Bootable image of harddrive restore

[anmckenn]

Hey guys, Im trying to restore a bootable image of my brand new macbook pro. With the install disk in, I selected language, then disc utility from the utilities menu, erased the Macintosh HD and selected to restore it with my .dmg image. It told me that it failed because it had to be scanned. So when I tried to scan it it to me it couldn't due to "invalid argument". I have no clue what that means and can't find it anywhere. Has anyone ever heard of this before. Do you know an easier way of doing this.

 

[bobtomay]

What bootable image? How was that image created? Where is that image located?

 

[anmckenn]

it is on an external harddrive and was created in disk utility on my other unibody macbookpro. It was an image of my Hard drive.

 

[anmckenn]

When i initiate the restore it gives me this message "the source image needs to be imagescanned before it can be restored" then when I go to image, scan image a message comes up "unable to scan 'Macintosh HD.dmg' (invalid argument)

 

[anmckenn]

i just verified the disk 'Macintosh HD.dmg' and it turned up OK after all the checks. I really need to reinstall this as it is the backup of my computer the way I like it. Ive got hours and hours into it, please help!!!!

 

[bobtomay]

You're going to find very few that use the method you're talking about except for those members of ADC. Typically that restore is used for a clean install of the OS only, not for a restore of a back up from computer to computer.

I'm not even sure that it will work at all due to: a)not having the proper drivers for your new machine in the system files of your old one, b)if you're trying to restore a 10.5 image on your new Mac or c)if you're trying to restore a 10.6 image where that system is one created by the discs that shipped with your other machine as those discs and the OS it installed are system specific.

I'd recommend re-installing the system with the discs that shipped with your new Mac and then using Migration Assistant to move your data, system settings, etc.

 

[anmckenn]

i will try that, its a 10.6.2 and I will reinstall osx and driver, that makes perfect sense. I do have to ask you one thing though, where is migration assistant????

 

[clayneal]

You will find it in

applications/utilities/migration assistant.app


Hope this helps
good luck
Clay

 

[bobtomay]

Also, when you first boot up in a fresh install, I believe it will ask if you want to import from another system initially. Been awhile since I did a clean install and I'm sorta senile. That will be Migration Assistant and you can start it there. Should guide you through the steps you need.

 

[anmckenn]

I re installed everything again and at the beginning when it asks you if you want to use info fomr another mac/timecapsule etc, there was no opion to use external harddrive. No big deal it said I could use migration assistant later, like everyone is saying here. But now when I open migration assistant and select other disk it does not stop loading the little circular loader just stays on, its been on for about an hour now not recognizing the external hard drive (which was originally formated for mac). I am out of options here. Please help, the image verified ok, the drive is fine, the mac is brand new and newly formated and installed ready to go. is there any other way to restore this image. two different mac techs told me to do it this way on two different phone calls.

 

[Collin Bl]

guys, Im trying to restore a bootable image of my brand new macbook pro

U do not say how u made the bootable image.
My method which worked OK was to make a .dmg of a newly installed OS on a G3 that i was testing and did not want to have to go thru complete install/update process, yet again. With G3 in Target mode i used Disk Utility on my Intel machine to make a .dmg of G3 hard drive.
When i was ready to do a clean install over the G3 HD i started it in Target Mode with Firewire lead to Intel unit and once again used Disk Utility - by selecting restore - to put the OS back onto the G3 HD. Seem to recall it saying it was scanning the dmg at one point, Hope that might be of help.

Migration Assistant in Utilities on a new OS, will import user data from eg a Superduper bootable backup that is on a Ext HD - Must be connected on Firewire if it is a PPC Mac.

 

[bobtomay]

Need to read more...

In summary...

He's got a dmg image on an external drive created from his older Intel MBP via Disk Utility.
He has a new MBP.
Has already tried the restore method via Disk Utility and it does not work. The scan returns an error.
Has now tried using Migration Assistant connected to the external drive and it sits there doing nothing.

I have never tried using a dmg image to restore as I found SuperDuper! right away.

My only suggestion at this point (assuming you still have the old MBP) is to choose the wireless method in Migration Assistant and direct from the old MBP, not from the image you've created. Mac OS X 10.5, 10.6: How to use Migration Assistant to transfer files from another Mac

 

[anmckenn]

Collin I did exactly that except I don't have the old MBP, I saved the image to an external hard drive (mac formatted) and Migration assistant does not bring it up or anything in that matter, in just continuously loads for over 2 1/2 hours I stopped it and am now loosing my mind over this, it seems like ive tried everyting. Like what does "invalid argument" mean on a mac anyway? Is there any other way to load an image file into a mac, third party or whatever, im stuck?

 

[bobtomay]

Check and make sure you're following these steps.

 

[anmckenn]

I did follow those steps, is there any other way of verifying if my image file is corrupted?? Thanks again for your help guys, it sucks that no one else is helping us.

 

[Collin Bl]

My understanding is that one can use migration assistant to either extract data from a/ the HD from another operable computer or b/ an Ext HD with a bootable copy of an operating system. A Disk image is used to place onto to an already formatted HD data exactly as it was copied off another HD and i have only ever used Disk Utility for that.

 

[bobtomay]

My understanding is that one can use migration assistant to either extract data from a/ the HD from another operable computer or b/ an Ext HD with a bootable copy of an operating system. A Disk image is used to place onto to an already formatted HD data exactly as it was copied off another HD and i have only ever used Disk Utility for that.

From what you know about it, if the restore is returning an error during the scan, there must be some sort of data corruption with the disc image?

Is the only alternative at this point going to be replacing the home folder of a clean install with the home folder from the image? Then having to redo all his settings? And, I would guess apply the combo update to 10.6.2 after?