Disk Utility says it can't repair hard drive...now what?

I managed to get Disk Utility to run the Repair, but it gave me a message that said after 3 attempts to repair the disk, it was unable to. Repair failed. Now what do I do? Any thoughts?

Ah, I see your other post is a duplicate of this thread. Regarding the "underlying task reported failure" message, are you getting that with respect to "temp#####" files? Per Using Disk Utility in Mac OS X 10.4.3 or later to verify or repair disks, you can ignore those messages.
DiskWarrior can often make repairs that Disk Utility cannot.
If you have access to another Mac, you can try FireWire target disk mode to backup/recover the eMac data.

Similar Messages

My external drive won't mount. Disk Utility says it can't repair disk and to backup the disk and reformat, but how can I do that if it won't mount?

My external drive won't mount. Disk Utility says it can't repair disk and to backup the disk and reformat, but how can I do that if it won't mount?

See mount section in 1st linked article.
Disk Unmount Using Terminal
Disk Utility – Force Mount Disk

Disk Utility says I have a corrupt hard drive...

Had a problem with an application and was advised to run Repair Permissions in Disk Utility (it was fixed when I did that).
Out of curiosty I ran Verify Disc on my hard drive and was shocked to find the following message:
...In valid directory count
...The volume Macintosh HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaired
..."This disk needs to be repaired. Start up your computer with another disk (such as your Mac OS X installation disc), and then use Disk Utility to repair this disk."
I'm unsure how to proceed. The iMac didn't come with a installation disc.
How can I repair this?
Thanks

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions - Lion
Boot from your Lion Recovery HD. When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
To boot from the Recovery HD restart the computer. After the chime hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

My MacBook Pro 13 inch makes a clicking noise from the hard drive and can not start up in safe mode and normal. I then ran disk utility in recovery mode and disk utility shows no problems with the hard drive. What is the problem?

Please help me, I have a mid 2010 Mac book pro with a toshiba mk3266gsxf harddrive. It started making a clicking noise and then my computer crashed. I proceeded to boot in safe mode, but it doesn't work. When I ran disk utility in recovery mode, it showed no problem with my disk. Does any one know what the problem is?

Sounds like a mechanical problem with the drive and it ruined the sectors where the Macintosh HD partition (and OS X, and files and programs) reside, but not your Recovery HD partition.
If you held command option r while booting, that's Internet Recovery and it's loaded via the Internet, not via the Recovery HD partition on the boot drive, so that could mean the drive is dead mechanically or there is another issue.
In either case the drive will likely have to be replaced, it's a matter of what occured to where and the drive state if you can recover data or not. If you made recent backups then your fine.
My computer is not working, is my personal data lost?
Most commonly used backup methods

USB Hard Drive that Disk Utility says it can't unmount

I have a 93.2 Gb Hard Drive (from an old G4 PowerBook) inside an enclosure with USB connection. While trying to recover data from it using Data Rescue (on a G4 PowerBook), Data Rescue II hung. After restart, the USB Hard Drive can not be read at all. Disk Utility says it can't repair it or erase it because it can't "Unmount" the disk. What can I do with the USB Hard Drive?

try this: open system preferences/spotlight/privacy and drag that external into spotlight privacy then try Disk Utility.

In disk utility, it shows that my external hard drive is somehow unmounted and I can't access it in finder or repair it in Disk Utility. How can I get this working without losing my important data?

In disk utility, it shows that my external hard drive is somehow unmounted and I can't access it in finder or repair it in Disk Utility. How can I get this working without losing my important data?
Thank you!

When you erased the disk did you select Mac OS Extended Journaled as the format option?

Disk utility recomends backing up files after hard drive can not be repaired?

My Mac mini will not complete the boot process. I am able to get to the disk utility by using the Snow Lepard disk that I recently purchased and pressing the option key. Disk utility is telling be that my disk can not be repaired and I should back up as much data as I can and reload the software.
Is there another disk repair program that could possibly fix what disk utility can not? Is it worth a try?
If not...
How do I back up data on the mounted disk since I can not access it? Do you recommend a perticular external hard drive and software to manage my backups?
Thank you.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities allensood!
You will get a wider audience and won't confuse the original poster with solutions that don't apply to them, if you start your own topic here
https://discussions.apple.com/community/desktop_computers/mac_mini?view=discussi ons
Unless you have a solution to try for the original poster, it is always best if you start your own topic.

