How to convert to APFS to be able to upgrade OS?

[Raven]

I asked this last year and did not find a solution... My wife has a Mac mini OS 12.6.2. She uses Super Duper 3.7 to back up which is supposed to happen daily. Now she asked me again about upgrading to OS 14.
Last year, I tried to back up first using Super Duper, it said to "Convert to APFS". I tried, and it went all night long, so I had to Force Quit Super Duper next morning!
Now I tried to back up and upgrade again, but the same "Convert to APFS" came up.
I also checked her back up drive, and it looks like nothing has been backed up since the last upgrade to OS12. Ooops!

So, how to convert to APFS so we can upgrade?
Is there a way to upgrade without converting to APFS and NOT backing up first?
Makes me nervous to go that route.

[jchuzi]

This article may refer to your situation:  How to Upgrade to APFS if Not Done in macOS High Sierra Installer even though your wife's OS is not precisely the same, but it may apply. Otherwise, look at this search page

[Raven]

When I go to Disk Utility to try to convert to APFS, the EDIT menu only gives me ADD APFS volume? is this the correct option? I haven't been able to back up my wife's files on OS12.6, so I am a bit hesitant to make sure it's the right thing to do. Somewhere I read if I do it wrong it cannot be undone. 

[jchuzi]

Did you boot into Recovery Mode, as the article says, instead of simply launching Disk Utility while booted normally? I haven't tried this myself, so I'm just asking.

[Raven]

Jchuzi,
When I read those links and comments, I see other people had problems with "reformat disk, reinstall OS, unmount drive, flashing folder". Wow! Is that the chance I have to take? That would totally create chaos as I would not know how to fix that.

Aside, if I upgrade my wife's Mac mini from OS12.7.4 to the latest OS14 Sonova, will that process automatically convert to APFS?
It's just that it seems I cannot back up using SuperDuper without having APFS first. Chicken or egg?
 

[jchuzi]

Aside, if I upgrade my wife's Mac mini from OS12.7.4 to the latest OS14 Sonova, will that process automatically convert to APFS?

I believe that this is true. I suggest that you call Apple Tech Support to confirm it.

[Raven]

When I go to Super Duper to back up, It says "APFS conversion required".
When I go to Disk Utility to do that, it shows Macintosh HD/Type - "APFS Start up Snapshot".
Has my internal drive already been converted to APFS?

When I go to Partition, it shows Format - APFS greyed out.

So why can I not back it up? It was supposed to back up daily with Super Duper, but there have no back ups for a year!

[Raven]

Even more questions 
In Disk Utility/EDIT it shows "ADD APFS Volume". Not "Convert".
Is that different?
If I go that route, will it matter?

[Xairbusdriver]

Please give us step-by-step actions you are taking to open Disk Utility.
1. ?
2. ?
3. ?
4. ?
5. Started Disk Utility

Add or leave out steps as needed.

[Raven]

 :toothgrin:1. clicked DU icon at bottom of screen.
2. DU window opens up
3. EDIT in menu bar brings this drop down field
As per image.

[Xairbusdriver]

I don't know what "screen" you are talking about. Is that the small screen you see after restarting in Recovery Mode?

[Raven]

Mac Mini monitor screen.

[Xairbusdriver]

I can assume it is a screen on some kind of Mac. The important part of my question is the steps you take to get there. Specifically, "Is that the small screen you see after restarting in Recovery Mode". It is critical, when answering questions, to be as specific as possible, particularly when offered links and/or actions to take. John has asked you several questions (#2, #4, #6) but I cannot see any answers to most of them.

[Raven]

Sorry for the delay to reply. I get confused when I start trying to fix this after reading numerous Apple community user comments. And I don't have access to my wife's Mac mini easily when I ask her not to use it for a while.

I had gone into Recovery Mode as jchuzi explained.
Then I double clicked the Disk Utility icon at the bottom of the Finder.
When I look at the DU window side bar, I see this list and I am not sure which one I should be selecting:

This is what I see from TOP down…
1. Apple SSD… media
2. Container Disk 3
3. MacIntosh HD - APFS Volume Group
4. MacIntosh HD - APFS System Volume APFS ( this line is greyed out)
5. MacIntosh HD - APFS Start up Snap shot
6. Data - APFS Data Volume APFS
7. Extra Volume - APFS Volume APFS (this line is all greyed out)

When I chose one (3.Mac HD - is that the right one?), and go to Menu Bar/Edit - it only shows "ADD APFS Volume". Yet Super Duper said to "CONVERT to APFS". 
Then the message is the "conversion may fail and cannot be undone."

IF I ADD, where and how large of an addition? Every step seems to have another question. I'm sure this is simple for all you TS experts, it just makes me nervous to screw up my wife's Mac during the time she is preparing our income tax. Yadda. 

And how do I know when I am in Recovery Mode or not?

[krissel]

First of all, are you backing up to the same hard drive as the one with original data? Not very helpful unless all you are interested in is going back with Time Machine to a previous state. Otherwise if you have a problem with the hard drive you really have nothing, no backup at all. I backup to several external drives. They're cheap enough these days.


That said, it appears as though your drive is already APSF. When you are in DU, click on the View at the top so you see ALL Devices. Post a picture here of that with the listing down the left side. It will help us see just how your drive is divided. Your listing it helps but visual confirmation of which volume is subbed under which will further help.

If you have to convert a drive or volume to APSF do it within DU and not SuperDuper. SD is notorious for taking forever to do it and often fails. I tried once using SD, then gave up after a long period and then did it within DU very quickly. But really can't suggest action til actually see more about your drive setup. Can't suggest sizes etc til see actual drive size and what's available. However, I strongly advise getting external SSD drives and this problem would be mute. You'd just format externals (if SSD) as APFS and SD will comply in backing up.