We even used to use it to defrag free space on a disk: clone the volume to another disk, and clone it back again. Why is cloning becoming so hard now?
SuperDuper
A great advance in APFS which enables Big Sur’s Sealed System Volume, and backups being made to APFS. Here they’re fully explained.
Looking at what’s involved in updating Big Sur’s new Sealed System Volume shows what’s necessary for successful cloning.
Time Machine seems to be the only backup system which also backs up the Versioning database on each volume. Is that useful though?
What to do, when you can, before taking or sending your Mac in for service or repair. What about FileVault? And Activation Lock?
Time Machine has changed in Catalina, but details haven’t been provided. How best to prepare to upgrade, and how to address its problems.
It’s worth refreshing all your Finder Aliases before copying or cloning a volume to update their link info. Here’s a free tool to do that and more: Alifix.
Don’t just throw it in a box and send it off: what happens if its internal storage is replaced or wiped? What about protecting sensitive files? Does a T2 chip make this difficult?
What if you can’t or don’t want to use Migration Assistant to move your files from your old to a new Mac? Here it can get more complicated. Tips and solutions to help.
Does APFS currently support hard disks, Fusion Drives, and other forms of storage beyond SSDs? The devil is in the detail.
The Eclectic Light Company 