Disk utility says 320.07 GB WDC has failed. What is this. My actual hard drive is listed right below it.

My MacBook Pro has been having boot up issues. I booted in safe mode and launched disk utilities. It is listing (in red text) 320.07 WDC as a failed drive that needs replaced, but my actual hard drive is shown right below it and I'm currently running the utility on it. What is my issue? The hard drive was just replaced 6 months ago.
Thanks
Scott

The first listing with all the numbers and letters is the actual hardware device (the physical bits of metal and electronics). The indented items are the "volumes" on the drive, or areas on that physical drive assigned as 'rooms' by you and the comptuer. Often people have just one volume on a physical drive but you could have several volumes on a partitioned drive, each of which would appear as a different "drive" on your desktop.
Is this saying the SMART status has failed? If it is then you very likely have hardware failure.

Disk Utility says I need to repair disk

My computer is running a little sluggish so I went into the Disk Utility and selected verify disk. I got the message below. I inserted the OS X disk but the repair disk option wasn't available. I bought the computer with Panther and got Tiger later, unfortunately I don't have the Tiger disk. How do I fix this problem?
Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Checking multi-linked files.
Checking Catalog hierarchy.
Checking Extended Attributes file.
Checking volume bitmap.
Volume Bit Map needs minor repair
Checking volume information.
Macintosh HD
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair

If you are running Tiger, you need the Tiger install disc you purchased in order to run Disk First Aid repair.
And withhout your Tiger install disc, you cannot perform an Archive & Install retaining Tiger, etc. so bad move not keeping this in a safe place.
Your only other option is running fsck.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

Disk Utility and DiskWarrior trouble with external hard-drive.

I got an external hard-drive that doesn't show up on finder. On both Disk Utility and DiskWarrior it keeps mounting and unmounting. Disk Utility when trying to repair, spits this out when it unmounts...
2011-07-28 22:43:43 -0700: Problems were encountered during repair of the partition map
2011-07-28 22:43:43 -0700: Error: Some information was unavailable during an internal lookup.
2011-07-28 22:43:43 -0700: : Some information was unavailable during an internal lookup.
2011-07-28 22:43:43 -0700: [DUDiskController mountDisk] expecting DUDisk, but got nil
On DiskWarrior it simply says 'Directory cannot be rebuilt due to disk hardware failure (-36,2747)
Earlier today it would stay mounted and Disk Utility would spit out...
Verify and Repair volume “Back-up Hard Drive”
Checking file systemChecking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
Checking extents overflow file.
Checking catalog file.
Invalid sibling link
Rebuilding catalog B-tree.
Invalid node structure
The volume Back-up Hard Drive could not be repaired.
Volume repair complete.
Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
Error: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.
while DiskWarrior would try to fix it, but on
Step 5: Locating directory date...
Speed reduced by disk malfunction: 339,474, er make that 340,239, er make that 341,327
and I finally gave up there.
I try to fix the Invalid sibling link error via Terminal and I get this...
imac-2:~ Migrated$ fsck_hfs -r /dev/disk2s2
** /dev/rdisk2s2 (NO WRITE)
Can't open /dev/rdisk2s2: Resource busy
Is there ANY THING I can do to get it to stay mounted and possibly fix this? This is my back-up hard-drive!!

It's the cord that's being used that decides if it shows up, or if it shows up and then goes away over and over. Using a cord where it stays on in the programs, when I run Disk Utility of the darked out part of the hard-drive, it spits out...
Verifying and repairing partition map for “MICRONET”
Checking prerequisites
Checking the partition list
Checking for an EFI system partition
Checking the EFI system partition’s size
Checking the EFI system partition’s file system
Checking all HFS data partition loader spaces
Reviewing boot support loaders
Checking Core Storage Physical Volume partitions
Updating Windows boot.ini files as required
The partition map appears to be OK
while the part of the disk just below it that's light spits out
Verifying volume “Back-up Hard Drive”
Checking file system
Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
Verify and Repair volume “Back-up Hard Drive”
Starting repair tool:
Checking file system
Volume repair complete.
Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
Error: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.
Disk Utility stopped repairing “Back-up Hard Drive”: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.
while DiskWarrior tries to rebuild it and spits out a memory error.

