Disk utility  input/output error, my macintosh HD won't mount and when restoring to another HD fails after setup...

Disk utility, input/output error, setup fail

Had issue partitioning 2TB my passport drive, got input/output error while using disk utility.
Here is what I did to get my external disk back
In Disk Utility
1) Try to use erase option first, it failed
2) Try to partition the disk, failed as well.
3) Then try erase option again, then ...   it worked !!

Similar Messages

  • Disk Utility - Input/Output error when creating disk image

    Hello!
    A few days ago I was unable to turn on my Macbook Pro, and was stuck on the white screen. I've been searching around quite a lot on this forum, and before I try fixing anything, I REALLY need to back-up my files! I just bought a 2TB hard-drive, which I have partitioned to GUID and Mac OS Extended (Journaled), (it perfectly works on another Mac).
    I now want to attempt to create an image of my harddrive (Macintosh HD) onto my external drive (which is empty). I've tried doing this both in 'read-only' and in 'compressed', but about halfway through, I receive a message saying "Unable to create 04/2014 backup.dmg (Input/Output) error".
    I saw on another similar post that I might want to install DiskDrill or DataRescue. I'm fairly sure this is impossible for me to do, since my screen is completely white, and I'm unable to access my desktop.
    I can only access Disk Utility through pressing command+R when starting my computer. Hence, I need to successfully back up my files through Disk Utility...
    I'm aware that my HD may be corrupted since this is happening, but there must be a way for me to put an image on my external HD?? A few days ago, when I clicked on Repair Disk it said "Impossible to repair: invalid node structure". But now, it says that "Macintosh HD appears to be OK". I have no idea what's changed... And I can still not start my computer past the white screen...
    I'm very bad with IT and computers, and have extensively tried to fix this on my own, but I'm now stuck here, with this "input/output error"...!
    Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!
    PS: I do not have Applecare, this is an old computer from 2009.

    Thanks for your answer.
    Yes, I thought that might be the case - but I'd taken my Mac and Logic disks to a Genius bar, and the 'Genius' had said he'd fixed the issue. I just wish he'd explained what he did and why he didn't replace the faulty disk(s)!
    But is there any way around having the claim a disk, now I'm living abroad and my 'warrantee' has run out? It's going to be a pain in the fundament trying to claim a replacement set.

  • Help -- backup data with disk utility, input/output error.

    My problem started when my MacBook Pro computer (with OsX) froze.  When I restarted, the startup screen stayed on for a long time.  Now, the startup screen stays on for a few seconds and then shuts off.  I do NOT have a recent backup of my data.  I have tried the following:
    Went onto the recovery partition, used Disk Utility.  When I verified the disk, it said it needed repair.  When I tried to repair the disk, it said it could not be repaired.
    I then tried to copy a disk image of the hard drive onto my external hard drive, but it says there is an "input/output error" and won't allow it.  How else can I backup files on my computer at this point?

    Had issue partitioning 2TB my passport drive, got input/output error while using disk utility.
    Here is what I did to get my external disk back
    In Disk Utility
    1) Try to use erase option first, it failed
    2) Try to partition the disk, failed as well.
    3) Then try erase option again, then ...   it worked !!

  • Disk Utility "Input - Output error" when attempting to erase Hard Drive

    Hope that someone can point me in the right direction.
    I bought an external hard drive for Windows a year back and loaded music onto it. I realized that I my MAC wasn't getting "Read / Write" privileges for the External Hard Drive, so I decided to try to Partition it and make it into a FAT readable device. It erased all data from my hard drive, but Disk Utility stopped the process and displayed an "input - output error".
    Consequently, I can't initialize the external hard drive to make it usable on my MAC.
    Can anyone point me in the right direction so I can "reformat" my external?
    Thanks!

