Can't reboot, verify, repair, or erase...

I got the gray screen, so I read about how going through various steps of holding down various buttons recommended here might help - no joy. I inserted my start-up dvd and saw color! Promising! However, after I agree to terms, etc., and get to the screen "Install Mac OS X" it asks for me to select the disc where I want to install the OS, but box is blank. Furthermore, under disc utilities, when I tried to verify or repair the drive, it would stop during the process and tell me it could not verify/repair. So I decided to just scrub the drive and start over. When I chose the erase tab, I see my hard drive on the leftwith one partition underneath, then the dvd drive and my start-up disc beneath that. When chose my hard drive to erase, the format box automatically populates MS-DOS(FAT)...which I change to OS extended (journaled), but the drive name populates as "Untitled" and not my HD name. I hit erase anyway and it starts off fine but halfway through it slows and then the time to completion runs into the hours and it seems as if it will not go any further. Now" verify" and "repair" are unaccessible. According to SMART status, the drive is verified - doesn't mean much to me, but maybe it does to someone more savvy. Finally, I can't tell what version I have. I upgraded to Lion last year, but that's about all I can say.
Is my three year old MacBook Pro dead? Is there something else I can try to save this thing?
Thanks and best regards...

Replacing a drive in any unibody MBP is actually extremely simple, and Apple provides instructions for doing so in the little user manual that came with your computer. In your case, though, a trip to a Genius Bar would be useful to confirm that you do indeed have a bad drive, even if you then decide to purchase and install a new one yourself (which would be less expensive than having the store do it, would give you free rein in choosing what drive to install, and would get you a much longer warranty than Apple would provide on the drive). Of course if the problem turns out not to be a failed drive, you'll find out what it is and what needs to be done about it.

Similar Messages

Why won't my Mac HD verify/repair after erasing it.

Basically I had a problem with the HD saying it needed to be erased because it couldn't be repaired. So I had erased the HD (on the fastest speed) and tried reinstalling OS X mav but after 6 hours of installing I got a error message saying The HD needs to be repaired. I then tried verifying/repairing the HD and it said once again it needed to be erased. I have done this process a few times and the HD still shows it needs to be erased even though it has nothing on it.
Am I missing a step or is my HD just dead?
Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks

My suggestion is to make an appointment at your local Apple Store to have them look at it and see what is wrong with your MBP.

Disk utility can't verify/repair partition map.

When trying to verify/repair my hdd it gives me the error: "Error: Couldn’t find the target disk for this operation."

You should already have a Recovery HD that was created when you installed Lion or came with the computer pre-installed. The Recovery Disk Assistant simply makes a Recovery HD you can use if one is missing from the hard drive.
However, repartitioning will destroy all the data on the drive so you will have to reinstall Lion. It will also remove the Recovery HD from the drive, so you will need to use your flash drive Recovery HD to boot the computer and get to the recovery main menu. The essential process:
Install or Reinstall Lion from Scratch
If possible backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
You will need to use the OPTION boot method to select your recovery flash drive as the boot volume.
Repartition the hard drive:
Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
Select one partition from the Partition Scheme dropdown menu. Click on the Options button and set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion and click on the Continue button.
When the destination drive is displayed click on the Display Other Drives button and select your internal hard drive as the target.

Can't reboot Mac snow leopard

Hi you all.
I have a Macbook Pro Os X snow leopard 10.6.3. I erased my hard drive and now I can't reboot my computer. It wont even take me to the login screen. I tried to reinstall with my installation disk but the installation fails. When I turn on the computer, I get the flashing folder with the question mark, but if I put the CD into the drive, then the folder changes to the apple. I get pass the language selection screen and where to install os x screen, but still, the whole installation fails. The only option that I have for startup is the installation disk and network utility but it won't let me choose the network option. I tried command+ etc+p+r but nothing happens. Tried option during startup and nothing happens. I ran disk repair in the utility and it says the disk is OK. I tried to partition and reinstall, it still fails. Please' please help.. Thanks in advance.

