Carbon Copy Cloner - backup error

Hi guys...I'm a newbie when it comes to backups. Only been doing this since I got my MBP a few months ago. CCC worked absolutely fine until last week when this error popped up. I don't do much on my computer (moving folders, etc.) so this literally came out of nowhere. I tried running repair permissions in disk utility but it didn't work. Any thoughts on how to fix it?

Thanks.

We might possibly be able to help if we knew what the error was you're receiving. The image you posted is too small to be able to read. Also, make sure you have the latest version of CCC installed. They recently in the last week posted two updates which had to do with Lion.

Have you been using MainMenu as a system cleaner ? bc there is a lot (85%) of the errors are to do with MainMenu/CoreServices/Resources and Languages

Looks like you used monolingual or some other app to remove extra languages.

Best I can suggest if CCC has an issue with that is to copy all of those individual existing resource folders from your internal into the back up. You've only looking at about 5 folders.

Just one more of those things why most of us no longer recommend those type of applications. If you're worried about the <1GB of space the extra languages are taking up, it's time for a new larger drive.

Thanks guys. I don't even know what Main Menu or Monolingual are. Haven't used them. I originally set it to copy everything to the back up except for my itunes folder, which I like to manually manage. I do believe the problem occurred since I updated the CCC program. Could this be a result of it?

I just don't understand CCC's instructions on fixing it. Could anybody give me the layman's approach?

Many thanks.

Personally, I'd just erase the drive and start over with a new clone. Be faster than trying to figure out how to fix it.

I agree. Just erase the drive, make sure it's formatted as Mac OS Extended Journaled, GUID scheme, and start over. A new backup will take awhile especially if you have a large amount of data to clone.

chscag said:

I agree. Just erase the drive, make sure it's formatted as Mac OS Extended Journaled, GUID scheme, and start over. A new backup will take awhile especially if you have a large amount of data to clone.

Click to expand...

The problem is that this drive is also used as a master itunes library. I have all of my music burned onto it. That's something I can't start over. Is there a way to delete everything but the music and just backup the laptop again?

This is an external drive we're referring to, right? If so, it should be partitioned so that CCC has its own partition to clone to. Otherwise CCC will overwrite the complete drive each time it clones.

And as Tattoo mentions, it looks like many of the errors are associated with main menu and languages.

If you're using it like that, you should have 2 partitions, 1 for CCC and another for the iTunes library?

You only erase and start over with the CCC partition.

And other question - where is your iTunes library backup?

(chscag types faster than I do)

I definitely appreciate these responses. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I asked a lot of people if I should partition and the consensus was no. Now, they may be wrong. But that's why I went this way. I was told that the beauty of CCC is that it allows you to share the backup drive with other needs. Unlike something like Time Machine, which turns an external into a complete backup and nothing else. I see the disadvantage of this choice now, but I'm kinda stuck in this boat.

My setup is that my MBP is backed up every day, incrementally, to an Iomega external HD. The only exception is the iTunes folder. This isn't backed up because I created a separate iTunes library called MASTER on the Iomega. This is where I am ripping all of my massive CD collection to at high quality. Even when all is said and done, it should only take up about 1/4 of the 1 TB Iomega.

I'm unsure why CCC is acting funny because I changed nothing and honestly, this may sound sad, but I really don't use this computer for anything other than internet, music and word processing. I'm not a techie, so I wouldn't dream of manually managing any folders. Like I said, I did notice the problem after I updated to the current version of CCC.

Is it possible to delete the scheduled backup task and creating the same one again? Or will this just create a second backup on the Iomega rather than continue the incremental backup?

There are instructions how to fix this on the CCC error report, but they don't make much sense to a guy like me.

I'll let chscag respond related to CCC since he uses it. I use SuperDuper! From my understanding CCC is just like SD! in that it creates a bootable backup and nothing else can be stored on that partition.

However, whoever told you that TM takes over a drive/partition was sorely mistaken. A single partition can in fact hold a TM backup and other data. While not recommended to be used in this way, I've been doing it for almost 4 years from 10.5 - 10.6 - 10.7. I have one drive that holds a TM backup from 3 Macs along with a partial iTunes backup and a copy of all the drivers for my Win 7 machine.

Wow, I don't know who advised you about how to use CCC, but they were wrong. And, your idea of how TM works is likewise wrong.

CCC can not share an external hard drive unless the drive is partitioned and the CCC clone is copied to its own partition. If you leave data on a drive that CCC uses to clone, it will be overwritten or deleted. And yes, bobtomay is correct in that CCC creates a bootable backup and can not share the drive with anything else.

Time Machine on the other hand can share an external hard drive with other data although I recommend not doing so. However, TM backups are not bootable.

At this point, I'd suggest you open up Disk Utility with the external connected and post a screen shot of it.


(I should note, that if I didn't have separate bootable backups, I would not be storing other data on my TM backup volume.)

Is this what you mean? Just a note, I don't believe I set anything up to be a bootable disk. Just a backup of material. I have so little stuff on my computer. Just docs and photos. I wanted to store the large amounts of music on a drive mainly and just move what I want on and off the laptop when I travel. That's why I don't back up the iTunes folder on the MBP>

Do you think if I manually delete the folders CCC is pointing out, it will just back those up correctly now?

stugots945 said:

Is this what you mean? Just a note, I don't believe I set anything up to be a bootable disk. Just a backup of material. I have so little stuff on my computer. Just docs and photos. I wanted to store the large amounts of music on a drive mainly and just move what I want on and off the laptop when I travel. That's why I don't back up the iTunes folder on the MBP>

Click to expand...

When an external HD is designated for CCC usage and the backup made, CCC will render the drive as bootable unless there is something wrong with it. And if that's the case, CCC will notify you of that with an error. It's very likely that drive is bootable.

stugots945 said:

Do you think if I manually delete the folders CCC is pointing out, it will just back those up correctly now?

Click to expand...

As I advised before, I would use Disk Utility to erase the drive, format it as Mac OS Extended Journaled, GUID scheme, and start over. At the same time you can partition the drive if you desire. CCC will use any of the two partitions and render it bootable. The second partition on the 1 TB drive you can use for storage or whatever.

After you accomplish the above, test the drive to see if you can boot with it and be able to "see" everything CCC cloned.

Thanks for this advice. Is one option for me to erase all of the backup stuff I've put on this drive manually and keep all of the music I've ripped onto it? It's hundreds of CDs and a lot of work to re-do. Then perhaps by a separate drive to use strictly as a backup as you suggested?

Yes, that's what I would do. I currently keep three external hard drives on my desk: one designated for CCC, another for Time Machine, and the last as a catch all. External hard drives are inexpensive nowadays and there is really no reason to skimp or mix and match.

Make sure you copy all your music and photos off the drive first before allowing CCC to use it.

chscag said:

Yes, that's what I would do. I currently keep three external hard drives on my desk: one designated for CCC, another for Time Machine, and the last as a catch all. External hard drives are inexpensive nowadays and there is really no reason to skimp or mix and match.

Make sure you copy all your music and photos off the drive first before allowing CCC to use it.

Click to expand...

Gotcha. Thanks again for all the help.