Disk utility unable to repair disk. What next?

I encountered the same problem. After verify disk, I got the message to repair the disk. But it was unable to complete the repair. Rather than purchase Disk Warrior, I tried something else.
What I did was reinstall the OSX (this iMac is still on Leopard). I backed up everything, naturally, before doing the reinstall. I chose the "Archive and Install" option, along with "Preserve Users and Network Settings". This method moves existing files to a folder named "Previous System" and imports existing user accounts, network settings, and home folders into the new OSX.
After the successful reinstall, I ran Disk Utility. It checked AND repaired Permissions. It verified that the disk was fine and no longer needed repair.
If this didn't work, my plan "B" was to reinstall the OSX again, this time with the "Erase and Install" option. Fortunately, I didn't have to go to plan "B".

Similar Messages

Disk Utility unable to repair disk

My IMAC started to freeze up for a couple of minutes while running Word for Mac 2004 and Entourage. Microsoft tech support suggested running rebuild database for Entourage. Rebuild database did not execute citing I/O problem. Ran Disk Utility from Install Disk and it was unable to repair one volume after repeated attempts. Also tried ckfs but that found no errors. Some posts recommend Disk Warrior or other recovery software. Any suggestions before the trip to the Genius Bar?

Disk Warrior repaired the disk on its first pass. Disk Utility confirmed the repair. No symptoms any more in Word for MAC and Entourage 2004. Still could not rebuild database. Will back up to be safe.

Disk utility can't repair disk, back up and restore files......I need help, I'm worried I'll lose all my photos, files etc

Mac started hanging up while streamlining a kids show. Restarted and got the screen with the apple and the circle. restarted with control-option p and r. Ran disk repairitem got the following results;
invalid index key,
it rebuilds catalog b-tree,
volume repair complete,
updating boot support partitions for the volume as required,
Error disk utility can't repair disk
I'm then prompted to back up all files, reformat the disk and restore backed up files.
Obviously need help here as I think I'm in danger of losing my files, photos etc if I don't do this right.
Can anyone help
Steve

You might want to back up the disk as soon as possible, do the repair, then back it up again. First time will have the issues that Disk Utility can't fix, however, you'll have the data saved. Then, once you get things repaired, make a new backup, and go from there.
If you're going to use a hard drive directly connected to your iMac for backup, this is what I mentioned earlier: http://twelvesouth.com/products/backpack/ Great way to use space behind the iMac without adding something else to the desk top. You can buy it through Apple online/stores or Amazon, and there are probably other sources too.
For external hard drives, I like those sold by OWC at http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/firewire/ as many of them use Oxford chip sets, wihch work well with macs (I've used several for years with no issues). Most pre-packaged drive/cases have a 3 year warranty, although you can buy a case and add your own hard drive. I like Western Digital Scorpio Blacks that have a 5 year warranty.

Anyone clean their mac using the disk utility using the repair disk permissions??

anyone clean their mac using the disk utility using the repair disk permissions??

No. Threads don't hurt anything. If your computer is not functioning properly perhaps you need to try some basic maintenance. Let's start by having you do this:
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. 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 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.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
Next, try booting into Safe Mode then immediately restart normally. Safe mode is going to take a while so be patient. It's slow.
Next, create a new user account. Log out of your account then log into the new account. Try using iPhoto and the publishing button. Do they work now?
If you still have a problem, then do the following. If you don't want to go through the above then just start with the following and forget the others above.
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. 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 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.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

Macbook Pro not booting after update. ''Disk Utility can't repair disk''. Help needed!

I have recently updated my macbook pro as I had some pending software updates. I left it to do the job over night and the next day I noticed it was not letting me sign in to my account session as usual.
I restarted the computer and ever since then when I boot it, it just shows the apple grey screen with a bar that loads to about a 3rd and then it turns off again. I have contacted apple but they were unable to help me with this.
So far I have tried to:
1. Re-install OS X 10.8 - but it says the disk is locked or OS X cannot be installed on Recovery HD.
2. Verify and Repair the disk and I errors but it cannot fix them. Some are:
               'invalid leaf count''
               ''missing thread record''
               ''incorrect number of file hard links''
               ''overlapped extent allocation''
          and it finally says ''the volume Macintosh HD cannot be repaired'' Error: ''Disk Utility can't repair this disk.. disk, and restore your backed up files.
I would like to know a way to back up my files so that i can completely restore the disk without any data loss as I havent backed up for a while!
If anyone has any solution to this issue it would be much appreciated!

