which settings to do this specifically...

[bchern]

Okay, I think I know the answer to this, but what I want to do doesn't seem to be one of the scenarios anyone anticipates (because it's a dumb idea? nah...) and is not so much of a backup as a reconfigure need.

I want to move my system (tiger, that is) from one partition to another, and the other partition may already have data on it that I wouldn't want to disturb. So, can I get a bootable system with all existing info and etceteras cloned to an existing drive without erasing anything on the target drive? what specific settings would be most desirable/efficient/safe?

thanks

[dnanian]

You can do this, one time, as long as there are no conflicting folders. Use "Backup - all files" with "Copy Different", and it'll copy everything over as it should, and make it bootable.

But, again, one time only.

[bchern]

thanks, that's about what I thought.

But, just out of curiosity, what would happen if I tried it a second time??? Say just one new file on the source disk?

[dnanian]

That would potentially work, but since files would never be removed from the destination, it means that your drive would eventually no longer be bootable (and would likely fill). Don't do it.

[bchern]

Never touch the RED button! Oooooh, now I want to.

But I won't do it. Which is okay, because this is exactly what I wanted to do anyway, a one time move.

(In case anyone is curious, its because my boot drive is failing and I want to RMA it, but don't really have another clean partition to move to while waiting for the replacement drive.)

Maybe this will give you an idea for another addendum to the docs.

Originally Posted by dnanian

That would potentially work, but since files would never be removed from the destination, it means that your drive would eventually no longer be bootable (and would likely fill). Don't do it.

[bchern]

disk utility may have delivered a final blow, but only after the new copied system failed to boot in spite of being selected as Startup Disk in System Preferences.

Mistakenly thinking I had booted from the new system, I ran repair permissions on that drive. (I know, I could have told I was not booted from it if I'd noticed the enabled "repair disk" button.) So, repair permissions proceeded to do something I've never seen it do before, "repair" a symbolic link. to wit:

"Repairing permissions for “haffanikkel”
Determining correct file permissions.
Symbolic link ./mach->mach_kernel repaired

Permissions repair complete"

What would be the ramifications of this? And any hope of ever making this disk bootable at this point?