Clean Install of Snow Leopard
Be sure to make a backup first because the following procedure will erase
the drive and everything on it.
     1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came
         with your computer. Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.
         After the chime press and hold down the "C" key. Release the key when you see
         a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.
     2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue
         button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
         After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive
         size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of
         partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button
         and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended
         (Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.
     3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed
         with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.
     4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup
         Assistant. After you finish Setup Assistant will complete the installation after which
         you will be running a fresh install of OS X. You can now begin the update process
         by opening Software Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your
         installation current.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

Main drive Verify & Repair failed

I've got a problem. I was using Drive Genius to Defrag my Main drive. The application crashed in the middle of its run. The drive would then not mount on the desktop. I ran Disk Utility and received the following:"Volume check Failed----Volume: Filesystem Verify or Repair Failed. I rebooted using my backup. On boot-up a dialog box informed me that for a limited time the main drive would mount and to backup the drive. Disk Utility would not let me backup the drive. I tried to copy some critical files, from the main drive to the backup. I tried to reboot nothing. I did boot from the Install DVD, ran Disk utility. Got the same Verify/Repair failed message from both main & backup drive. Is there any thing I can try to recover my applications & data files??????????

Mr Beavis wrote:
I've got a problem. I was using Drive Genius to Defrag my Main drive. The application crashed in the middle of its run. The drive would then not mount on the desktop. I ran Disk Utility and received the following:"Volume check Failed----Volume: Filesystem Verify or Repair Failed. I rebooted using my backup. On boot-up a dialog box informed me that for a limited time the main drive would mount and to backup the drive. Disk Utility would not let me backup the drive. I tried to copy some critical files, from the main drive to the backup. I tried to reboot nothing. I did boot from the Install DVD, ran Disk utility. Got the same Verify/Repair failed message from both main & backup drive. Is there any thing I can try to recover my applications & data files??????????
First, I would never use a defrag app on any of my Apple HDs. No need for it and as you see, lots of potential problems.
Your HD may have been bad before defragging, which is why it failed (doesn't it first run it's own DU to check the HD???) but that's why we have TimeMachine.
I am sure that the defrag program warns to backup before defragging. If not, it's not worth keeping.
So you first need to boot into the Leopard DVD and reformat and partition your drive and then run DU to check if it is intact. If you still have HD errors, you need a new drive.
Whatever the outcome, after booting into the Leopard DVD, you will see in the Utilities menu a restore option, which will allow you to recover your system previous to the disaster, and start again.

Verify/Repair disk permissions hangs

Hello,
Since yesterday my SL became kind of unstable and I have to reboot it because of a hang with a spinning wheel quite often.
I want to verify/repair the disk permissions but the tasks never completes. When I run it via the GUI in the Disk Utility, it goes to around 5% then nothing happens even if I wait several hours. I can cancel the repair.
I also tried to run it via the command line but the progress stays at 0% :
~ $ sudo diskutil verifyPermissions /
Started verify/repair permissions on disk0s2 Macintosh HD
0% ...............................................
~ $ sudo diskutil repairPermissions /
Started verify/repair permissions on disk0s2 Macintosh HD
0% ...............................................
Any ideas ?
Thanks,
Tex

From your description it sounds like the internal HD is failing. It should be under 1 year old so you are covered by the warranty, make an appointment ASAP with your local Apple Store or AASP to bring it in. In addition if you have not purchased AppleCare now is the time to get it, AppleCare will extend your warranty to 3 years. However you must buy it buy it within the first year of ownership!
Here is a link you can use to make an appointment.
Regards,
Roger

Hacker problems so I reloaded Snow Leopard. Afterwards, Mac had to delete 798 items. Now looping on 4 items to delete for the past 2 weeks. Can't reboot, reload, or restart. I have to let the battery run down for it to turn off. How to fix this, please?

I had hacker problems so I reloaded Snow Leopard. Afterwards, Mac had to delete 798 items. Now it is looping on 4 items to delete for the past 2 weeks. I can't reboot, reload, or restart. I have to let the battery run down for it to turn off. I think a big part of the problem is that someon one the internet (the hacker) was mirroring my hard drive. It seems to have locked up my system. I could be wrong about this guess, though. All I do know is that it is now looping on the last 4 iems, and I can't do anything.
Well, I can get it to turn on, but all it does is continously try to delete the last 4 items. When I try to reload Snow Leopard, it tells me my hard drive is full and that I need to delete items.
Can anyone help? I am so lost without my Mac. I am back on the PC, and though it works, I'm sure many of you will understand when I say it's just not a Mac.
Thanks.

