To Clone or not to Clone?

[Lifeisabeach]

Ahaa! I get it. Yes, there should be an easier way. What about removing Permissions in Security & Privacy settings I wonder?

Mmmm.... not sure what permissions you mean there. I had tried adjusting the permissions of the actual file in Finder, but no dice. Tried a bunch of things. Well. Everything except emailing the developer. I was too stubborn to see if they had any advice. Come to think of it, I can't recall if I used the app's uninstaller but I'm sure I did. You would think that, if nothing else, would do the job. I just checked and it did see an update last month for Monterey compatibility, so maybe that has been resolved. In any event, the general point is that there are fringe needs to be able to boot from a clone, or not even necessarily a clone but another volume (external or internal) just to be able to manipulate files that you can't normally.

 

[MacInWin]

I haven't tried a bootable clone with 12.1 yet. Dawg only knows what Apple broke this time. I was successful making a bootable clone previously with Monterey, and it very specifically came in handy to help me delete a file installed by a mouse utility that was causing me problems and no other method available to me would allow me to delete it. I really hope bootable clones don't die entirely because they do allow for some troubleshooting options and solutions that you can't get otherwise. With that issue I had, lacking a bootable clone, I would likely have had to resort to reinstalling Monterey.

Bootable externals (both clones and installed OSes) are fully functional in Monterey on M1 systems, again, as long as the machine hardware is functional. So, in your case, you could boot an M1 system from an external to allow you to delete the file in question. But you should have been able to accomplish the same thing through a Safe boot, or a boot into Recovery.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Bootable externals (both clones and installed OSes) are fully functional in Monterey on M1 systems, again, as long as the machine hardware is functional. So, in your case, you could boot an M1 system from an external to allow you to delete the file in question. But you should have been able to accomplish the same thing through a Safe boot, or a boot into Recovery.

"Should" have, but I couldn't. See the discussion I linked to. You suggested it then and I tried it for laughs. No dice. Actually... boot into Recovery? I'm not familiar with doing anything in that mode but reinstalling macOS.

EDIT: it looks like you are referring to "Fallback Recovery OS mode". Now THAT I'd never heard of before... just dug it up while trying to figure out what you meant.

How to Boot an M1 Mac Into Recovery Mode (Compared to an Intel Mac)

Macs can operate in macOS Recovery Mode, which allows you to run emergency maintenance on your desktop or laptop. It’s a special mode that loads native recovery tools that help you out when you are in a jam.

eshop.macsales.com

 

[MacInWin]

Yep. M1 Macs are NOT Intel Macs. Old habits are going to need some review.

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Yep. M1 Macs are NOT Intel Macs. Old habits are going to need some review.

I just gave it a whirl and "Recovery Mode" vs "Fallback Recovery OS Mode" look the same. Apparently the only practical difference is that Startup Security Utility is not available in the latter, so I don't see that being helpful. I can't recall offhand if I tried using Terminal to delete the offending file from Recovery Mode. I want to say I did, but this was a few months ago now.

EDIT: apparently I don't actually have that mode available to me, and I have no idea why! This article explains how to check for it... and I don't have it, but I should.

Fallback Recovery OS - A Hidden Boot Trick on M1 Macs

Introduce a hidden boot mode on M1 Macs - Fallback Recovery OS. Find out how to boot in it and whether it is available on your M1 Mac.

iboysoft.com

 

[MacInWin]

Have a read here: Why your M1 may not have Fallback Recovery yet

 

[Lifeisabeach]

Have a read here: Why your M1 may not have Fallback Recovery yet

Yeah, I ran across that previously and I'm baffled because I have done updates. Well actually... do they mean "major" updates, rather than minor ones like 12.1? If a clean reinstall wipes it out (I did do a nuke and pave with 12.0.1 to try and get Time Machine working), and if 12.1 doesn't count as an update that rebuilds it, then that must mean I won't get it back until macOS 13. Which... well that's just nutty.

 

[MacInWin]

I don't know, and I've not seen any clear reference to what triggers the creation of FRoS. Maybe we will know more when 12.2 arrives?

 

[Rod]

My major concern is the US economic recovery, if the Australian dollar falls much further against the US dollar I wont be able to afford to buy the new 14" MX when we eventually get back to Australia, now scheduled for some time in February.