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Time machine error: "This source is not using a Case Sensitive filesystem, while your Mac is."

Have iMac 2019, 21", i3 processor. Updated to Ventura 13.5.2. Has SLOW 5400 rpm disk which causes computer to run very slow. Beachballs a lot. Intention is to use external SSD drive as boot disk to increase iMac speed.


Earlier this week took iMac to Apple Store to have checked out as this computer has been slower than any other Mac that I have owned over the years. They said all is good, just the slow 5400rpm drive. Before I took it over, I backed up to my local NAS drive via TM, reinstalled Ventura and tried to migrate back from the NAS but it could not locate the latest backup. TM would only find a 2 year old backup. Perplexing, so I created a NEW TM backup on external SSD drive. That worked.


Have purchased Thunderbolt 3 external SSD drive to use as boot disk. I am trying to move user accounts (via Migration Assistant) to the external drive via Time Machine but getting an error.


  1. Boot up with SSD drive-much faster btw (named: Drop off Boot drive)
  2. Launch TM
  3. When asking for source (named: Macintosh Hard Drive) , says: "The selected source cannot be used for migration. This source is not using a Case Sensitive filesystem, while your Mac is."
  4. Used Disk Utility to verify filesystem formats and both are APFS, not case sensitive.


Any ideas on how to proceed? Attaching pic of Disk Utility info for both drives.




Posted on Sep 13, 2023 10:43 PM

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Posted on Sep 14, 2023 2:30 AM

I'd start over & Erase/Reformat Drop off Boot drive to APFS Not Case Sensitive.


Then to save having to use MA, I'd use CCC to clone the internal drive to the external SSD...


Carbon Copy Cloner can accomplish it in Legacy Mode...


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

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Time machine error: "This source is not using a Case Sensitive filesystem, while your Mac is."

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