Disk utility showing recover partition but not main partition

I have a Macbook Pro A1278 that has been dropped. I pulled the hard drive and ran seatools on it to verify it has no physical defects. The disk utility shows the recovery partition but not the main partition. It infrequently will boot to the users partition. I usually get the flashing folder with a question mark in it. What is the next step to try to backup the data on the drive and reinstall OS X.

bendold wrote:
I booted into the disk utility
It would be really helpful if you would answer the question as I asked it
Last time
Did you do this from the Recovery mode (either Recovery mode, internet or local)
Yes or No

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Why am I finding this when I run disk utility? ACL found but not expected on "Library/Application Support/Apple/ParentalControls/Users"

I am finding this when I run repair disk permissions in disk utility:
ACL found but not expected on “Library/Application Support/Apple/ParentalControls/Users”
Why is there an access control list on parental controls on my MacBook? I don't use parental controls and I am the only user of this MacBook. I'm an old guy too, so it's not my Mom putting controls on the MacBook! ;-)
Thanks!
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System Version: OS X 10.8.5 (12F45)
Kernel Version: Darwin 12.5.0
Boot Mode: Normal

From the article I posted a hyperlink to in my 1st post (at bottom): You can also usually ignore any "ACL found but not expected..." message. These messages can occur if you change permissions on a file or directory; they are accurate, but generally not a cause for concern.

I used a partitioned HDD for time machine, using a partition already containing other data files. I am now no longer able to view that partition in Finder. Disk Utility shows it in grey and "not mounted". Any suggestions of how to access the files?

I used a partitioned HDD for time machine, using a partition already containing other data files. I am now no longer able to view that partition in Finder. Disk Utility shows it in grey and "not mounted". Any suggestions of how to access the files? Does using time machine mean that that partition is no longer able to be used as it used to be?
HDD is a Toshiba 1TB, partitioned into two 500GB partitions.
OS X version 10.9.2

Yes, sharing a TM disk is a bad idea, and disks are cheap enough so that you don't need to.
Now
Have you tried to repair the disk yet

My external LaCie drive gets an error message "the disc you inserted was not readable by this computer." The only options offered are "ignore" or "eject" Disk Utility sees the disc but does not give a repair option. What can I do?

When I plug in my external LaCie drive I get an error message "the disc you inserted was not readable by this computer."
The only options offered are "ignore" or "eject"
Disk Utility sees the disc but does not give a repair option.
What can I do?

The good thing about mac-centric resellers such as OWC, is they have people on staff that can answer questions without you buying things first. They also have how-to information, and instructions are included in many of their products. I saw a link to watch a DIY video in one of their pages; an example of a RAID (with its own power supply) is shown on their drives page. Also a few in there, with no power supplies, for less money.
If I were looking to backup and perhaps also have a partition for a system clone, I'd consider something like one of these: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/1394/USB/EliteAL/eSATA_FW800_FW400_USB
Some ideas on the RAID backup methods appear in google search, some of the pages are ideas and concepts; and the better ones also warn about using RAID for the only backup plan.
Oh, OWC has live chat. Haven't tried it, nor have I bought anything from them. I have what appears to be two products from them, but have not used either. One is in a box as-new, but has only USB2.0 ports & my Macs needed FW400/800. It has been said their RAM is a good way to upgrade, too. But I can't confirm!
A 'RAID-ready' unit for backup may be more versatile for just that, but I have not checked into these details. I use single HDDs in powered enclosures, and usually manually make backup clones to FW drives, of bootable OS X systems. Some of the OWC raid-ready use eSATA ports so that may not be viable for a computer without them.
The unused in-box external drive I have is like the base model in the link above. However mine is USB2.0 (maybe) and won't boot my older Macs due to hardware variance; and my preference would be for FireWire options, these models do offer that. But the one I have does not. Dual 500GB HDDs, and they could be used in tandem as a RAID. That would be a choice set up in software. I'm not sure and not interested enough to read up just now.
My backup method is not automatic, or a moving backup plan, if I don't get a move-on and make full system clones. I do make copies of photos and documents the manual way, to USB external drives; and occasionally backup to DVD or CD media. And USB flash, that helps to move files between computers without need to use file sharing via wi-fi. {Like Why fly? Walking is better exercise unless one is a bird. Squawk!}
https://www.google.com/#q=raid+backup+mac
Depending on the ports in your Mac, you may be able to use other cables to attach between a backup or externally enclosed hard disk drive with multiple partition and bootable clone in one of them. Not sure about the Thunderbolt, and where that is the main port, adapters are required to access other devices, as allowed.
Anyway, I am going on and on, yet not really saying anything.
My ideas would not be all that interesting to follow as a backup
plan when matching available newer hardware to task, but you
can get some into better ideas if you are not in a rush. Get a
good setup and then look into more an betterer stuff.
Good luck & happy computing!

