Summary: Lion, SD and FV2

[Tom125]

Sorry to start a new thread, but I've been reading things here and elsewhere about SD, Lion, and FV2, and I thought I'd summarise it and make sure I have it right. SD has saved me from disaster a couple of times over the years, so I'm keen to make sure I understand the process with Lion and FV2. I've already installed Lion, but haven't yet turned on FV2.

Here's what I understand - please clarify, correct me if I'm wrong!

Recovery Partition

• Lion's recovery partition isn't copied by SD as it's a separate partition, not accessible to SD.
• SD still works fine and makes a bootable clone which also works fine (this much I've tested)
• If you had to install a new hard drive you have two options:

  • Boot from the SD clone, run SD from it, and copy to the new HD. This would work but leave you without the recovery partition.
  • Install Lion on the new drive (not sure how you do this in practice unless you bought the USB version that's coming) and then use the Migration Assistant to copy everything from the SD clone to the new drive. This would give you a recovery partition.

FileVault2

• SD runs as normal - it doesn't "see" the files as being encrypted, so like any other software it runs normally once you've logged in to allow access to the drive
• As the encryption applies to the internal drive as a whole and not the files themselves, the copy that SD makes is unencrypted on the external drive (unless you also encrypt that, but there's no point as that doesn't go out and about with me unlike my Macbook)
• Therefore I'm assuming you could boot from and restore from the SD clone, or use migration assistant as above

I would appreciate any thoughts, clarification, corrections to the above!

Thanks

Tom


PS I'm coming at this from an end user's perspective... I've been using macs for 10+ years and SD for 5ish, but I'm happy to remain not overly technical, when people start to talk about sparse bundles and the like I'm easily confused!

[dnanian]

Simply reinstalling Lion over the restored drive (an archive-and-install equivalent) should create the recovery partition. Alternatively, you can install Lion to the drive, then simply restore SD! over the existing data...

[Tom125]

Ah, OK, that's much more clever. Thanks!

[wuulfgar]

Couldn't you also just use the newly released Recover Disk Assistant to create a recovery disk on an SD card or USB drive so you have something to boot from in the event of trouble?

[dnanian]

Yes indeed, that's why they released it.

[wuulfgar]

Can someone also clarify the point about the cloned drive? I currently SuperDuper my MBP to an external Firewire 800 2.5" drive. Is there any way to keep that as encrypted as the internal drive (once I activate FileVault2)? I'm more paranoid than Tom125, I guess.

Also, what would the recovery process be? I guess the Recovery Partition has to hold the encryption keys, so maybe it isn't even possible. Hmmm. Now my head hurts. I suppose, then, the process is thus:
1. Turn on FV2. Internal drive is fully encrypted, there is a Recovery Partition in place.
2. Clone drive to external drive, but no Recovery Partition on that drive, and no encryption.
3. Create Recovery Partition on 4GB SD card, just so there is one, but again, it's for the tools therein and won't be much help with encryption of that external copy.
4. In the event of catastrophe, like a botched drive, install the new drive and install Lion on it (didn't everyone copy the DMG image after download but pre-install? :-) I'm glad I did.) This gets the Recovery Partition.
5. Clone the external drive to the internal drive, either by booting to that drive or installing SD! to the new internal drive.
6. Turn on FV2 again.

That sound about right?

[dnanian]

You'll have to encrypt the drive, then use Smart Update to copy to it... it should boot/work. Try with the Startup Disk Preference Pane first.