APFS Clone resource busy

[Fsiwtfrr]

I was told that the issue cloning Mac boot disks in APFS volumes was resolved and that the disk utility could work now. I've tried several times to clone to an external drive and I keep getting the same error, as usual,
AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, line #5481 - Resource busy
The operation couldn't be completed. (OSSStatus error 49153).

I had previously asked in a different forum about cloning my mac to an external so I could just boot to that and save time instead of reloading the entire OS, and as I stated, I was told that APFS volumes can be cloned w. disk utility, just click the target disk, restore, click the source disk, etc..
Was that invalid? Am I missing something? I thought the APFS volume had to be idle (i.e. boot to an external, clone that way). If this is still no longer possible, what's the most reliable software that doesn't require me to pay them every year for the same software I've already purchased?

 

[IWT]

How are you cloning the Mac's SSD? What system are you using? For example Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC)? Or SuperDuper!

If I were you, and I'm not, I'd abandon the Disk Utility (DU) approach and concentrate on the paid-for cloning systems as I've mentioned above. (CCC or SD!) They are pay-for but highly recommended.

But why just a Cloned BU? Have you considered the Apple built-in system, Time Machine? The only cost is an External Hard Drive (EHD).

My impression, please don't be offended, is that you may not have grasped how Cloned BUs work.

I mean no offence.

Ian

 

[MacInWin]

I was told that the issue cloning Mac boot disks in APFS volumes was resolved and that the disk utility could work now. I've tried several times to clone to an external drive and I keep getting the same error, as usual,
AddAPFSVolumeToContainer, line #5481 - Resource busy
The operation couldn't be completed. (OSSStatus error 49153).

I had previously asked in a different forum about cloning my mac to an external so I could just boot to that and save time instead of reloading the entire OS, and as I stated, I was told that APFS volumes can be cloned w. disk utility, just click the target disk, restore, click the source disk, etc..
Was that invalid? Am I missing something? I thought the APFS volume had to be idle (i.e. boot to an external, clone that way). If this is still no longer possible, what's the most reliable software that doesn't require me to pay them every year for the same software I've already purchased?

You didn't say which Mac but if it is one of the Mx Macs, booting from a clone is not as easy or useful as it used to be. Lots of tech reasons for that, but the bottom line is that full drive clones aren't as useful as they used to be.

 

[Fsiwtfrr]

How are you cloning the Mac's SSD? What system are you using? For example Carbon Copy Cloner (CCC)? Or SuperDuper!

If I were you, and I'm not, I'd abandon the Disk Utility (DU) approach and concentrate on the paid-for cloning systems as I've mentioned above. (CCC or SD!) They are pay-for but highly recommended.

But why just a Cloned BU? Have you considered the Apple built-in system, Time Machine? The only cost is an External Hard Drive (EHD).

My impression, please don't be offended, is that you may not have grasped how Cloned BUs work.

I mean no offence.

Ian

I've been using clones for quite a few years on many different operating systems (Winblows, HP-UX, AIX, Solaris, etc..). I had an issue w. the mac recently and had to do a reinstall. I want to be able to just swap a drive if needed to get the OS back up like I used to be able to do. Simple as that. I'm leaning towards CCC if it will give me the capability I need, thanks for the tip. RE: cloning the Mac, I used to have a script I used but it no longer works, for the last couple OS's.

 

[MacInWin]

I want to be able to just swap a drive if needed to get the OS back up like I used to be able to do.

If you have the newer Mac, with the Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2 family), the way you used to be able to boot from an external has significantly changed. You can read about it here

Make a Ventura bootable external disk for an Apple silicon Mac

Described and illustrated, with key points on cables, and setting up ownership and accounts. And what does happen when the external boot disk is missing?

eclecticlight.co

and here

Ownership of Apple silicon Macs matters: how it can stop external bootable disks

To boot from an external disk, Apple silicon Macs need them to have an Owner. Here’s how to investigate ownership, and how it works.

eclecticlight.co

It CAN be done, just not like before.

 

[Fsiwtfrr]

If you have the newer Mac, with the Apple Silicon chips (M1, M2 family), the way you used to be able to boot from an external has significantly changed. You can read about it here

Make a Ventura bootable external disk for an Apple silicon Mac

Described and illustrated, with key points on cables, and setting up ownership and accounts. And what does happen when the external boot disk is missing?

eclecticlight.co

and here

Ownership of Apple silicon Macs matters: how it can stop external bootable disks

To boot from an external disk, Apple silicon Macs need them to have an Owner. Here’s how to investigate ownership, and how it works.

eclecticlight.co

It CAN be done, just not like before.

AWESOME! Thanks for the info!

 

[pm-r]

It CAN be done, just not like before.

Mike Bombich, the developer of Carbon Copy Cloner.app has some interesting and helpful information regarding cloning and including the Mx family and some recent macOS Macs at his site the OP might be interested in reading such as:

Creating legacy bootable copies of macOS (Big Sur and later)
Copying Apple's system is now an Apple-proprietary endeavor; we can only offer "best effort" support for making an external bootable device on macOS Big Sur (and later OSes). We present this functionality in support of making ad hoc bootable copies of the system that you will use immediately (e.g. when migrating to a different disk, or for testing purposes), but we do not support nor recommend making bootable copies of the system as part of a backup strategy.

Please bear in mind that you can restore all of your documents, applications, and system settings from a standard CCC backup without the extra effort involved in establishing and maintaining a bootable device.

Creating legacy bootable copies of macOS (Big Sur and later) | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

bombich.com

and

Use Setup Assistant or Migration Assistant to migrate data from a CCC backup to a new Mac

I want to migrate data to a new Mac | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

bombich.com

and

Everything you need to know about Carbon Copy Cloner and APFS | Carbon Copy Cloner | Bombich Software

bombich.com

And later articles that might even be more fitting you might want to check out.

Certainly different from the old Mac ways and backup and cloning and booting methods.




- Patrick
=======

 

[MacInWin]

The biggest single difference is that in the old Intel systems, if the internal drive failed you could just attach an external drive with a system on it and boot from it. In the new Mx Macs, however, there is a part of the internal storage which HAS to be there to boot at all. So, if the internal storage totally fails, the Mx Mac is essentially unbeatable from anything. That change is caused by the tight integration of the storage on the Mx chips, which also results in the high speed operations.

Then add in the concept of "Owner" that is associated with a drive that has a boot system and it gets mroe interesting. If you don't change the default boot drive to the external before trying to boot from it, the "Owner" permissions get involved and block it until/unless you boot to Recovery and change the default boot drive. So, again, if the internal storage fails, but that little bit that is needed to boot at all still works, you sitll can't just boot from the external clone, you have to go to Recovery first to change default boot drive.

As I said earlier, it CAN be done. Just not like before.