    Hi all,
    I'm having similar issues on a white macbook (2006 model). I ran into some trouble with it about a month ago, when on booting up, it showed only the folder with a question mark. Booting up from the original grey install DVD worked, so I thought the problem was most likely a faulty hard drive.
    It's only after having this problem, that I came across this recall for possible faulty hard drives, that Apple offered:
    http://www.apple.com/support/macbook/hd/repairextension/
    Doh! Too late?
    So, I got onto ebay and picked up a deal and received my new hard drive yesterday. I swapped out the original 80GB with 320GB, only to find the same input/output error described by the OP, here (also in a couple of other Apple discussion posts - see below).
    Disk utility shows the new hard drive to be 2.3TB in size! Should be 320GB - but, this is also what others have described. See e.g.,:
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/16090313#16090313
    I've run the extended testing from the CD (holding down 'D' on boot-up) and it reported no problems. Also, similar to others experiences:
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/16081818#16081818
    So, what can the problem be?!?!?!?!?
    In this post, JMPC suggests it has something to do with the size of the new internal hard drive....groan.....:
    https://discussions.apple.com/message/16145560?tstart=0#16145560?tstart=0
    Can anyone confirm this?

  • Disk utility 'input/output error' message?

    I am "creating an image" of a DVD using disk utility (prior to making a copy on a blank DVD disk).   Why am I now rec'ing an 'input/output error' message?   I have already copied several other DVDs from the same author (with her permission, they are not copywrited.) w/o a problem.
    What's going on?  original damaged? an incorrect step on my part?  some sort of space problem?  ( I have tons of room on my iMac.)
    Thanks for your help.

    Take a look at Cinematize 2, I've used it with iMovie 06 and iDVD 08. It has several modes of converting the data. One mode is called "lossless".
    For the job you're doing you may prefer to use iMovie 06 instead of iMovie 08 (I would).
    iMovie 06 and iDVD 08 is a terrific combination.
    Your workflow would go something like this.
    Use Cinematize 2 to create a Quicktime file from the DVD.
    http://www.miraizon.com/products/products.html
    Important that file into iMovie 06.
    From iMovie 06, share to iDVD 08 (assuming you want a DVD).

  • MacBook Disk Utility: "Input/Output Error" When Backing up my iBook

    Alright, here's the skinny:
    I'm backing up an iBook's system drive while in Target Disk Mode via my MacBook using DiskUtility. The drive I'm saving the image to is an HFS+ USB 2.0 enclosed standard 3.5" drive. I start the process and things go just fine--
    --but then!
    "The device you removed was not properly put away. Data might have been lost or damaged. Before you unplug your device, you must first select its icon in the Finder and choose Eject from the File menu."
    So yeah, about five minutes into the backup, I get one of those lovely "Device Removal" notices, even though I haven't touched anything and no drive has gone unmoutned in Finder (or in /Volumes/). After this I get a plain jane "Input/Output Error" message and am left in the dark.
    Here's what I've tried:
    -Restarting, killing every unrelated user-level process
    -Disconnecting every other device, media, and peripheral from both machines
    -Running the machine in "Better Energy Savings" mode and disconnecting the PSU in case FW or USB was fritzing from the 83C of heat the computer was causing.
    Alright. Somebody help.

    Had issue partitioning 2TB my passport drive, got input/output error while using disk utility.
    Here is what I did to get my external disk back
    In Disk Utility
    1) Try to use erase option first, it failed
    2) Try to partition the disk, failed as well.
    3) Then try erase option again, then ...   it worked !!

  • Disk Utility Input/Output Error

    I am trying to make digital backups of some home movie DVDs I have created in the last few years with iMovie and iDVD. Every time I use the iMac to try and make a disk image with Disk Utility, it gets about halfway through the process and then I get an error message that says, "Unable to create "disk3.dmg" - Input/output error." I usually have better luck on my older Powerbook G4, though I sometimes get the same message there. Does anyone have any ideas why this is happening...and how I can fix it? Of note, I have tried different names for the disk image, but it doesn't seem to have any effect.