I installed Snow Leopard using my Apple external Superdrive. I followed directions I found on the Apple site. Here is the article info: Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard: How to Erase and Install
                 Article HT3910
                 located at: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910
Everything was going smoothly until I got to the reinstall part. I had to choose to reinstall on a hard drive or network drive. I've never used a network drive; just the hard drive. It seems that's where the troubles began. I selected the hard drive. It seemed to go well, and then I got the message that I needed to delete some files because I was out of space. I chose to get rid of my music files, but, there were only 636. I don't know what the rest of the files were. I was using the Secure Empty Trash command.
That was my first time doing an erase and install. I tried to do it again, but I now get a continuous error telling me that my hard drive is full and I must delete files. Only I can't delete files because 4 files are still being deleted and my computer won't let me stop the process.
I found out about the hackers mostly by the fact that whenever I used to watch something like Hulu or Netflix, I never had problems with internet connection or speed. Lately, I had internet connection problems. I went in to check my settings for my internet provider and found out the settings had been changed to public and all these extra computers were connected to my network.

Shortly after starting up, a dark 'film' slowly comes down over the screen and I get a message saying I have to shut down the computer. I've tried to start from the disk, and before I can even run a repair off utilities, it happens again. What's up?

When I started my iMac today, it started beeping like an alarm horn. I shut it down, and held the startup button a little longer to get it to start. Shortly after starting up, a dark 'film' slowly comes down over the screen and I get a message saying I have to shut down the computer. I've tried to start from the disk, and before I can even run a repair off utilities, it happens again. What's up? Am I screwed? HELP!!

What you are seeing is a kernel panic, often but not always connected with a hardware or peripheral issue, so, unplug everything except mouse and keyboard, reboot and hold the shift key as soon as your hear the chime, continue holding it until you see the Apple Icon and spinning progress indicator, then post back.
It will take noticeably longer than normal to start.

Do 2nd Harddrives have Verifiable/Repairable Permissions?

Hello all,
When running Disk Utility, I cannot choose to verify/repair permissions on my 2nd, non-OS harddrive, even after verifying the disk. The HD is an internal SATA drive, just like the OS disk. I thought (still think?) this was normal, but then someone mentioned verifying permissions on an Ipod. If you can verify permissions on an iPod, I should be able to verify/repair my Media HD.
What do you think? Is there some steps I should take (short of reformatting) my 2nd HD to make it verifiable? If you cannot repair permission on a non-OS disk, what is the point of having the option to repair permissions in Disk Utility on the OS disk (as you are supposed to repair permissions from the OS installer DVD).
Thanks!
CMF

Hi CMF,
Yes, Maxplanar is correct.
*"someone mentioned verifying permissions on an iPod"*
~ either mistakenly, or it was an iPod with the "Disk Use" option enabled and a Mac OS X backup installed on it.
*"If you cannot repair permission on a non-OS disk, what is the point of having the option to repair permissions in Disk Utility on the OS disk (as you are supposed to repair permissions from the OS installer DVD)?"*
Permissions Repair are another matter, that you are mistaking with Disk Repair.
~ Permissions Repair can be done when booted from the same boot volume, because it is only about comparing default system files with (hopefully not) modified or corrupted ones.
~ Disk Repair has to be done while booted from another volume, because it's about taking care of the entire volume structure in many ways that involve not only the simple system file level.
_iPod or external HD dedicated for storage only:_
Now if it's about Disk Repair, yes you can do it, and it's a good idea to do it.
Nothing to do with Permissions.
Axel

This copy of the Install OS X Mountain Lion application can't be verified. It may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading. Dr Nir Hus

Downloaded latest OS X and installed on my Mac Book Pro (early 2008). No problems.
Then attempted to install on my Mac Mini 2011 and continuously getting the following message:
"This copy of the Install OS X Mountain Lion application can't be verified. It may have been corrupted or tampered with during downloading."
I noticed that I am not the only one...
Anyone with a solution.
So far all I see are various attempts by people, some successful others not.
This should not be a frustrating complicated ordeal!!!
Dr Nir Joseph Hus MD., PhD.
General Surgery,
Trauma Surgery Critical Care.

