Creating a Restore Disk Image

I have been having some serious problems with my Mac lately which have
indicated a possible malware infection. I recently "rebuilt" my system
(in other words, re-installed the OS and such), then tried to create a
disk image of my entire hard drive so I wouldn't have to download the
OS (and other software) updates again. I intended to use this disk
image to restore my entire system files (or my Hard Drive) every time I
restart my Mac. After finding that the Disk Utility will not
succesfully create a disk image of the Hard Drive, I contacted Apple
for assistance and they are now telling me that this won't work because
you can't reliably mount or boot the OS using a disk image. Apple is
even trying to tell me that cloning my hardrive won't work (reliably).
Apple's explanation is that for some unexplainable reason it is not
sufficient to transfer the crucial OS files into RAM from an external
Hard Drive or other disk. Rather, the OS files MUST be loaded from the
original HD the system files were installed upon. One rep I spoke with
vaguely explained that the OS files must be loaded into RAM in a
certain sequence. I asked if the instructions which performed the
proper sequential installation of these files were stored in the NV-RAM
or somewhere other than the Hard Drive. His answer was "No". He
admitted that they are stored on the Hard Drive and are part of the OS.
I argued that a disk image or clone of the Hard Drive would also
contain these instructions and should therefore install the files in
the proper sequence. He continued to insist that the copy would not
load the files into RAM in the proper sequence, without offering any
explanation. I find this rather odd. I get the impression that someone
doesn't want me to create an indestructible system. Does anyone have
any information or advice to share on this subject? I could use all the
help I can get. Hopefully, this message will get posted. Because of the
problems I am having, I don't trust anything I send or receive to
remain intact and unaltered at this point.

-Phantasy

In article <. com>,
wrote:

> Does anyone have
> any information or advice to share on this subject? I could use all the
> help I can get. Hopefully, this message will get posted. Because of the
> problems I am having, I don't trust anything I send or receive to
> remain intact and unaltered at this point.

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

That's the easy way. People have been cloning their drives for a number
of years now. I've successfully restored a cloned drive this way more
than once.

If you can use the command line, then

man asr

provides a really good set of instructions (from Apple) about how to do
your cloning that way.
--
W. Oates
Teal'c: He is concealing something.
O'Neil: Like what?
Teal'c: I am unsure, he is concealing it.

Warren Oates wrote:
> In article <. com>,
> wrote:
>
> > Does anyone have
> > any information or advice to share on this subject? I could use all the
> > help I can get. Hopefully, this message will get posted. Because of the
> > problems I am having, I don't trust anything I send or receive to
> > remain intact and unaltered at this point.
>
> http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html
>
> That's the easy way. People have been cloning their drives for a number
> of years now. I've successfully restored a cloned drive this way more
> than once.
>
> If you can use the command line, then
>
> man asr
>
> provides a really good set of instructions (from Apple) about how to do
> your cloning that way.
> --

Thank you. I am aware of this file and have been attempting to find the
time to study it in detail. Apple is telling me that if I restore my
entire hard drive as I intend, that my computer will no longer be under
warranty because what I am trying to do is not supported and will
result in a corruption of system files (a tragedy for which they have
no intention of offering tech support). I have also been informed that
I would be violating the copyright laws if I backed up the entire hard
drive since I will be creating a copy of the OS files beyond the
intended use permitted by Apple (for the record, I retaliated by
informing the rep of the Fair Use Act to which the rep conceded I had a
legitemate argument).

-Phantasy

<> wrote:

> I have been having some serious problems with my Mac lately which have
> indicated a possible malware infection

I'm skeptical. What are these problems? m.


--
matt neuburg, phd = , http://www.tidbits.com/matt/
Tiger - http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/tiger-customizing.html
AppleScript - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0596102119
Read TidBITS! It's free and smart. http://www.tidbits.com

In article <. com>,
wrote:

> I have been having some serious problems with my Mac lately which have
> indicated a possible malware infection.

There is, at this time, no malware that can affect or infect OS X which
is in circulation. Whatever your problem is, it is **NOT** malware.

> I recently "rebuilt" my system
> (in other words, re-installed the OS and such), then tried to create a
> disk image of my entire hard drive so I wouldn't have to download the
> OS (and other software) updates again. I intended to use this disk
> image to restore my entire system files (or my Hard Drive) every time I
> restart my Mac.

Do you mean you want to start the Mac from your hard drive, then restore
it from the image, or you want to boot from the image?

Neither one will work. You can not boot from a disk image, because you
can not mount a disk image until the computer has booted. You can not
restore a currently booted operating system from a disk image, because
you can not replace the system that is currently in use.