    You're going to love this...
    I had been getting the exact same error, even after I've done full image backups of my main volume just a few months before. Since I couldn't perform the image backup, I tried copying important files manually. When copying some 3000 files from my Documents folder, the *entire copy* failed...one file was corrupted and was unreadable. So instead of just asking if you want to skip and continue, the entire operation fails. I deleted the corrupted file, and booted from an alternate system, and voila! I successfully created an image of my main volume and saved it to an external HD in about 15 mins. No problems whatsoever. Unbelievable.
    Make sure your DVDs are clean, ie, such that all the files can be read correctly.
    What bugs me most, is that the bad file was not detected when I ran the Disk Repair utility on the main volume (from another booted drive of course).
    What am I missing such that I can detect issues like this in the future?

  • WD External Hard Drive will not format, "Input/Output Error"

    Trying to reformat an old Western Digital external drive, immediate error in Disk Utility "Input/Output Error". Switched USB cords/ports, nothing. Just getting a second opinion before I trash it.
    I know I can probably take out the drive and put it in an external case, but this was just going to be an extra drive for a friend, not worth the $20 for the case.
    Thanks

    I'm getting the same errors from both my USB ports when I try to format a brand new Maxtor 1TB drive.
    I had noticed some strange errors a week ago when Time Machine was reporting an error saying it had failed (this was using a nother external firewire drive). Errors were (not verbatim) "error writing files" & "unknown error".
    I naturally thought there was a prob with the ext drive, so knowing that I had at least a good full back-up on there, bought a new ext drive (larger) to perform a full backup on so I could reformat the firewire drive and utilise it elsewhere - but got errors when I tried to set it up as a Time Machine drive seconds after I took it out of the box.
    I ran "Verify Disk" on my internal macbook HD and it reported some permission errors and mis-reported file sizes and told me to "Repair Disk". I did, and this stated it fixed a few things. Ran Verify again and it still reported some permission errors.
    Now, this leaves me in a sticky spot. I can't format the maxtor external disk in order to manually copy over my disk content, it doesn't even show up in disk Utility or in Finder. I can't perform a Time Machine backup - as it can't see the maxtor disk. I can't do a TM backup on the old Firewire disk - due to the program errors. AND it appears I have permission errors on my internal HD.
    Whatever course of action I take to correct these problems - I would like the knowledge that I have a full backup to restore from if things "head south" while I look to correct the HD permission issues.
    Anyone out there with some REAL SMART ideas that can help me out here ?
    Right now I'll even accept "Half Smart", "Clever" and "**** - Why Didn't I Think Of That" answers !
    S.

  • Disk Utility Error (input output error)

    Hi, i am trying to create an image file of my HDD using the disk utility in recovery mode. I have a 160 GB external hard drive that i would like to save it to. When I attempt to create it, it starts but fails part way through, giving an input/output error. Both the laptop and the external HDD were powered on the entire time. Thanks in advance for any help.

    I received a generic error message, with no number. The external is 160 GB, and before i tried to create the .dmg I reformated the drive as MS-DOS (FAT) using the disk utility. I did notice that when I try to create a new disk image from Macintosh HD (my HDD) it gives a "File to large" error, I tried to create a new image from folder, then selected Macintosh HD under devices from the left hand navigation pane. Thanks for your continued help.

  • I am in mavericks disk utility recovery mode as my mac book will not boot up & stays only on the grey apple screen. When I verify the disk I get open error5 :input /output error on Syst stuck on 1 minute pouring out over 50 error messages & still counting

    I am in Mavericks disk utility recovery mode as my mac book pro will not boot up & stays on the Apple grey screen . When I verify disk permissions I get
    Open error 5:"input/ output error" on syst with over 50 of this messages & still counting . Disk Utility says 1 minute
    But this has been going on for over 10 mins .
    I can not verify disk or repair disk .
    I have tried to reinstall mavericks operating system but it says my hard drive is locked which is very strange .
    Does anyone know what is going on here ?
    My system looks like it has been totally corrupted . Thanks Andrew

    Could be. The "lock" isn't actually looking for a password.
    WARNING: This will completely erase the ENTIRE hard drive.
    What you would need to do is boot to recovery > disk utility > select the MAIN drive on the left side > partition > change partition layout from CURRENT to 1 PARTITION > ensure on the right side it says Format : Mac OSX Extended (Journaled) then push APPLY.
    Then if it will allow us, close the windows until you see the 4 options popup again and select "Reinstall Mac OS X" select the Mac HD and you should be good to go!

