recreates symbolic links and empty folders that are unnecessary if you do not plan to boot from your backup.
  4. If you would like to clone a disk on one machine to another, a network is not required if both machines have firewire. You can connect the two machines with a firewire cable, then boot the target into "Target Disk mode" by starting it up and holding down the "T" key. The target disk will appear on the desktop of the other machine and can be selected as the target in CCC.
  5. If you would like to create a backup, but do not want to devote a whole volume to your disk's clutter, you can backup to a disk image instead. This option is available in CCC's preferences.
  6. If you have already backed up your source to the target once, you can greatly reduce the time to repeat this task by enabling CCC's synchronization options. Synchronization also works when the target disk is blank, but may take a bit longer.
  7. It may be a good idea to rename the target disk to have the same name as the source disk (after cloning). Some applications create files or make references based on the name of a volume and may have trouble working from a disk with a different name. Palm Desktop is one of these applications.

Cloning a system from one type of hardware to another

Cloning from one drive to another is easy if the destination drive will boot the same computer. As soon as you move that installation to another computer, there are issues:

  1. Certain applications generate preferences files that are specific to that computer. Those preferences are stored in ~/Library/Preferences/ByHost. Items in this folder typically have part of the hardware address of the computer it was created on in the name. If you use that application while booted from another computer, those prefs will be ignored. The desktop picture, Classic, and the screen saver prefs are "Classic" examples. These apps have prefs that depend on hardware specific settings, such as resolution, so it is important to not use these files (sometimes) on other hardware.
  2. If you are cloning an older computer's system to a newer computer, there is a potential that the older system does not contain system items (kernel extensions, for example) that the newer hardware requires.

So how does one deal with these issues?

  1. Reset the settings. Big deal, get over it.
  2. Well, just try it. If you clone to the newer hardware and the screen doesn't come on, it probably isn't going to work. Grab the software restore disks that came with the newer hardware and restore the system to the original factory state. Note that I said "Restore the system to the original factory state". Unless your personal files came on the computer, you better back them up before cloning on top of that system, just to be safe.

Typically I recommend that if the newer hardware came with a more recent version of the OS than what is available for your older machine, it may not be a good idea. For example, rumor has it that the new AlBooks have 10.2.4 on them. It would be a bad idea to clone your PowerBook G3's system onto it, even if you just upgraded to 10.2.4 the day before. Typically the mini-updates do not include all the latest hardware drivers. If 10.3 comes out a month later, though, you could probably upgrade your PBG3 to 10.3, then clone to the new AlBook just fine.

There is no formula, though. For the most part, the system is VERY portable (ESPECIALLY compared to Windoze).