> After finding that the Disk Utility will not
> succesfully create a disk image of the Hard Drive, I contacted Apple
> for assistance and they are now telling me that this won't work because
> you can't reliably mount or boot the OS using a disk image. Apple is
> even trying to tell me that cloning my hardrive won't work (reliably).

They are correct on the first part, and incorrect on the second. You can
not do what you are trying to do from a disk image--but you CAN
successfully clone a hard drive, even a boot drive, to another hard
drive. I have done this many, many times. It is a standard part of my
backup strategy.

I use the shareware Carbon Copy Cloner from Bombich Software, which you
can download from Versiontracker and all the usual suspects. The program
SuperDuper! also works quite well for this.

> Apple's explanation is that for some unexplainable reason it is not
> sufficient to transfer the crucial OS files into RAM from an external
> Hard Drive or other disk. Rather, the OS files MUST be loaded from the
> original HD the system files were installed upon.

This is incorrect.

It is correct that you can not simply copy the files and expect them to
work; many of the files are invisible, have special permissions, or
both, and a Finder copy will not work. A cloning program, however,
copies even invisible files and preserves disk permissions.

> One rep I spoke with
> vaguely explained that the OS files must be loaded into RAM in a
> certain sequence.

True but irrelevant. The sequence they are loaded into RAM has nothing
to do with the way they were copied or the sequence in which they are
recorded on a hard disk.

> I asked if the instructions which performed the
> proper sequential installation of these files were stored in the NV-RAM
> or somewhere other than the Hard Drive. His answer was "No". He
> admitted that they are stored on the Hard Drive and are part of the OS.
> I argued that a disk image or clone of the Hard Drive would also
> contain these instructions and should therefore install the files in
> the proper sequence. He continued to insist that the copy would not
> load the files into RAM in the proper sequence, without offering any
> explanation.

He's a moron. Like I said, i do this all the time. I have created many,
many bootable clones of every OS X version from 10.0.0dp3 to 10.4.8
without difficulty.

> I find this rather odd. I get the impression that someone
> doesn't want me to create an indestructible system. Does anyone have
> any information or advice to share on this subject? I could use all the
> help I can get. Hopefully, this message will get posted. Because of the
> problems I am having, I don't trust anything I send or receive to
> remain intact and unaltered at this point.

Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone to another hard disk--it's all good.

--
Art, photography, shareware, polyamory, literature, kink:
all at http://www.xeromag.com/franklin.html
Nanohazard, Geek shirts, and more: http://www.villaintees.com

In article <. com>,
wrote:

> Thank you. I am aware of this file and have been attempting to find the
> time to study it in detail. Apple is telling me that if I restore my
> entire hard drive as I intend, that my computer will no longer be under
> warranty because what I am trying to do is not supported and will
> result in a corruption of system files (a tragedy for which they have
> no intention of offering tech support). I have also been informed that
> I would be violating the copyright laws if I backed up the entire hard
> drive since I will be creating a copy of the OS files beyond the
> intended use permitted by Apple (for the record, I retaliated by
> informing the rep of the Fair Use Act to which the rep conceded I had a
> legitemate argument).

I've never heard such crap. Apple told you all that? That backing up
your entire hard drive violated _copyright_? That restoring your hard
drive voids your _warranty_? Which Apple were you talking to? Post the
name of the CSR here, please.
--
Warren.

matt neuburg wrote:
> <> wrote:
>
> > I have been having some serious problems with my Mac lately which have
> > indicated a possible malware infection
>
> I'm skeptical. What are these problems? m.
>

I don't believe you or anyone else needs to worry. If my suspicions are
right, it may be personal (perhaps even partly the consequence of
someone at Apple giving me a hard time for complaining so much). First
of all, at least one fully functional freeware title which I downloaded
(to complete a project) turned into limited/disabled demo version (I
know this sounds crazy, and you're probably laughing your guts out, yet
I am telling the truth). Second, an updater for my security software
isn't functioning properly. Furthermore, I am having serious problems
with video downloads. A website I visited previously and succesfully
downloaded music video's from (Yahoo's "Launchcast" website) a couple
weeks ago no longer works (supposedly because the media is not
compatible with Mac although I see no reason it shouldn't especially
considering that it worked a couple weeks ago). And the Window's Media
Player for Mac OS X will not install. Apparently, it is crashing while
decompressing. the Microsoft website suspiciously states that they do
not support third-part decompression software. So, I downloaded the
supposedly free Flip4Mac software which not only won't launch when I
click on links which should launch this app, the basic version I
supposedly downloaded has turned into a limited trial version (as
opposed to a basic version). I am also experiencing trouble with my
webmail (drafts which I have saved are not displaying, as though they
have been deleted although this is not the case since the file size
remains unchanged). The list goes on. That's just the software issues
I've been having. I've also caught people attempting to access my
computer hardware and CD's/DVD's (one individual actually had his hands
on my laptop backpack...when I caught him he quickly apologised as if
he were attempting to convince me he had somehow made a mistake, then
he ran off almost tripping himself). I'm not sure if they were
succesful in their attempts or not, but it is possible that they were.

