Bootable Ext. HD Suggestions for Carbon Copy Cloner?

[podcartuneist]

I need to b/u my MacBook Pro 10.6.8.

I usually just drag the home folder (to preserve iTunes data) to my WD Passport.

The most important data on the computer is the play count, rating, artist etc. in my iTunes music library (most of my music is in Wav format and doesn't transfer those over), as well as the ratings and PC's with my archived video collection (a separate library on the same computer). None of my audio or video files were purchased from the Apple store, they are all back-up copies of my own CD and DVD discs. Any other word docs. can be backed-up to a zip drive if necessary, no big deal there.

Lately, I get messages that such and such a video file (my own backed-up DVD movies) in my iTunes library can't be read or written, and the back-up stops right then and there.

I know that CCC will try to read files twice, then move on if one can't be read or written, then complete the b/u, omitting the M4V files in question.

According to their FAQ, not all Western Digital Ext. HDs are Mac bootable using their program, but I couldn't find any recommend products on their site that were.

I don't know much about formatting a new Ext. HD so I was wondering if there were any innexpensive Mac-specific brands w/o buying online?

Costco has Seagates...are they any more reliable regarding boot-ability than WD is?

The quicker I can get a reliable b/u, the quicker I can wipe my MBP clean and re-install the OS, and hopefully solve my Airport/internet connection dilemma.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[harryb2448]

A hard drive is a hard drive. Just format it Mac OS Extended (Journaled), referred to often as +HFS. In my opinion WD are the best of the hard drives and have gone right off Seagate.

The problem with backing up video files may be the operating system. Snow Leopard is four, and about to be five, operating systems old.

 

[pm-r]

If you're having problems with CCC creating a clone, then you probably have some problems with your drives.

Use Disk Utility to repair your drive volumes and if you have any problem with the external WD, I'd suggest erasing and formatting and also run a zero-out or one pass security wipe on the WD external and then setup and run a CCC clone.

 

[chas_m]

I'm broadly with Harryb on this, but there is one notable exception to the rule that "a hard drive is a hard drive." You should be able to spot it in the chart below:



Further reading: Backblaze releases reliability data for over 41,000 hard drives | MacNN

 

[podcartuneist]

I didn't clarify that the problem I had with not reading certain files was when I dragged the "Home" folder to the Ext. HD and with time Machine, not with C C Cloner.

In the past, (last August or earlier, and all the previous times) it took about four hours to complete the b/u with the same amount of items to be copied, and I had no problem up to that point with files not being able to be copied.

The problem I'm now having with dragging the Home folder to my ext. hd is that it stops the copying process (b/u), then tells me specifically which video file it was that couldn't be read or written.

Even though it would keep all the backed up files up to that point, I then would then have to start the b/u again from scratch, when dragging the home folder over to the ext. hd again... "This file [my home folder] already exists, do you want to replace it...".

When I recently used Time Machine, at the end of the whole 4 hour b/u process, it would say something to the effect that it couldn't be completed, and I would be left with no files backed up at all!

I did try CCC once via the free trial, and it took over 11 hours (wasn't expecting that!).

I did get a few messages in the interim stating that a certain file couldn't be copied, but then it moved on...exactly what I was hoping for and why I considered buying it after the free trial.
At the end it asked if I wanted to see a list of the un-copied files, I clicked yes, but got no report.
I am going to try CCC again in a day or two, when I can delegate a ten or so hour block of time.

As previously stated in this thread, their site did say that some WD ext. hds may not be suitable for a bootable source.
If you all are saying that they are OK, I will take it at that.

If I can get a good b/u from CCC that looks easy to locate certain files after it's completed (supposedly not so easy via Time Machine) and get the corrupt file report, I will then delete those files from the MBP and then do another b/u the way that I usually do it via dragging the home folder to the ext. hd. and keep both.

Then I can wipe my MBP clean, do a re-install, upgrade from 10.6.8 the latest OS that my model will allow, then, purchase the latest version of CCC that is better at dealing with damaged files according to their tech support, which is fast to reply via email.

For the record, I too have had nothing but good luck with my 3 WD ext. hds.
My first one, a big and heavy 500 GB, around 8 years old, has been dropped at least several times, once on a hard floor, and once doing an impression of a "Slinky" whilst bouncing down a set of a dozen or so cement stairs, and still works fine.

Thanks again all for all your input.