Disk utility error when erasing an external hard drive

Hi,
Not sure if this is the most appropriate fourm list to post this but I thought I'd give it a try.
I am running snow leopard on my MBP and am trying to use disk utility to erase and format an ext. HD. While the disk icon does not show up on the desktop when I connect it to my mac, Disk utility does show the ext. hd in the left column, but no matter what format I try, even just using one partition and selecting zero out all data, I get the following error: "disk erase failed with the error: POSIX reports: The operation couldn't be completed. Cannot allocate memory".
Is the hd dead? Are there other options? I do have disk warrior, version 4.1.1 and it does not regonize the ext. hd.
Please advise.
Thanks,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I did select the ext hd as the one I wanted to erase (my internal hd is my start up drive). After I selected the ext hd, (there is no volume listed under it so the only thing I can select is the hd itself). that is when I selected erase and then Mac journaled, then named the hd and then after selecting erase, I got the error. Also as a matter of note, if I select firstaid, both the repair and verify permissions are dimmed, so I can't even try to repair the disk. That is when I tried disk warrior hoping that could examine the hd, but since it is not mounted on the d/t, it doesn't show as a drive to check. I don't understand why the ext hd shows up in disk utility, but not the d/t. Also of note is the fact that when I connect that ext had to my Mac with a fw cable, a window opens saying that the drive is not readable and do I want to initialize it or ignore. I choose to initialize and that is when I get the error. Also of note is that I have tried both security options of "don't erase data" and "zero out data" and still get the same error.
Hope this clarifies things a bit.

Disk Errors Reappear Within Day After Repair-Hard Drive Dead?

Over the last few weeks, I have been experiencing crashes on my Macbook Pro. The crash would appear as such:
I'll be using Chrome and all of a sudden pages won't load. The mouse continues to work, but if I navigate to the desktop, folder won't open. Then, if I try to quit programs, the dock either becomes unresponsive or programs will only quit if "forced quit." Then the beachball of death appears. The beachball of death will continue for a very long time—perhasp indefinitely, so I decide to manually power down the computer.
I have tried to verify the hard drive in Disk Utility, and a few times I have gotten this error:
Volume bitmap needs minor repair for orphaned blocks
Checking volume information.
Invalid volume free block count
(It should be 46122698 instead of 42839276)
The volume Macintosh HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
Error: This disk needs to be repaired using the Recovery HD. Restart your computer, holding down the Command key and the R key until you see the Apple logo. When the Mac OS X Utilities window appears, choose Disk Utility.
So I restart from the system (command-R) and repair the disk. But now within a day or two I get the same error.
Does my hard drive need to be replaced? Am I on borrowed time? My computer is under warranty. Do you think Apple will replace the hard drive?
Thank you for your help!
P.S. I have my data backed up to Time Machine, so I am not in imminent danger of losing priceless files.

papayaman wrote:
Does my hard drive need to be replaced?
Sure sounds like it.
Am I on borrowed time?
I believe so. Hope you have a backup.
My computer is under warranty. Do you think Apple will replace the hard drive?
If under warranty & determined to be faulty, your hard drive will be replaced. Make an appointment at an Apple store.

Disk Utility does not show my internal hard drive.

