4.1.1. Disk Utility – Troubleshooting

1. I am getting an error message “Resource Busy” while creating an image using Disk Utility. What should I do?

This error usually occurs if the Disk for which you are trying to create an image is mounted. Use the “UNMOUNT” button to unmount a volume before creating an image and try again.

2. What to do if I am getting an error message “No Space Left on Device”?

You get this error message if the space available on the destination drive, where you are saving the image, is less than the size of the disk for which image is being created. To resolve this, you need to free up more space or try using a different disk with available space more the size of the disk for which image has to be created.

3. Why the option to create image for my APFS volume is disabled in Disk Utility?

If the disk for which you are trying to create an image is in APFS file system, the create image option for that APFS volume will be disabled in Disk Utility. However, you can create an image of the APFS container. The create image option for its APFS container will be enabled and can be used in the same way as the volume, for creating an image.

4. What to do if the option to create image is disabled for the disk/volume which has the macOS installed in it.

The option to create an image of the complete hard drive or the volume on which macOS is installed is disabled by default while running the macOS from the same drive. To make an image of such drive/volume containing the macOS, you need to boot your Mac in Recovery Mode. Reboot or boot up the Mac and hold Command + R as it boots. It’ll boot into Recovery Mode, and you can click Disk Utility to open it up. In Recovery Mode, macOS runs a special sort of recovery environment which allows you to use Disk Utility to create image of the hard drive/volume which has the macOS installed in it.