Overlapped extent allocation, backing up and erase/install

Can't boot up my G4 flat panel iMac. Have tried safe boot mode - hangs on grey screen and spinning gears. Ran Disk Repair from install disk which reported 'overlapped extent allocation' files - dozens of 'em, so decided to back up users folders to g5 tower using target disk mode and I can access the iMac's hard drive through TDM.
Having read this technical document:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1553?viewlocale=en_US#3c
it specifies that that I have to log into the imac as a root user to copy the user folders to the G5 but as I can't log in to it am I OK just to access and copy the user folders from the imac via target disk mode? (I've started this but, for example, when copying one of the user folders - 35GB of content - the copied folder correctly has 16 folders within, but has a few thousand bytes of data less than the original folder - why is this and will it cause problems after erasing the imac's drive and attempting to copy back the user directories?
I have read elsewhere that I can search for the problematical Overlapped Extent Allocation files in the DamagedFiles directory but can I safely delete these and how can I tell if I can or can't and how do I find them? (the reasoning being that if I can safely delete these then the imac may boot up OK)
When quitting the installer menu on the imac (when booting from the install disk) I am prompted to either quit or choose startup disk. If I choose the latter option will the imac boot from the install disk enabling me to back up the user folders to an external drive using the method recommended in the technical document I previously referred to (i.e logging in as a root user)?
Thanks for any help

There are a couple of ways to deal with the problem. See the following:
Handling 'overlapped extent allocation' errors reported by Disk Utility or fsck;
Or buy Disk Warrior which will fix the problem for you and any other directory related problems that Disk Utility does not fix.
However, the most effective solution is to erase the drive and reinstall OS X. Since you are accessing the drive via TDM, copy your personal data to a backup drive or folder on the other computer. There's no benefit to copying the entire Home folder because it may contain files affected by the problem. Better to copy only your data files. You will have to do some software reinstalling and re-registering, but that's better than having damaged files.

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Overlapped extent allocation

My iBook is not starting, so I ran the start up disc, and the diagnostic said I had an overlapped extent allocation. So I want to back up before I reinstall OS X, but I do not not know how to back up from either the start up or safe mode. Can someone help me? Thanks so much.

Angela:
When I ran the Disk Utility it said it was fixed, but I still could not start up the computer. I actually ran the Utility a couple of times.
Yet in your first post in the topic you said:
so I ran the start up disc, and the diagnostic said I had an overlapped extent allocation.
If Disk Utility said it was fixed, what "start up disc" did you run?
As Doug pointed out, overlapping extent allocation files is a directory issue that needs to be addressed by a utility like Disk Warrior or Tech Tool Pro. Backing up and re-installing is an acceptable solution, but much more invasive.
One of the causes of overlapping extent allocation files is an overfull internal Hard Disk Drive. If you have less than 10% of available capacity on your HDD you should consider leaning down the contents of the drive or getting a larger HDD.
Good luck.
cornelius
Message was edited by: cornelius

Overlapped extent allocations

Hi all,
I'm trying to solve a number of overlapped extent allocations (OS X 10.2.8) using the command line solution described in http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=25770. I have previously tried to fix the HD using Tech Tool deluxe, but the repair phase seems to hang after a few hours when the rate of block processing slows down to one per several minutes - suggesting a time to complete of about 11 days!!
Starting with 9 overlaps, I've deleted offending files for 6 of them - they were either preference or cache files that could go without any knock-on impact.
I'm now left with the following affected files:
Users/mike/Library/Mail/Mailboxes/Mailgroups/GPSrunners.mbox/Incoming_mail
/private/var/run/cron.pid
/private/var/run/utmp
Can anyone please advise how to deal with these?
I'm happy to lose the mailbox if I delete the first one.
What do the 2nd and 3rd files do?? Will they cripple my OS if I delete them? I have a backup of my HD on an external drive taken a few weeks ago so the user data will not be current but the OS should be an intact backup of the OS - I can certainly boot from it. Is there a way to replace them from the HD, and if so do I have to do that from the command line (they don't seem to be visible to the finder).
Grateful for any help - in nice simple steps for someone whose command line knowledge was limited to fsck until today!
thanks,
Mike
iMac800 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Kappy, Fifthwheel, WJ,
Thanks for your excellent help.
I've deleted the mbox and cron.pid files - the allocation error asociated with the utmp file just seems to have gone away. Checking the HD by fsck or Disk Uitility/First Aid from an external drive says the disk is OK.
HOWEVER, I still have the problem reported here:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=583008&tstart=0
Could this login difficulty be caused by the utmp file being damaged? If so, how can I replace it by a good one if, as WJ suggests, it will not be recreated automatically if I delete it?
Can I use the one on my external drive which has the OS backed up, and if so how do I actually move it (command line or finder)?
thanks,
Mike
iMac800 Mac OS X (10.2.x)
iMac800 Mac OS X (10.2.x)

Repeated Overlapped Extent Allocation

I recently began having problems with "Overlapped Extent Allocation" errors on my hard drive on my "Late 2010" MacBook Air. When it first happened, I formatted the drive, reinstalled OSX 10.7, and restored my data. Within a month or so, the drive was corrupted again with the same errors. So, I replaced the hard drive, reinstalled OSX, and restored my data. Now, only a couple weeks after doing this, I am having the same problem yet again. What could be causing this to happen so frequently?