I just ran the Disk Utility, and cannot very disk. It gives me an error message;
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair
and when I run the repair, this is the message:
The volume GERRARD could not be repaired.
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Repair attempted on 1 volume
1 volume could not be repaired
Prior to running Disk Utility, I have already tried DiskWarrior, and could not repair my disk. Anyway I can fix this problem??? Formatting the disk would be my last option (though I am unsure if it will fix the problem). Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, I will continue to back up my file, and delete unused data and try to run it again.
Thank you all very much for any input.
Cheers,
Matt

Macbook w/ whole slew of problems...Won't Start Up, Disk Utility Can't Repair Disk, Horizontal Lines on Screen, Etc.

I purchased my Macbook in the summer of 2011 and before it went berserk it was running Mavericks. 3 years later, it's finally seemed to have run its course.
It won't start up normally and it won't start up on safe boot. Attempting to use disk utility to repair the disk only gives me the message: "Disk utility can't repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible." There are also horizontal lines across the start screen (before it inevitably shuts down) and the screen looks very faintly purple-ish/off-colored.
This actually didn't come out of the blue. On Monday, my macbook suddenly froze, went white, and beeped three beeps repeatedly. I restarted it and backed up all my important work files and set up an appointment at the genius bar for Friday once work ended. It remained buggy during this process with the beeps returning an occasionally a blue screen popping up.
Unfortunately, there wasn't enough space to back up my important photos and by the time I returned on the next day with an external hard drive to store them on, my macbook would no longer turn on.
Is there anything I can do to bring my macbook back to life? Ideally I'd like for it to last one more year before I graduate college. Is it still salvageable, and if so, is it worth salvaging?

I hate to spread gloom, but that computer has serious problems. The only people who can diagnose the problem(s) are technicians. I would take it back to the Apple store for further testing.
Barry

Encodings folder empty, Disk Utility won't repair disk

Hello, I've been having some issues with my old powerbookg4. I've done a clean reinstall already on this machine, which seemed to correct alot of problems, but there seems to be at least one significant problem remaining. the Encodings folder in system/library/coreservices/encodings is completely empty, so ichat will crash when trying to type a message, or firefox crashes when it hits a website with chinese on it. Anyways, I went to disk repair with the 10.3 install disc, but after a while the repair stops, saying that it can't repair the volume. I've also tried just copying the encodings folder from the install disc, but that encounters an error (i think its error 52 or something). thank you very much for any help you could provide.

i should also add that I've run it with the apple hardware test cd that came with the computer, and that says all the hardware is fine. But when I've booted the computer up in safe mode and had Disk Utility try to "Repair Disc," it stops after about ten-twenty minutes saying that "the volume can't be repaired." So, I'm wondering if there really is a problem with the hard drive that the hardware test isn't picking up, and so even if I reinstall the OS or try and do a clean install of a newer os like os 10.5, the problems won't go away. Is this a hardware issue, or am I just going about this the wrong way?
I've tried reinstalling several of the language packages on the os 10.3 disc, but I didn't try much because I don't know which of the language packages installs the files for the Encodings folder.
And on the first OS10.3 install cd, I found the path to the Encodings folder, and tried copying those contents over into the Encodings folder on my hard drive, working under the assumption that for about five minutes I get root access. It throws up an error message when I do that, even though it lets me tinker around in the other parts.
I'm really as in the dark as to what I'm doing here, which is why I haven't tried much else. So any advice or info you can throw my way would be very much appreciated.

Only turns on in OSX Recovery, Disk Utility can't repair disk

Hi guys, I really need your help, as my Macbook Pro running on OSX Mavericks is having problems.
Today I turned my Mac on, and it started up with a loading wheel and a loading bar. When the loading bar finished, the Mac turned itself off. I tried many times, same happened every time. I then went into OSX Recovery, started repairing Macintosh HD, but the error message saying "Disk Utility can't repair Macintosh HD" came up and now I don't now what to do.
Is there any way I can back up my files in this situation?
Is there any way I can repair the disk without having to erase all data and reinstalling OSX?
Or do I really need to bring it to a Apple Store for repair?
Thx for reading

If you have access to another Mac and both computers have the appropriate connects, try the Target Disk mode to see if you can copy the files.
Target Disc Mode
Is there any way I can repair the disk without having to erase all data and reinstalling OSX?
No.

Disk Utility can't repair disk...Can I still create a new image to back up?