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Running mid-2010 MacBook Pro 13'' with OSX 10.7.5.
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Some day before my Macbook pro shown the flashing question mark. I have tried to install thr OS Snow leopard using disc.
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That suggests that the drive is dead; if so, it needs to be replaced, and any data on it can only be recovered by a professional service, which can charge hundreds or thousands of dollars.
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I never received a reply to this, so I'm marking it as 'answered' just to close it out.

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Barney-15E:
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see there
http://www.techmixer.com/best-free-mac-burning-software-for-mac-osx/
what you like most
try different brand of CD/DVD

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Disk Utility works for FAT but fails for Mac OS Extended

Hi Folks,
I have a 2TB WD My Book drive that I am trying to format as Mac OS Extended for Time Machine. Disk Utility will cheerfully format it as FAT (the FAT drive shows up in finder and seems to work fine), but won't format it as Mac OS Extended. I'm trying to figure out whether this is a hardware error, or whether I am doing something wrong.
To format it for Mac OS Extended, I am going into the partition tab, removing the current (FAT) partition, and adding a new Mac OS Extended partition. When I do this, Disk Utility shows the new partition as "grayed out" and it does not mount in Finder.
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Verify and Repair volume “Untitled 1”
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
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@kbd1: Yes, if I erase the disk from the erase tab and format it as MS-DOS (FAT) the disk works just fine. If I erase and format it as Mac OS Extended, I get the same errors listed above and it doesn't mount.
@Thomas: Yes, if I set the format to GUID I get the same errors. I've even tried setting up two partitions: one FAT and one GUID and the FAT one mounts and the GUID one doesn’t.
So, from both of your responses it sounds like hardware, which makes sense. What is strange to me is that it works as a FAT drive...
Message was edited by: terpfan

Disk Utility: Backup to partition on external drive?

Hi people. Would be glad of an answer and any comments on this.
I have 3 Macs at home, a new G5 dual core and 2 G4 imacs, networked wirelessly. At this point I only backup my G5 to a second internal HD, by using Disk Utility's 'Restore' function.
My preferred plan is to get an external Firewire 400 drive, make 3 partitions on it, and do the Disk Utility 'Restore' for the 3 respective Macs. That way it's not only a backup, but a bootable solution if one of the machines dies.
My second choice is to add one of those generic network hard drives to the router and try to back up to that(essentially as an FTP/Samba disk), but it would be slow and not bootable at all.
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Hi, Daniel.
You wrote: "Question: Will disk utility allow a partition, either on a firewire drive or network drive, to be the destination for a 'restore'? Or will it only recognise whole volumes? "Disk Utility will recognize a volume (partition) on a FireWire drive as the destination for a Restore.
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People have had mixed results using NAS (Network-attached Storage) for backups. I frankly think that it's still a bit early to try that route. Using an external FireWire drive has always given be good results.
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Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X
Note: The information provided in the link(s) above is freely available. However, because I own The X Lab™, a commercial Web site to which some of these links point, the Apple Discussions Terms of Use require I include the following disclosure statement with this post:
I may receive some form of compensation, financial or otherwise, from my recommendation or link.

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https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4467217

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Disk utility showing recover partition but not main partition

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