Linc,
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately, I've already replaced the drive and it's doing the same thing on the new drive. I suppose it's possible that I got a bad drive, but it's hard to imagine it having exactly the same error as the previous drive.

Fixing "overlapped extent allocation (file 7d)"...

Hi,
While running fsck i get the error "overlapped extent allocation (file 7d)"
I've read the guide on how to delete problematic files, but does this apply to my error (i.e. it's not a 7-digit file number)?
btw, i tried running "find / -inum 7". The hard drive buzzes a bit then displays the normal prompt (sh-2.05) and not the path to my problem file...
Any ideas?
Thanks
mac os x 10.2.3

By "regular mode", he means after the system has booted to the login window. Most people who run fsck do it from single-user mode (no GUI, no Terminal; just a command line).
When you try 'sudo -s' from a non-administrator account, it will fail ("(this user) is not in the sudoers file..."). Thus when you typed the 'find / -inum 7', you are doing the search as the non-administrative user rather than as root, which means that your access to the file system is limited to the files and directories that that user is allowed to read (usually only system files and its own home directory). So no, the directories that yield ": Permission denied" are not corrupt; they just aren't yours, so you're not allowed to search them.
Disk Warrior won't do you much good if you try to run it from a non-administrator account; it'll suffer the same restrictions you encountered with your 'find'.
Your best bet is to print reboot to single-user mode and attempt to fix the problem there.

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Thanks James!
I appreciate you responding.
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G4 Tiger: need to back-up and re-install: how is this best accomplished?

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After apple store erased and re-installed iPhoto has gone. how do I get it back ?

macbook air 14 mths old wouldn't turn on. apple store said corrupted hard drive. erased and re-installed os x 10.8 . now restoring back up but iPhoto missing and iTunes and app stores says os version doesn't support them. What can I do ?

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I just got a new iPhone 4S for my mum . I set it up on my iTunes and I install all her numbers in . Then I plug my phone in all my hints to got erased and I ended up getting all her contacts in my phone . Help I need my contacts back

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Read this link
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How can I restore my iTunes library via Time Machine after an erase/install and upgrade to Snow Leopard?

Actual problem:
I reinstalled all my programs that I need without a hitch. Meanwhile, I've been trying to recover the few files (mostly music) I actually store on my computer's hard drive as opposed to on my external HDs. I use one external HD for my graphic files and the other is strictly for Time Machine backups. I tried to recover my iTunes music, but I got a message that says: "The file: "iTunes Library.itl" cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes." I restored (I thought) my iTunes library Username/Music/iTunes." Additionally, I was going to upgrade to Mountain Lion, but I have seen that there were issues with Lion and iTunes libraries so I'm a little wary of this.
Excuse the long explanation, but I figure the problem may possibly be in the details of the weeks prior this problem:
I have recently been having issues with my iMac. I brought it in to see a Genius twice within the past month and they couldn't seem to find the problem. (It would restart Finder of it's own accord while I was using Adobe CS programs) I figured it was worth backing everything up via Time Machine and doing a complete erase/install/factory reset. I did so and had a problem again, and brought it in again, third time. The Genius did another diagnostics tests and found nothing and said my erase/install probably did the trick, but time will tell. I am, after the erase/rewrite and upgrade running Mac OS X 10.6.3 and previous to this was still running Tiger.

So, I didn't update iTunes and the rest of it after installing Snow Leopard. My stupidity, I figured that the OS was more up to date than the one I had previously so that all the programs that come with it probably were more current than the ones I was using. However, now that I have updated all my software, I am still getting the same message from iTunes that I was previously. I cannot open iTunes at all, same "The file: "iTunes Library.itl" cannot be read because it was created by a newer version of iTunes." message. I'm confused again. Checked a few other threads and whatnot and cannot seem to figure this out.

Had to erase and re-install. No longer can find Garageband and other apps. Where can I re-doanload these?

I have had this mac for years. It's one of the very first Macbook Pro models with Intel processor.
It originally came with OS X, and I have the install disk here. I upgraded to Snow Leopard when it came out.
Recently my disk failed and I had to Erase it and do a complete re-install. I assumed Garageband, and iMovie and a few other apps I used semi-regularly would be in the Optional Installs. I started from scratch, installed OS X and then installed Snow Leopard on top of it, installing the "Optional Installs" each time.
No copy of Garageband and these other useful apps appeared.
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How can I get these re-installed properly like they once were?
I just want my Macbook Pro back to where it was earlier this week before the disk failed.
Sean Huxter

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
You should have an Applications DVD with iLife programs -GarageBand, iWeb, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD. See > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2604

HT201328 I have paid Bell to unlock my old iphone4 and they have said it is now unlocked. Can I skip the back up and restore process and just buy another carriers sim card from my daugther Kodoo plan, install it and active the iphone4 on itunes account in

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The process is as follows:
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I want to erase my hard drive and re-install 10.9

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Welcome to Apple Support Communities
To be able to erase the OS X partition, you must have started in OS X Recovery by holding down Command and R keys while your Mac is starting > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718 Then, open Disk Utility and erase Macintosh HD. Finally, install OS X again, and OS X Recovery will install OS X Mavericks.
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Overlapped extent allocation, backing up and erase/install

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