Recently, my Macbook Pro crashed.
THE PROBLEM
1. I turn it on, it starts normally at first, the Apple Logo Shows for several seconds
2. It changes to a no-smoking sign without the cigarette
3. If I try to boot safe mode, a folder appears with a question mark
4. If I try the internet recovery, I get to the part where I can restore OSX, use disk utility, etc.
5. When I try to restore OSX, it doesn't show my hard drive as avilable to install upon - no drives are shown
6. When I try to use disk utility, it only shows my Mac Base System, totaling 2GB, I cannot do anything.
THE QUESTIONS
1. What do I do? Thoughts? How do I recover my hard drive data before sending this computer to Apple to fix?
2. How can I use an external enclosure to recover my data using my desktop? What cords do I need? What is a good drive? Is it hard?
3. My SD card slot shows, could I install OSX on that and try to load my OSX to gain access to my harddrive that's missing?
4. Why would my main hard drive not show? I'm supposed to have a 250GB hard drive.
5. Is there anything I can do on Terminal to try to make my full hard drive appear? Or gain access?
6. What will Apple do with my RAM that I installed? I upgraded to 8GB? Will they just return as is?
Thank you.
Model: MBP from Mid-2010 13" running OSX Mountain Lion 250GB HD

Youre working the wrong end trying to revive a dying drive, a replacement is only $65
Did you have a backup of your vital data?
Terminal isnt going to do anything to help your HD.
questions:
1. get a new HD, install OS........recovery internal HD data using another computer and throwing the internal HD into a USB enclosure to extract data......however depending on the HD, data extraction may prove futile.
2. external USB enclosure, comes with USB cable....takes 3 mins to put internal HD into enclosure.
3. no,...... installing OS on a dying drive is beating a dead horse,...
4. because its dead/ dying.
5. no
6. Yes, they wont mess with your RAM.
Contact Apple for fix, of if you have the skills you can install a new HD yourself

I have an imac running OSX leopard 10.5.4, and a flashing question mark comes up on the screen. I opened disk utility, and in the sidebar my hard drive is not there. I also did the Hardware test supplied with the install CD, and "no problems were found".

note: I have not done the extended hardware test yet.

Can we assumed that the Disk Utility you used was not on your hard disk? If it was on the hard disk you can ignore most of the advice here and we should start again.
I am am a retired Electrical Engineer with many years electronics and IT experience and advise that whilst it is likely that the hard disk has failed and may never work again this may not necessarily be the case.
Do you normally hear or feel the disk running and has this changed?
Have you moved, dropped or hit your Mac while the disk was rotating? - never good for disks.
Even if the disk is not rotating it may not have failed - there could be an imperfect connection, damaged pcb track, a Mac electronics failure such as disk power etc.
The disk could be working mechanically and there could be a break in the data route to or from it etc.
Getting at disks inside some Apple assemblies can be tedious but probably not as bad as you may think - Google for instructions and pictures.
Much may depend upon how important information on a troublesome disk is. Even with a totally dead disk 90% of data can normally be extracted - ocasionally I have been lucky enough to do this at home - a few years back several experts were offering to to this for about 1,000 USD.
Trying the disk in another enclosure was good advice.
You could try gently moving your powered up Mac to see if anything changes.
It is technically possible for a software (unlikely as issue still exists booting from DVD I assume) or firmware issue to cause your symptoms so it might be wise to try every type of reset you can find before going any further. Firmware normally resides within the electronics - it often affects booting and power supplies etc.
Good luck.

Using Disk Utility Restore function to clone external hard drives

Hi all,
I have a WD 3Tb My Book external hard drive which I want to use as a replacement for an older WD 1Tb My Book external hard drive. I would like to use Disk Utility's built-in Restore function to clone my old external hard drive onto my new external hard drive. Unfortunately, Disk Utility will not allow me to drag the new drive to the "Destination" box; I can drag the old drive to the "Source" box just fine. Why is this? Am I doing something wrong?
It might be important to note that my old external drive is formated to FAT32, whereas the new drive came pre-formatted to NTFS. Do I need to reformat the new drive to FAT32 before dragging the disk to the "Destination" box? In other words, do the source and destination drives need to be the same format in order to use Disk Utility's Restore function?
Thanks very much in advance.

Are these drives being used on Windows machines? If so then you will need to create a new partition from the Partition Scheme dropdown menu after which you can set the scheme to MBR. If the drives are being used only on the Mac then you have to prep the new drive as follows:
Drive Preparation
1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID (for Intel Macs) or APM (for PPC Macs) then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.
6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.
After you copy your files from the old drive to the new one you want to repartition and reformat the old drive in the same way as outlined immediately above.

Disk Utility says it can't repair hard drive...now what?

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for