Creating A Bootable Backup Of Drive With Multiple Volumes

[PGB1]

Good Day!

I have a semi-older Intel MacBook Pro (2.2 Ghz Core 2 Duo 2GB RAM) running OS X 10.6.8
My question is about creating a bootable clone of the hard disk that is partitioned into two volumes. The volume I use daily is 98.29GB & the other one is 28.13GB. Both are bootable. I apologize that the post is rather wordy. I want to give good details for your evaluation of the situation.

Background-
I have used Prosoft's Data Backup, but it has proven unreliable, at least on my computers. (Separate purchases of the program to use on 2 machines)

Restore has never operated. I have to do file-by-file recovery. Backing up to multiple optical disks also never worked. (The program can not read it's 'successful' back up.)

Incremental back up requires a total erase of the target drive & complete 'do-over', thus defeating the purpose of incremental.

The latest program upgrade has caused it to fail during backups. Often the program won't even start without re-booting the computer several times.

The other problem is that the Prosoft program's new update requires a program called Executor.app to start at boot & run all the time. Also new is now, when I boot the Mac, it boots twice, sometimes 3 or 4 times. Uninstalling Data Backup & Executor cured that problem. Re-installing re-created the problem.

Checking Activity Monitor.app shows Executor to be a resource hog. If I stop the process, it re-starts on its own.

To use Data Backup, I have to have Java running via Java Preferences.app I don't know if leaving Java on is a security problem or not. I usually leave it off.

Tech support could not help. Since the program won't play well with my two computers, I'd prefer to call it a loss & eliminate the program in its entirety.

The Target Destination Drive-
It is a firewire drive that is used to back up two computers. It has these separate volumes: Clone Paul MacBook - Clone Grace's MacBook - Incremental Backup Paul's MacBook. In Finder they appear as separate drives.
Right now, I do simple drag-and-drop just so I have something on an external. (Just like Fred Flintstone did)

My Idea-
Since I'm trying not to add yet another program to my computer (such as Carbon Copy or Super Duper), I studied all I could find about cloning with Disk Utility.

I learned how to make a bootable clone of a drive with a single partition using Disk Utility.app by booting to Recovery Mode and using the Restore function. But, is it possible to make a bootable clone of both volumes on my hard drive? (Booting separately)

Ideally, I'd leave the destination disk's volumes "Clone Grace's~" and "Incremental Backup~" as they are and only use the volume for "Paul's Clone" to contain both bootable volumes of my MacBook Pro hard drive. I'm guessing that is not possible, since both are bootable.

Plan B will be to re-partition the target drive with one for Grace's clone, one for my incremental, one for each volume on the Mac HDD. (4 total)

I think I will use (try) Time Machine.app for the incrementals, since it already is installed. The program looks kind of interesting. (I learned that with 10.6.8 Time Machine can not make bootable clones.)

Thank You for any tips and ideas. (Or for telling me it can not be done.)
Enjoy This Day!

Paul

PS: I do backup my computer automatically offsite, but the offsite company strongly suggests local backups, thus Data Backup.

 

[chscag]

I'll be brief: Stop torturing yourself with all the extra work and complication. Buy CCC or SD and make bootable clones of both those partitions to a separate external hard drive. Both programs will do incremental backups and can be scheduled. ProSoft makes great data recovery software, but needs to stay out of the backup business. I personally use both Time Machine and CCC on a regular basis to make backups.

 

[PGB1]

Thank You Chscag!
Your reply got me at "complication". I got a chuckle.

Perhaps I should abandon my Grand Plan & buy one of the two mentioned. From what I have read here, people seem to be pleased with both programs.

I'll use Disk Utility on the jobs for which it was intended. (Lots of permission repair sessions lately- Since updating the Data Backup program.)

Thanks Again!
Paul

 

[MacInWin]

+1 for what chscag said. I do the same thing, TM and CCC scheduled to run once daily to two different drives.

 

[PGB1]

Thank You Both.
You guys' plan sounds like the one best for me.
Paul

 

[PGB1]

Just Reporting Back To Say "Thanks!"

I did as you guys suggested & bought SuperDuper! and set up Time Machine
Both applications were very, very easy to set up and customize.

The documentation for SuperDuper! is excellent and quite easy to understand. I also liked the Play-By-Play of the process. It cloned my drive in less than half the time of my previous backup program. The clone functions as it should, too. (The other one often failed to boot & had to be repeated many times.)

I have used Time Machine for incremental backups. They, too, have not failed yet. It is also far faster than my old program. I did notice some things about the process that I don't understand, but I will put those in a different thread. I'm sure they are not problems, but I am always curious.

Thanks Again for your help & advice. It is appreciates.
Paul