Carbon Copy Cloner 4 overhauls interface, adds task history

Carbon Copy Cloner has rolled out a big update to their bootable backup software for OS X. The interface has been overhauled and tons of new functions have been added, such as scheduled tasks and a command-line application option.

Here's a full changelog of the new and improved Carbon Copy Cloner 4.

  • Redesigned Interface | An intuitive interface that puts the most-used features at your fingertips. Configuring a backup task is far simpler -- complex settings are hidden by default, but accessible at the click of a button. The sidebar and toolbar can be hidden or revealed to control the number of options presented at once.
  • More Efficient | The disk center, scheduled tasks, and the main window have been unified. Tasks can be saved, scheduled, and edited, all in the main window. Drag and drop source and destination volumes directly onto CCC.
  • Simple View | New simple view available that allows you to clear the visual clutter and clone in three clicks. Source > Destination > Clone.
  • Revised and updated all localizations (English, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Japanese) and added Spanish.
  • Edit scheduled tasks
  • Task History | Quickly view when your tasks have run and if they were successful. Filter the list by task name, source volume, destination volume, or run date. Receive detailed information and advice on tasks that encountered errors.
  • Menu Bar App | Keep tabs on currently running backup tasks, create a new task, stop a running task, or run a scheduled task – all from the menu bar. When a task is running, the menubar application icon changes and a simple progress indicator next to each task indicates how far along it is. Last run date and status, as well as the next run date are clearly displayed.
  • Task Chaining | Tasks can be chained together to form more complex backup routines.
  • Command Line Application | A command-line application is now included that allows you to start, stop, and watch the progress of your CCC backup tasks.
  • Task Migration | A task migration assistant will help you migrate your CCC 3.5 tasks to CCC 4.
  • SafetyNet | Create a bootable clone of your hard drive, but also keep copies of recently deleted and changed files – just in case.
  • Email Notifications | Configure your email account settings once and use across multiple tasks. There are also new ways to customize CCC's email notifications.
  • Additional Task Scheduling Options | Run tasks hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or whenever you connect your backup drive. Tasks can be also limited to running only on weekdays or weekends. By default tasks will not start if a laptop is running on battery power, and the task will start as soon as AC power is restored.
  • Administrators Only Need to Authenticate Once | Authentication is no longer required every time you want to run a task. CCC will require authentication once for an administrative user, and then that user will have one-click access to starting, stopping, and configuring tasks. Non-administrative users will be required to authenticate with administrator credentials to start, stop, or modify CCC backup tasks.
  • Knowledge Base Improved | We have rewritten our entire knowledge base and added many visually-rich quick start guides.
  • Localized documentation | We now offer an essential part of our knowledge base in German, French, Dutch, Italian, Japanese and Spanish.
  • Hundreds of fixes and improvements

You can snag a free trial of Carbon Copy Cloner to see if it's right for you, then upgrade to personal and household license for $39.99, and upgrade to pro for another $19.99. Head on over to Bombich to get started.

Simon Sage

Editor-at-very-large at Mobile Nations, gamer, giant.