Can You Use a Clone on an M1 Apple Computer?

In the past, we have always strongly recommended that you create a clone of your Mac to be used in case your internal drive became corrupt and were no longer able to boot up from it. The clone could then be used to boot up from and continue to use your computer until you get around to replacing or reinstalling the operating system on the internal drive.

Well, you can’t do that with any Apple Mac that has the new M1 SOC (System On a Chip). Booting from any external drive is not allowed - for security reasons (it is how a computer can be broken into without a password).

What this means is that the only method available to solve a failing internal drive is to wipe it, reinstall the OS, and then restore your data from a Time Machine backup.

Now for the REAL problem. If it turns out that the internal storage on the M1 is defective, the ONLY solution is to replace the motherboard, and that can only be done at an authorized Apple repair center.

So, good luck with your new M1 computer. May it never die.

And the second part of the bad news is, you can’t hang onto your old system that has a separate internal drive for more than another five years, because the only new systems that Apple will be delivering will contain some version of the SOC, and by then, any new OS upgrade will be locked into only the newer systems.

With any computer running on an Intel chip, I have been able to repurpose the computer by installing Linux on it. This is a simple process of booting up off an external thumb drive with Linux and then installing Linux on the internal drive. But this cannot be done with an Apple SOC machine.

Bottom line: When an Apple SOC machine can no longer be upgraded to the newest OS, it cannot be repurposed - it is junk.
Long live Linux.


John Carter, Sr.



Vaccine Card Tip

A new way for iPhone users to save a vaccine card

Brian X. Chen, the consumer technology columnist for The New York Times, is back with fresh advice on digital record keeping for Covid-19 vaccinations.

A few months ago, I shared a tip about how to securely store your digital vaccine card on your phone. As of this week, iPhone users now have a much simpler way to store their vaccine cards by adding the document to Apple’s Wallet app, its software that holds credit cards and important documents like travel itineraries.

Here’s how to set it up:

  • Download and install the latest software update for iOS (version 15.1). To do that, open the Settings app, tap General and then tap Software Update.

  • Once you receive the vaccine card, tap and hold down on the QR code — a digital bar code that looks like a bunch of black-and-white squares — to open a menu. Then select “Open in Health.”

  • Here, select “Add to Wallet & Health.” Now you can access your vaccine card by opening the Wallet app.

Jim Hamm

Apple Pay (Wallet)

FYI and possible interest, here is an article discussing a vulnerability in Apple Pay (Wallet) that potentially a hacker can get into. Only discovered in a lab so far. I do have Apple Pay (Wallet) set up in my iPhone, and almost never use it. Sprouts is the only store that I've been in that uses Apple Pay. The article recommends turning off "Express Mode" in the Wallet app, which the article said was turned on by default. I checked in 'Settings' in Wallet and mine was turned off for the two credit cards I have installed.

Maybe something for you do do if you have the Wallet app installed.

Jim Hamm

iO 15 Super Guide

If you already have, or plan to, upgrade to iOS 15 you may want to read the following article:

https://www.macworld.com/article/350966/ios-15-super-guide-features-tips-tricks-updates-safari-facetime-focus-notification-summary.html?

Here's a side note: read the comments about Safari in the article. I usually use Chrome as my browser, but opened the new Safari to see what I thought. It is so different from Chrome, and after I fiddled around with it for a while, I decided I didn't like it and went back to Chrome. If interested, take a look and see what you think.

Jim Hamm

Express VPN

We used to travel often, both in our motorhome and otherwise, and I used a VPN whenever connected to a public wifi network, such as in an RV park, airport, or hotel. I never used ExpressVPN, but this article has quite a story about it, and some other VPNs as well. Not good 'stuff' about ExpressVPN, to put it bluntly. It's interesting to note this is the VPN Kim Komando recommends in her technical emails and broadcasts. Will be interesting to see if she still recommends it after she, hopefully, reads this article.

A VPN will protect you from a hacking by someone on the same public wifi network as you are, but one must remember the internet connection will still go through the VPN's server, somewhere, and operators can then have access to your message. Realistically, this never bothered me as I never sent anything I wanted to remain confidential over a public wifi network, like credit card info, etc.

I hardly ever use a VPN anymore, as the pandemic has slowed (stopped?) our travels, and our home network and router are secure, but I find articles such as this interesting.

Jim Hamm

What's New in Apple

For a review of what's coming up in iOS 15, iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, read the following article:

https://www.howtogeek.com/732836/whats-new-in-ios-15-ipados-15-and-macos-monterey/

Lots to get your mind around, and one item that caught my attention is soon Facetime will be available on Windows and Android. I think that is a smart move by Apple. Following this, I wonder if Apple will try to get Facetime to be a competitor to Zoom, which has become quite popular during the pandemic.

Jim Hamm

Android Malware

This article discusses malware that is infecting apps for Android devices. A very scary situation, and hopefully the hackers don't try this malware on iOS devices. I must say I'm surprised they haven't tried yet. Maybe the hackers have tried and Apple's review and control of authorized apps has prevented this from happening. Seems like a good idea not to download and install an app except directly from Apple, if you have an iOS device.

Jim Hamm


https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/381038

Store Your COVID Vaccine Card

Here is an article from Macworld discussing several ways to store a copy of your COVID vaccination card with you in your iPhone, iPad or Mac. I took a photo of my two cards with my iPhone. The image is automatically stored in the Photos app. Then, on a Mac, Photos can be opened, the image found, then a name placed on it. "Vaccine" is what I used. Then, if you need to quickly show the photo to someone, a search on "vaccine" will quickly find the photo.

The article also discusses other ways.

Jim Hamm

Public WiFi

I previously used public wifi often when we traveled frequently, both by motorhome and otherwise. I never had any hacking problems, which can happen, though, if you're not careful. This article, from the Kaspersky AV blog, has some good tips on safe practices when you're on a public wifi network.

We have breakfast at Denny's occasionally, and I'll take my iPad, and I will use their public wifi to read the news. But I'll never purchase something and use a credit card, or log in to our bank, when on public wifi. Use caution.

Jim Hamm