Surface Scan Fail (TechTool Deluxe)

I thought my problem was fixed, but apparently not... my PowerBook works when I first boot it up, but as I use it for a while (or close it and re-open it), things start freezing. Sometimes it can't find my AirPort connection, either.
Anyway, I ran the TechTool Deluxe that came with AppleCare, and it said the Surface Scan Failed:
"Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again."
Joeuu helped me over in another thread, and I've already archived and installed from the discs, but now that I've backed up all my important files, should I consider erasing and installing? Is that what that message means? Or should I try something else?
Thanks in advance!

Good that you have AppleCare still.
Do you by any chance have .Mac and auto synch? Or any networking going on?
1. Call and get a case number.
2. Be patient as they will probably ask you to do things you have already done. Take copious notes as to what we have done and what they ask you to do.
3. Don't be afraid to ask for a higher level of tech if you get frustrated.
4. Decide how long you can be without your Book. The fact that it is portable, they will send you a box to use to ship to them.
Will not hurt to do an erase and install, I'm still wondering why logging in as a new user helped greatly, albeit only for a while--leaned to the software side.
Hang Tough!
Joe

Similar Messages

  • Surface scan on TechTool Deluxe.

    Hi
    Surface scan on TechTool Deluxe has said that there were 48 errors, why is this? Is this due to the Internet or is it internal or is it just something that happens? Need answers please.
    Regards

    TJ94 wrote:
     Surface scan on TechTool Deluxe has said that there were 48 errors, why is this? Is this due to the Internet or is it internal or is it just something that happens?
    A surface scan identifies bad sectors on the drive where data won't be reliably read or written too.
    Normally as one writes data to the drive if it can't write to it then the driver software maps off that bad sector and uses another.
    However at the factory, data is likely injected directly onto the drive, right over the bad sectors and everything which might result in unstable OS X behavior.
    If your computer is running fine, then no need however if OS X is unstable, then perhaps some part of OS X itself is written on a bad sector.
    There is a simply method to pre-mapping off bad sectors on new hard drives, and that's Disk Utility Erase Security option Zero and format the drive HFS+ journaled. (warning all data will be lost)
    You can also do this in a perfectly fine working OS X by using Disk Utilities "Erase Free Space" option and choosing Zero (don't format)
    To do it to a whole OS X drive, you need to clone all the data off first using Carbon Copy Cloner, to a external drive, then hold option and boot from the clone, then use Disk Utility > Zero method.
    What Zeroing does is writes 0's to every bit on the drive or free space, depending which option you choose.
    The driver software for the hard drive will then map off any bad sectors automatically. So with Zeroing your forcing the machine to do it in advance.
    As you notice the Surface Scan for TechTool Deluxe was not enabled in the software by default, it's because there are always errors from bad sectors, but the hard drive driver software automatically takes care of them.

  • Tech Tool Deluxe 'Surface Scan Failed-'

    Surface scan repeatedly failing, no recent change to iBook settings, I suspect that this problem may have been caused by m-audio software, however I believe it has been properly uninstalled. Advice?
    Error message reads;
    'Surface Scan Failed - 212 errors
    The Surface Scan test will scan the disk for bad blocks.
    Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.'
    I am unsure as what this report is prompting me to do. What does the term 'media' mean in this context? Which data should I be trying to replace?
    Please forward any tips on how to resolve this issue.
    <Post Relocated by Moderator>

    When I use the disk utility application the volume passes verification, is this contrary to Tech Tools or are they analyzing different elements of the drive?
    Yes, different, DU is just basically checking part of the drive, where Directory info is stored & such.
    Laptop drives are generally a lot shorter lived than regular drives, which now seem to last 3 to 5 tears.
    Although these errors are present it doesn't seem to be effecting my day to day running of things at the moment...
    There's a Train Wreck coming up ahead though, you can avoid it, or wait 'till it hits!
    Not certain which iBook G4 you have, but here's some ideas on HD replacements...
    http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?sort=pop&model=198&type=DataStorage&TI=5904&shoupgrds=ShowUpgrades

  • Video ram fails techtool deluxe exam

    Ran Techtool Deluxe utility because of constant freezes. Diagnostic shows that the video ram portion of the test has failed. Does this mean bad video card? What are the possibilites that I must look for?
    Thanks

    Cross check with the Apple Hardware Test program, extended tests. If it fails or not, contact AppleCare and get it fixed.

  • Techtool deluxe found 7 errors during surface scan... what do i do???

    please help

    The steps mentioned by TTD aren't very thorough, especially for a rookie. I only have 1 error and the suggestion by TTD is:
    Surface Scan
    Failed - 1 errors
    The Surface Scan test will scan the disk for bad blocks.
    Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.
    Can you please walk me through these steps? I have my computer backed up using Time Machine and I still have the box that I bought to upgrade my operating system to Snowleopard.

  • Persistent surface scan error on techtool- please help

    My Powerbook started running slower than usual, so I decided to run the Techtool Deluxe cd I got with my Apple Care plan. I ran all the tests. My result: 5 errors in the Surface Scan test.
    I didn't know what to do, so I took my Powerbook to the Apple store Genius Bar. The guy just said I needed to reformat my HD. So, I did the "erase and install" reformat at the store.
    But, the genius bar guy didn't seem to know what he was talking about, so after I did all the software updates at home, I decided to run the Techtool Deluxe cd again. Again, the results showed I had 5 errors in the Surface Scan test, even after I had completely reformatted my hard drive.
    I had the 3.0.4 version of Techtool, and just to be safe that it wasn't out of date, I installed it on my computer and updated it to version 3.1.2.
    With the updated 3.1.2 Techtool Deluxe program, I ran all the tests again.
    And STILL I have 5 errors on my Surface Scan test.
    Here is a copy of my results (every thing else passed).
    Surface Scan
    Failed - 5 errors
    The Surface Scan test will scan the disk for bad blocks.
    Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.
    Please help! What am I supposed to do???? (I don't think reformatting my HD will help, because I already did, and still have this problem)
    Thank you!