  • I'm trying to backup a my harddrive with disk utility but I'm getting an error  Unable to create Backup.dmg" (input/output error). Is there any other way to save my data? I believe my hard drive is failing or corrupt file. I can't boot up. Grey screen

    I'm trying to backup a my hard drive with disk utility but I'm getting an error  Unable to create Backup.dmg" (input/output error). Is there any other way to save my data? I believe my hard drive is failing or corrupt file. I can't boot up. Grey screen and spinning wheel. I've tried everything https://discussions.apple.com/message/20580424#20580424
    any help will be greatly appreciated.

    Check here. Also have you done a TimeMachine back up?
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570

  • Hi, I have a hard disk failure so to recover my data I am using disk utility to restore the data on an external drive while booting from a second external hard drive. When I perform the operation it gives me an input/output error and stops. Any tips?

    Hi, I have a hard disk failure so to recover my data I am using disk utility to restore the data on an external drive while booting from a second external hard drive. When I perform the operation and after having selected both my destination and source drives, the operation begins but soon fails due to input/output error. If I try to create an image of the drive it gives me the same error message. Any help would be much appreciated.

    Disk Utility only creates a image of the drive, so it's no help getting exactly what you want, which is your files. If the file structure is messed up or the drive is failing then it's no help.
    If you have a external boot drive and you can't access the internal non-booting drive though the typical Finder and windows to transfer your files via drag and drop methods, then you need to install Data Rescue on the external boot drive and it will do as best as it can to recover your files. (works on non-encrypted/non-Filevaulted drives only)
    .Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
    Are you sure you have hard drive failure, or that OS X isn't merely not booting?
    Because if the drive is working physically, then there is a host of fixes
    ..Step by Step to fix your Mac
    https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents#/

  • Restoring .dmg image from external to Mac HD in Disk Utility: "Unable to scan image (Input/output error)"

    Hi guys,
    So I've got a problem with restoring the image backup I did (using Disk Utility) of my 500GB HD on my MBP which was acting weird or maybe even crashed a few months ago. After creating the backup image and putting it on my external device, I installed Mavericks back to see if everything was alright (mainly the HD) and everything seems okay.
    I did try restoring the backup image through disk utility before installing mavericks (thus erasing everything again on the HD) AND after. But nothing..
    The whole process starts fine and then it starts scanning the image when after maybe a good 10-15min in I get a message that says that it was unable to scan the image. I tried verifying the disk(s), everything came out "OK". Also tried scanning it through Images > Scan image for Restore... with the same results.
    While searching I've seen people getting messages like "Unable to scan filename.dmg (Invalid argument)" and "Unable to scan filename.dmg
    (Internal error)" but none have (Input/output error)
    The screen grab is below.
    I also came across something about using terminal/commands but I'm not that savvy with it, especially considering that those there had issues with either mounting or trouble finding the image.
    I've also tried moving the backup image to a different external device 2TB and also the desktop because I read it may have to do with the format of the externals or maybe free space. But THEN I would get a message saying
    "The Finder can't complete the operation because some data in "Mac HD Backup.dmg" can't be read or written. Error code -36"
    Fyi ALL my externals are HFS+/Journaled and the backup image format was compressed.
    I REALLY don't know what to do next. Was it the wrong move to create a dmg image? Have I lost everything? Is there still a way out?
    If anyone can help, THANKS!
    2012 MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.9.3)

    Make a "Genius" appointment at an Apple Store, or go to another authorized service provider. You may have to leave the machine there for several days.
    Back up all data on the internal drive(s) before you hand over your computer to anyone. There are ways to back up a computer that isn't fully functional—ask if you need guidance.
    If privacy is a concern, erase the data partition(s) with the option to write zeros* (do this only if you have at least two complete, independent backups, and you know how to restore to an empty drive from any of them.) Don’t erase the recovery partition, if present.
    Keeping your confidential data secure during hardware repair
    Apple also recommends that you deauthorize a device in the iTunes Store before having it serviced.
    *An SSD doesn't need to be zeroed.