-Phantasy

Mike Rosenberg wrote:
> matt neuburg <> wrote:
>
> > > I have been having some serious problems with my Mac lately which have
> > > indicated a possible malware infection
> >
> > I'm skeptical. What are these problems? m.
>
> What, you don't believe he has problems due to non-existant software?
> ;-)
>
> --
> <http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts
> <http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts
> <http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers
> <http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift

To be honest, I am suspicious that my OS DVD's that came with my
computer (and which I am installing the OS with) are not authentic
copies. I believe they are modified copies made to look legit. So, I
don't doubt that the Mac OS is one of the most secure systems you can
get. I just don't trust my OS. So, I went out and bought a copy of the
latest OS X DVD. Yet, after noticing some serious scratches in it, I
took it back and exchanged it. The replacement also had some
manufacturing defects in it so I took it back too. The third one also
had a defect and so I took it back as well. I discovered that the store
was all out of OS X DVD's. Yet, they ALWAYS have a rack full of OS X
DVD's (probably because one ever buys them). Apparently, they sold a
rack full of OS X DVD's in less than a week. I was told to wait while
they looked for a copy in the back (the employees only area).
Supposedly, they had one copy left in the back, which was given to me
by the store manager, who reprimanded me for returning the other two
(he told me they wouldn't accept a return of this copy even if it was
defective). Being "paranoid", it made me feel uncomfortable not being
able to randomly pick out a copy myself (as I insisted on doing
previously). I felt unsure of the authenticity of this disk as well. My
"paranoia" isn't helped by the fact that the store will not sell me
another copy. After all these months, they still have not restocked
their display shelves. All they have are these small plastic anti-theft
display cases with photocopies of the OS X DVD box. Yet, I called them
one day to find out if they had any copies in. They told me they did.
When I showed up, I noticed that the shelves were still empty (having
been replaced by those plastic anti-theft cases with a picture of the
OS X DVD in each) and one of he new employees told me they were in the
back. He went to get one but came back insisting that they didn't have
any copies left (perhaps as an attempt to force me to use the last copy
they gave me?). I get the feeling that they have plenty of OS X DVD's
in the back. The employees have just been ordered not to let me have a
copy. I'll bet they have a picture of me in the back next to the OS X
DVD's warning their employees not to let me have one...or they are
FIRED!!! If so, I wonder who is behind this scheme. I don't believe
it's the store. I think they are simply acting under orders from
someone pretending to have authority. The question is...WHO? The plot
thickens...

-Phantasy

Mike Rosenberg wrote:
> <> wrote:
>
> > I've also caught people attempting to access my
> > computer hardware and CD's/DVD's (one individual actually had his hands
> > on my laptop backpack...when I caught him he quickly apologised as if
> > he were attempting to convince me he had somehow made a mistake, then
> > he ran off almost tripping himself).
>
> I'm confused. Is this the malware of which you spoke, or is it Apple's
> henchmen out to get you? In either case, a tinfoil hat is in order.
>

This was a very real person. I don't believe he was in any way
associated with Apple. Rather, he's probably just another one of the
many corporate spies on my tail end.

-Phantasy

In article <. com>,
wrote:

> I get the feeling that they have plenty of OS X DVD's
> in the back. The employees have just been ordered not to let me have a
> copy. I'll bet they have a picture of me in the back next to the OS X
> DVD's warning their employees not to let me have one...or they are
> FIRED!!! If so, I wonder who is behind this scheme. I don't believe
> it's the store. I think they are simply acting under orders from
> someone pretending to have authority. The question is...WHO? The plot
> thickens...

Uh huh. Why don't you order a Tiger DVD from the online Apple Store?

What store is this? I can't believe you had that kind of bad luck -- 3
unusable DVDs?
--
W. Oates
Teal'c: He is concealing something.
O'Neil: Like what?
Teal'c: I am unsure, he is concealing it.