How Mac Hard Drive Cloning Can Save Your Computer

Did you know that almost two-thirds of consumers experienced data loss in 2019? Accidental deletions, as well as failed hardware or software, were the top culprits.

In the business sector, data loss has such severe effects that it has led to businesses shutting down. A previous study found that 60% of small businesses fail within six months after losing data.

All these highlights the undeniable importance of data backups. Mac hard drive cloning, fortunately, makes this task of backing up data faster and simpler.

If this the first time you’ve heard of the term “hard drive cloning,” don’t worry, as we got your back. Keep reading to learn what a Mac hard drive clone is and how it can save your device.

What Exactly Is a Hard Drive Clone?

A hard drive clone is an exact duplicate or “carbon copy” of an entire hard drive system. It even contains the essential data you need to “boot” that clone. Booting that clone, in turn, allows you to start that cloned drive or place it in a new Mac.

The ability to boot is one of the main things that distinguishes a clone from a “backup.” Backups are file-based, so that includes all files, from text to images to multi-media. However, they often don’t include anything that’s not file-based, like apps or partitions.

You definitely want backups of your files, but it’s best to make it a secondary priority. That’s because, with a clone, you get not only copies of files, but also the OS, other software, and even partitions. A Mac clone HD essentially duplicates everything contained in the source hard drive.

The Benefits of Mac Hard Drive Cloning

Does your Mac keep crashing, or it now runs at an incredibly slow speed? If so, then you may want to think about reverting to a previous macOS version. Changes between the last and current version may be behind your Mac’s reduced speed.

Backups are helpful in such situations, too, but remember: they’re only copies of files. This can be a hassle if there are any software installations you need to retain in your system. If you rely only on a backup, then you’d have to go through the trouble of downloading and installing apps again.

A clone resolves these issues since you can boot off from the time you last updated the “carbon copy.”

Aside from letting you revert to a previous macOS version, here are other ways on how a clone can help and save your Mac.

Free Your Hard Drive From Malware

Macs, no doubt, have excellent malware protection, as Apple always rolls out OS updates. These updates, in turn, help patch up bugs and other vulnerabilities in the older OS version.

However, Macs can still get infected by malicious software. In 2019, for instance, they were twice as likely to get infected by adware than PCs.

Overall detections of malware in Macs have also risen by over 200% from 2018 to 2019. In 2018, experts found that Macs had an average of 4.8 malware detections. This skyrocketed to 11 detections by 2019.

If any of these malicious programs have victimized your Mac, you might want to wipe its internal HD. This then eliminates the infection within your Mac’s hard drive.

From here, you can then boot off your clone to avoid the hassle of starting from scratch. However, you have to make sure that your HD clone is free of malware, too.

It Can Help Reduce Potential Damages Caused by Malware

Your Mac can end up useless if it suffers from a major malware infection or software failure. Note, however, that some malicious software can cause physical damage to Macs. The malware called “mshelper”, for instance, have shown to cause Macs to overheat.

Overheating, in turn, can damage not only your hard drive but your entire Mac. This can then mess up your device to the point that you can no longer use it. This leaves you with only two choices: expensive Mac repair or an even more costly new Mac.

Worse, if you don’t have backups of your files, you may have no other way to recover them. If that Mac is a business property, then you may be at risk of severe losses and even liabilities.

That said, a clone lets you rollover to a version (or a point in time) wherein your Mac was still malware-free. You can then have that internal HD cleaned up while you use your clone.

In this way, cloning your Mac HD can help mitigate your risks of total device failure. Of course, you’d still want to have a robust antimalware program installed in your gear. You should also keep your Apple computer’s OS up-to-date at all times.

All these habits and practices can help keep your Mac safe and functioning optimally.

You Can Use It as a Standard Backup

As mentioned above, clones are like backups, only much better since they’re CCs of your HD. Still, this shouldn’t stop you from using a clone as you would a regular backup. Besides, it’s always better to have at least three backup sources.

According to experts, you should live by the “3-2-1” rule when it comes to creating backups.

The “3” there stands for having a total of at least three copies of your data. The “2” refers to having backups in two different types of media (such as a clone and another Time Machine backup). The “1” pertains to having at least one backup source located off-site.

Reduce Risks of Mac Failure by Cloning Its HD Now

There you have it, the most vital facts you need to know about Mac hard drive cloning. As you can see, it’s an incredibly useful way to create backups and revert to a previous macOS version. Best of all, it helps you keep your Mac safe, healthy, and possibly free of malware.

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