Sure…until it breaks again. Using a protocol that Apple doesn’t support just because it works is one thing…but we have no idea how SD code works around whatever bug was in ASR or if ASR was actually fixed…or if it will remain fixed since bootable backups are officially unsupported AFAIK. I don’t particularly like the fact they are no longer an Apple approved option…but I understand the security reasons they chose to go that route…and while I’m a sophisticated enough user to make it work either through SD or installing macOS over a CCC Data clone going down officially unsupported paths seems counter productive in the long run. Mike at CCC chose to follow Apple suggested guidelines…Dave at SD didn’t (or maybe he did and Apple fixed ASR at least for now, dunno)…and that’s just fine. But for the vast number of unsopusers…following the guidelines seems the better idea…especially since (a) the boot volume is locked and read only and (b) it w9nt boot at all if the internal drive dies.
And heating your house with wood and using kerosene lanterns or candles still works too…but technology and finance and everything else is more advanced than it used to be. And while quantum computers might make current encryption easier to crack…increasing the bit depth of the encryption works against that…and for most of us we are not very attractive targets so the expense of quantum computers time might. Ot be worth it. I’m sure that 1Password, et.al. Have plans to improve their encryption algorithms as needed as the threat changes.
Assuming the UK gets its way, they would only have access to items for which Apple has the encryption key. Any decent financial program (including common spreadsheet programs) allows users to encrypt their files with their own key. I make sure to encrypt that data and also store vital ID information in encrypted PDFs. So, this information would remain safe under a rule like the one that the UK is proposing (and, no, these encryption keys are not stored in the cloud).
My later work life was looking after IT for a largish newspaper publisher (where deadlines are obviously important). We had several Mac OS Servers and kept clones of all of them. We kept spare backup machines which could be swapped in as necessary. All our data was on external drives so we could lose a server but be back up and running, with all data intact, within a couple of minutes. Boot backup server from clone, connect data drives - we’re running again.
Sadly the company went the way of most newspapers and closed last year. I have no idea what we would have used for servers gong forward but I expect some Linux variant.
Losing bootable backups is less an issue for me now in retired life but it still frustrates me the option is removed for people who want it. I have multiple Macs here but have no idea whether the current form of bootable clones would boot them.
My disdain of Migration Assistant has been voiced before and I simply have no faith in it to recover my machine properly. As much as possible I now keep all my personal data (photos/videos excepted) in iCloud, just to make potential ‘recovery’ easier in the future.
This ASR business, and having SD work (while some developers have given up), has been going on for quite a while. If Apple really was so adamant about objecting to what David has done, why would they let it go on so long, and recently why would they fix the issue right away with the release of OS 15.3? And as I have said a number of times before, I certainly applaud David’s persistence and innovation. Isn’t Apple known for innovation? I’d be willing to bet that their developers have also needed to “program around” issues. Don’t see anything wrong with David doing the same. I hope it continues, whether it’s David, Apple, or whoever/whatever.
The old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is certainly relevant. Again, while it might be “old fashioned”, I will never trust my information to be stored in the cloud, no matter how supposedly “advanced” technology is. I feel perfectly safe keeping my vital information stored locally. And that works like a charm. If one wants to take the risk with the cloud, be my guest. I’ll stick to what I do.
I’m guessing that they’re happy to let (corrected from the bogus autocorrect) Dave tilt at windmills…and it isn’t like Bombich has given up as much as accepted reality. YMMV of course. Apple could probably have programmed where Dave’s approach would fail…but it would cost them development time and money…so why bother. They’ve established the Apple approved way…and given the closed system environment holdouts are fighting a doomed fight. Whether they’re right or wrong is irrelevant at this point. Either accept what Apple does or go run Windows or Linux. Fighting an inevitability losing battle doesn’t make much sense.
There’s a difference between “not supported” and “we are actively trying to break people who try it”.
The ASR utility was designed for Apple to use when imaging newly-manufactured computers. We are lucky that they decided to ship it with macOS so those who are able to use it as a part of a backup strategy can choose to do so. But we should never confuse the fact that the tool exists with Apple’s endorsing any particular usage beyond the one for which they designed it.
Ever since gas stations started accepting ApplePay, they’ve gotten far more secure. As with all other uses, ApplePay transactions are made using a device-specific account number and per-transaction metadata, so someone intercepting the packets never gets your card number and can only use the data to replay that single transaction (which will do nothing if the original transaction went through successfully).
Well, well stated about bootable backups. But all is not lost. As I have reported, SuperDuper! (SD) does successfully create bootable backups/clones, and especially with the release of OS 15.3. I know that for a fact, as I have now run through my “backup exercise” with SD 3 times for both of my Macs running OS 15.3, and it does work, ie, those backups/clones are actually bootable.
As for Migration Assistant, it has always been solid for me. In fact, after doing a clean, fresh installation of Mac OS, after the initial set of “setup” questions, one is presented with the option of obtaining “data/information” from a backup. Under those circumstances, I would have the external SSD containing the last SD backup connected. point to it, and away Migration Assistant goes. Works every time!
Delete Dave? He’s still going strong. What have you been snorting?
As it is, this most recent “hiccup” with OS 15.2 and SD has been the only time that has happened. Though it all, David has persisted, and been successful. And SD has been a reliable program for so, so long. Again, if Apple wanted to “delete” David, they would not had fixed the replicator in OS 15.3.
Again I’ll say that David needs to be applauded for being innovative, and obviously “thinking outside the box”. Thought Apple was thought of as being the same? Are you saying they are not? If you are, flat out wrong.
First of all, as I said before, I’d bet programmers at Apple have needed to be innovative like David, and do things that are not necessarily supported. Again, there is nothing wrong with that. David needs to be commended for being persistent and innovative, just like Apple is. If you think that is not the case for Apple, then you are living in a dream world.
Secondly, whether it’s ApplePay or something else, I’ll still pay cash. It’s simpler, less risky, easy, and also I’m saving money. Wow, what a concept: saving money. Looks like a number of folks don’t believe in that. That is their problem, not mine. I’ll take saving money any day of the week, and twice on Sundays.
I still run a MacPro with Mojave and have multiple bootable-backups. Yesterday I encountered a strange issue and the easiest way to troubleshoot was to boot from one of the older backups. The problem did not exist there–so I was able to figure out the issue and repair the problem.
Without a bootable backup this would have been harder to troubleshoot.
I don’t have a bootable backup (yet) for my Studio running Sequoia. Soon…
Thanks for that post. Can I assume you use SuperDuper!, especially with Sequoia? As I have noted a number of times, it works well with OS 15.3, creating bootable backups. Your post just confirms what I have stated previously: the title of this thread needs to change, as obviously there is still a definite need for bootable backups.