Two days ago my computer died and I haven't been able to get past the Apple screen since. I've tried starting in Safe mode, etc. that did not work. I just started up using my installation disk and got into Disk Utility. It says it cannot repair the disk and that I should back up as many files as possible and reformat the disk. How am I supposed to back up if I can't start up? I am currently creating a new image of the HD to an external drive but my question is if Disk Utility couldn't repair the disk, with the external drive copy also be problematic? How can I tell before I reformat the whole thing and start over?
Please help someone! I am in a little over my head!
Thanks

I am currently creating a new image of the HD to an external drive but my question is if Disk Utility couldn't repair the disk, with the external drive copy also be problematic?
Maybe.
How can I tell before I reformat the whole thing and start over?
Run Repair Disk on the copy.

Disk Utility - Can't repair Disk - Help needed :(

Hi,
I have some trouble to use Disk Utility (on my iBook G4 - 1.33 Ghz+1 GB RAM)
I run Disk Utility to verify and repair permissions, which worked, and then Verify Disk. HEre is the logged result:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Aug 26 09:32:58: Disk Utility started.
Verify permissions for “E=G4”
Determining correct file permissions.
Permissions verification complete
The privileges have been verified or repaired on the selected volume
Verifying volume “E=G4”
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.
Invalid volume free block count
Invalid volume free block count
uld be %@ instead of %@)",2)
4078185
4078184
Volume Header needs minor repair
The volume E=G4 needs to be repaired.
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
Disk Utility stopped verifying “E=G4” because the following error was encountered:
The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I wanted to run Disk Repair, but the button would not highlight, therefore could not be started.
I retried today, and now the Verify Disk task won't even work, blocking Disk Utility (needs force quit)
(E=G4 is the name of my Hard Drive on the iBook)
I also tried TechTool Deluxe coming with Applecare protection plan, but TTD can not check the "Volume Structure".
Has anyone got any tips or sequence to solve this?
Thanks in advance
Yann
Message was edited by: ObiYann

I just ran the Disk Utility, and cannot very disk. It gives me an error message;
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair
and when I run the repair, this is the message:
The volume GERRARD could not be repaired.
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Repair attempted on 1 volume
1 volume could not be repaired
Prior to running Disk Utility, I have already tried DiskWarrior, and could not repair my disk. Anyway I can fix this problem??? Formatting the disk would be my last option (though I am unsure if it will fix the problem). Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Meanwhile, I will continue to back up my file, and delete unused data and try to run it again.
Thank you all very much for any input.
Cheers,
Matt

Disk Utility Unable to Repair External FireWire Hard Disk

Hello all.
This is the External FireWire Hard Disk that has been giving me problems for days, it is a Backup/Clone Disk of my sis's Mac mini Core Duo, and may explain why it was so hard and took so much pain to copy some of the data out, at times it failed to mount, and I manage to rescue some data after using Disk Warrior, but Disk Warrior was also unable to replace it with a new directory.
Anyway, so I (was able to) mount the hard disk, and I was successful in erase and reformating it.
But when I (try to) repair it with Disk Utility's First Aid, this report is what I get:
(The usual 'Checking...' text lines, text in BOLD indicates RED colour text)
Checking HFS Plus volume
Checking Extents Overflow file
Checking Catalog file
Checking Catalog hierarchy
Checking volume bitmap
Volume Bit Map needs minor repair
Checking volume information
The volume Untitled could not be repaired after 3 attempts
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit
1 HFS volume checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Repair attempted on 1 volume
1 volume could not be repaired
Then a window dropped down from the top says:
First Aid failed
Disk Utility stopped repairing "Untitled" because the following error was encountered:
The underlying task reported failure on exit
(OK Button)
I guess this hard disk is really a gone case?? I am quite OK just to replace it with a brand new one... maybe all the trouble I had in the beginning is because I may already have a faulty backup drive to begin with???
Thanks and cheers

Hi Kappy,
I knew there was something about "not mixing" PPC and Intel versions of dealing with the external drive.
The drive was originally prepared on an Intel Mac mini Core Duo. But it should also mount normally on a PPC mac as an external hard drive right?
Here's the sequence of events:
1. Tried to boot from the Back Up/Clone Drive of the Mac mini Core Duo, through my MacBook Core 2 Duo, but failed to boot up
I had to shut down the MacBook (prolonged Bluescreen)
2. When I reboot the MacBook, and tried to mount the ext drive as normal, nothing happens, I knew something was wrong
3. Able to reach the vendor, use the Mac mini again to erase and reformat the drive, then check with DU, everything is OK
Clone with SuperDuper
After that check again with DU, not everything is alright, there are errors.
4. Brought the drive home, try to mount on my iMac G5, nothing happens.
I did a check on this forum, and the reply was that I should be able to use Disk Warrior 4 (Universal) on a PPC to fix an Intel-based ext drive. I was very specific and detail in my post/question
5. So anyway, I have no other option, I ran Disk Warrior 4 from my PPC iMac G5 and scan the ext drive, trying to fix it.
It reported the drive is too damaged to be replace with a new Directory, but gave me a Preview Mode. I use this to copy some data out.
But not sure if the data is OK or not.
6. After that, I was able to mount the drive in my iMac G5, so I just use DU and erase and reformat the drive, with Zero Data
7. Ran DU again, and that's where I am now, at the very first post, getting error messages that I cannot fix the drive
Thanks and cheers