Yup, the safe mode/repair/redownload/install finally solved it - had to do it after midnight as all the 4gig downloads have already trashed my 60gig internet limit for this month, installed REALLY slowly bugt eventually at 0330 i had working Mountatin Lion on my Macbook.
This has to be the most tedious upgrade, Mac OR Windows, I've ever done. Takes me back to inserting 15 floppies for sheer inconvenience, and from the numbers reporting this problem, it's more than an occasional glitch. And for some reason the download always fails if left unattended, even if all the sleep modes, etc, are negated.
3/10 to Apple this time around.

How do I backup files if can't reboot?

Volume 23 has an error msg of incorrect file number and therefore will not allow the machine to boot the OS. I've tried repairing the disc using the disc utility. It instructs me to backup the files and reinstall. How can I backup files, if I can't reboot the OS to access the files?

There are several ways to back up a Mac that is unable to fully boot. You need an external hard drive to hold the backup data.
1. Boot from the Recovery partition or from a local Time Machine backup volume (option key at startup.) Launch Disk Utility and follow the instructions in this support article, under “Instructions for backing up to an external hard disk via Disk Utility.”
2. If you have access to a working Mac, and both it and the non-working Mac have FireWire or Thunderbolt ports, boot the non-working Mac in target disk mode. Use the working Mac to copy the data to another drive. This technique won't work with USB, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth.
3. If the internal drive of the non-working Mac is user-replaceable, remove it and mount it in an external enclosure or drive dock. Use another Mac to copy the data.

Verify/Repair permissions????

Can anyone please explain to me what Verifying / Repairing Disk permissions actually does? I've heard people tell me it is like de-fragging in Windows....but I'm really curious what exactly is happening.
I'd also like to know how often doing this is a good idea. Should I always verify AND repair? Which one first? Someone help me out...
-justin

Hi -justin!
You'll find info here About Disk Utility's Repair Disk Permissions feature.
I never Verify. I just Repair.
I think Verify is a waste of time!
It should be run before & after any upgrades, updates, or installation of applications or programs.
ali b

How can i reboot my phone when its locked

how can i reboot my phone when its locked

If you have "forgotten" the passcode you will have to restore the phone from Recovery mode. See: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1808
The phone will be erased by this process.

I can't reboot on Snow Leopard.

Hi,
Since, a few moment i can't reboot on my snow léopard hard drive. On my computer i have OS 10 on a the first bay, data (audios ,vidéos...) on the second and third bay and windows XP with bootcamp on the last bay.Everything was OK but Since, a few moment i can't reboot on my snow léopard hard drive.Usually in the beginning i have the choice between OS 10 or windows but now the choice is efi or windows and when i boot on "efi" it's turning, turning, ... with no résult.
Can somebody help me?

EFI is just OS X boot loader. So that is fine and cosmetic.
Boot from another drive, emergency clean Mac OS with 10.6.2.
Run Disk Warrior (Alsoft) instead of or in addition to Apple Disk Utility.
Your disk directory sounds like it is damaged.
The spinning gear wheel says the system can't make sense of the last good state, the journal, and can't do automatic repair. A SAFE BOOT or booting into Single User Mode to run the hfs diskutil repair might help - sounds like there was a system freeze or something at some point.
When that happens, booting from an alternate ("E"mergency drive) is best.
Two backup sets? a clone of your system from before this?

Plz help...problem w/ verify/repair permissions after software update

Hi,
I just ran the software update from the Mac menu and wanted to verify/repair permissions afterwards. First I used Onyx and when it was executing, the system would not respond after a couple of minutes. So then I tried Disk Utility and I get a message saying "Disk Utility internal error: Disk Utility has losts its connection with the Disk Management Tool and cannot continue. Please quit and relaunch Disk Utility." And I did, and the same message appears.
What else can I do?
Thanks.
PowerBook G4 15 Mac OS X (10.3.6)

Have just done software download - gone to repair permissions and have got same message. Running on 10.3.9. Anyone any ideas as to what is going on here. Did NOT run repair permissions before the update (Yes I know I should have done). Could this be a factor. There are a number of other threads on this forum concerning this exact problem - but so far have found no explanation or solutions.
Disk varified and reported OK. Mac seems to be operating OK. How does Disk utility "link" to Disk Management Tool?
Any help much appreciated.
Thanks

Can't reboot, verify, repair, or erase...

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