  • Disk Utility: Create image fails with input/output error

    Starting to create an image and saving it into an external hard drive (MacOS extended Journaled).
    It starts after less than 60 secs it comes out with an error : Failed to create the image (input/output error)

    If you don't mind I'd like to discourage you from backing up a drive onto a disc image file no matter where you plan to save it. Disc image files can be very problematical when it comes to trying to restore the backup. Furthermore, you cannot boot from a disc image. If the disc image file becomes corrupted then you have no backup.
    I would like to propose that you think about a better way to backup your drive. You can clone the drive to your backup drive. It's easy to do using Disk Utility's Restore feature. A clone backup is not only bootable but you have direct access to all the files on the backup.
    In order to make a bootable clone open Disk Utility. Select Disk Utility Help from the Help menu. Search for +duplicating a disk+. Click on "Duplicating a disk" at the top of the list of articles. Follow the directions.

  • Leopard Disk Utility and Input/Output error messages.

    This post is describing a problem I had and how I managed to fix it. When I was researching the Input/Output error message I was getting a couple of people had mentioned this fix on the apple discussion boards, so I thought I would add my fix to support them. (Isn't google fab!) I've no idea if this is the right place for this so please bear with me.
    Okay a bit of background:- over christmas we treated ourselves to leopard and as my laptop is now three years old I decided to do a complete reformat and installation. I used my 60GB iPod as an external harddrive and backed everything up. Installed Leopard no probs and was a very happy bunny.
    The problem:- I then wanted to remove everything off my iPod. So I thought "I know I'll use Disk Utility".... I tried it with the 'default' setting and got an Input/Output error message straight away (irrespective of whether I did it as an extended journal or not.) When I tried it with the Zero Out option (can't remember exactly what it's called) it came up with the Input/Output error message right at the very end. Argh! iTunes and Finder no longer recognised it, but Disk Utility did.
    My research:- After using google I saw some guys on here talking about formatting proper external harddrives using leopards disk utility and they were getting the same messages as me. It turns out it is a fault with Leopards Disk Utility. So I did what the guys recommended.
    The solution:- (Thank god I had tiger!) I put in my tiger installation disk, clicked 'install tiger' and restarted the laptop. I clicked my my language, but then rather than going through the actual installation process I went to the top menu bars and chose Disk Utility (using tiger's disk one rather than my laptop's leopard one.) And erased the iPod there. Now when I quit the installation and opened my laptop up properly it worked, both iTunes and finder could see it!!! (I just had to restore my ipod in itunes - and now I'm happily transferring all my music back!)
    I hope this helps someone in the same position as me!

    I took it to work to use my Windows PC to try and format the drive, but got the same problem. I figured either the drive (it's a 2.5" that used to be inside my AlBook) or the external housing it lives is was faulty. Only way I could test without spending more money is by putting the 2.5" drive inside my powerbook, and booting the (Ti) powerbook from a bootable firewire ipod. I successfully booted from the ipod, and had the same problem with the now internal drive: only visible in disk utility, any attempt to erase fails. Also, I plugged the small 10 GB drive that WAS in the TiBook (but which I removed to put the other, problematic drive in) into the external housing, and it connected to other machines just fine.
    Turns out the problem is the hard drive itself.
    So now my question becomes: If disk utility can see the hard disk when it is connected (I have it back in the external enclosure now), but gives "input/output error" messages when I try to erase/format it, is there any way I can salvage this drive? It's an 80 GB drive, and I was looking forward to making it my internal TiBook drive (replacing the old 10 GB drive that's in there now).

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