Disk Utility won't repair disk....what do I do?

Hey Everyone,
So for about the last two weeks, whenever I boot into OSX, I've been geting this weird grey bar at the bottom.   Also, I run bootcamp and Macdrive (windows program that allows to write onto Mac Formatted disks) kept on telling my that partition was damaged.
Now as far as actual use goes, I never noticed a problem. I was able to get in, do work, absolutely no problem.   But, I decided to run disk utilty just in-case and that's where problems started. Disk permissions repaired fine, but when I went to verify disk, it said it had to be repaired. So I booted the computer using the install disc, but disk repair failed and said I need to re-install OSX.   And now it takes FOREVER to boot into OSX. Sometimes, it takes hours.
This actually happened before a couple of months back and it is going to be a pain in the *** to do this again. I was hoping there was some other way to repair the disk that doesn't involve me losing a whole day re-installing crap. Any ideas? Maybe a third party disk utility program?
And on a side note, What the &%#@ Apple? My windows partition is more reliable than OSX. Seriously, no problems with windows at all.
The thing that drives me crazy is that I don't understand why this keeps on happening. If this happens I again, I'm going back to windows full-time.   Everything Apple has ever said about reliability and how windows is so buggy is a TOTAL LIE. OSX is sooo soo soo much worse.

Possibly if the partition is on the part of the disk that is okay I believe it is possible. I have had partitions working fine in the past and had disk utility or other programs of the same nature tell me that the disk was corrupt. At the apple stoe where I went they replaced the HD and no problems with my old macbook since then. However I do agree that from here I can't be sure. The first step definetly needs to be erasing and reinstalling if that does not work (and that is what I meant, because I'm betting against it) then I believe that you will have to change the HD or go see a tech. Sorry you are right I was not clear the first time around.

Disk Utility can't repair disk; unable to create image

Hi all,
I had posted a couple days ago because my MBP (2011, 1 2.3 GHz Intel Core i5) was running very slow. I ran EtreCheck, and it turned out that my HD had a number of errors. The next day, before I could back everything up, I had the grey screen on both safe mode and regular mode.
I tried Command+Option+P+R and it brought me to the Utility screen where I was able to run Disk Utility. I tried to repair, but the disk was unrepairable. I then tried to create an image of the HD on a new 1TB external drive, but when the progress bar got to about 50%, it failed. I tried this three times and it failed each time. The error message each time was "Input/Output error." Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could possibly back up my HD, or is all lost?
Here's a pic:

Booted into the Recovery Partition, try Disk Utility/Restore to copy the files to an external drive. Note the warning that this will reformat the drive, meaning any data on the drive will be erased.

Disk Utility Unable to Repair Permissions

Hi there
I'd recently noticed my Mac was starting to run a little slow so I thought I'd run the Verify Permissions in Disk Utility and I got a warning message:
'Warning: SUID file "System/Library/CoreServices/RemoteManagement/ARDAgent.app/Contents/MacOS/ARDAg ent" has been modified and will not be repaired'
I also got several permission errors relating to my airport which were fixed ok but not this one for Remote Management. Is this anything to worry about?
Thing is I've never used the Remote Management App and am a little paranoid that my mac has been compromised in some fashion. I know macs a pretty immune to malware and viruses but not completely invulnerable. Is this something I should be worried about or am I paranoid over nothing?
Ta in advance
John

Is this anything to worry about?
No. Click here for more information.
(53303)

External drive crash, disk utility unable to repair

I have a 250GB LaCie external disk. I use it to store files that I use with Final Cut. Unfortunately I had a Final Cut crash while the disk was running (or maybe it was the external disk that crashed). This has caused my disk to cease operation. Mac OS recognises it and suggests a repair but disk utility cannot repair it. Is there a way I can recover any of the files from the external disk?

Disk Warrior is known to work much better. http://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior/index.html

Disk utility unable to repair disk. What next?

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