    Welcome to the Apple discussions.
    When you reformatted the hard drive, did you do an erase and write zero's? That's important because that's what remaps the bad sectors of the hard drive. After booting from the OS X CD, choose disk utility, choose the hard drive, and on the erase tab, choose security options and write zero's. If you don't do this step, a plain erase or erase and install only deletes the index or catalog of the disk contents.

  • Failed "Surface Scan"

    Hello Everyone.
    I recently ran TechTool Deluxe - The program that came bundled w/ Apple Care, and it generated this report:
    http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1347667/TechTool%20Deluxe%20Report.html
    Everything passed except that in the surface scan section, it says:
    Surface Scan
    Failed - 1 errors
    The Surface Scan test will scan the disk for bad blocks.
    Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.
    Should I be concerned about this? Unfortunately, I can not get the drive replaced for free by apple care because I bought this drive a while ago not from Apple (it seems to work very well). Does anyone have any opinions about this matter.
    Thanks!

    Normally, yes, but TT has a tendency to produce that erroneous error. Use Disk Utility which is in your Utilities folder to repair the drive and/or permissions. Stay away from TT Deluxe. If you need something heftier then purchase Disk Warrior.

  • TechTool Deluxe Q

    Hey all, I did a quick scan and my MB failed on the Volume Structure part. It said I have to download something from the apple site that hopefully will help. The directions said that I have to burn the disk to a CD before I use it, can I just run the file without burning it?
    Here is the error:
    Volume Structure
    Failed
    TechTool Deluxe can scan volumes for problems related to the numerous structures that are necessary for the volumes to operate correctly. If problems are found, TechTool Deluxe can attempt to repair the damage to help reduce the chance of future problems.
    If TechTool Deluxe has discovered problems with the volume structure of a volume, allow the program to repair the problem. Quite often these issues are minor, but sometimes they can be indicative of a more serious problem. If the problem persists, consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.
    Thanks
    Ricky

    Just did Disk Utility and I had some errors with "Verify Disk".
    Checking Volume Information.
    Invalid Volume File Count.
    (It should be 910624 instead of 910625)
    Invalid Directory Count.
    (It should be 207901 instead of 207900)
    The Volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.
    Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed.
    My repair button is grayed out so I'm not sure what to do.

  • MBP had errors when Techtool Deluxe test was ran....

    Below are the two items my MBP failed on... what can I do to resolve these two issues.... for the Volume Structure, I am going to insert the TT CD and boot that and repair it this way... but as for the Directory Scan, what can I do to fix this...?
    Thanks.... any help is appreciated.
    Directory Scan
    Failed
    Performs a read test of the directory area for the selected volume.
    Media defects cause this test to fail. You should consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.
    Volume Structure
    Failed
    TechTool Deluxe can scan volumes for problems related to the numerous structures that are necessary for the volumes to operate correctly. If problems are found, TechTool Deluxe can attempt to repair the damage to help reduce the chance of future problems.
    If TechTool Deluxe has discovered problems with the volume structure of a volume, allow the program to repair the problem. Quite often these issues are minor, but sometimes they can be indicative of a more serious problem. If the problem persists, consider backing up the device, reformatting the media, replacing the data, and then testing again.

    > but as for the Directory Scan, what can I do to fix this...?
    Boot holding down Apple/S and don't let go until you see scrolling text.
    When that stops and you see a root#: prompt enter
    fsck -fy
    Let it run through all the checks and repairs.
    If it fails first time, at any time, or finds and fixes a fault - run the command again and keep doing so (some fixes can take several passes) until it says "Appears to be OK" then enter
    reboot

  • Directory Scan and Volume scan failed on Techtool -- next steps?

    I've been having serious problems with this MB pro, bought May 07, recently. There is a repetitive sound coming from the harddrive that freezes the computer while various processes are happening. The computer also takes a long time to start up and then only displays a fragment of my desktop picture (the original wavey blue background shows on the rest of the display). I did an extended hardware test and found nothing; TechTool shows the Directory Scan, Surface Scan and Volume Structure tests failed.
    I'm downloading the bootable TechTool Deluxe file to try to do repairs, but I'm wondering what else I should be considering? I've backed up all data, but I'm wondering if I do a clean install of the OS if I'll lose applications that are currently on the hard drive?
    Thanks for your input

    Noises from the hard drive are not a good sign, especially along with the other symptoms you describe. Here is a utility that may be able to give you further insight into your hard drive:
    S.M.A.R.T. Utility
    http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/32454
    You can attempt to repair the software on your hard drive with Disk Utility, Tech Tool Pro, or Disk Warrior. However, if the hard drive is failing physically, you will not be able to repair the software satisfactorily.
    If by a clean install you mean an Erase and Install, you could certainly try that, but you will lose all the applications that are not included in your install disc and you will have to reinstall them separately. Here is an article on installation options:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1545?viewlocale=en_US
    One other thing you may want to check is whether you might also possibly have the NVIDIA chip issue:
    http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2377
    Do you have an external FireWire hard drive with a bootable clone? If so, you could try booting from it and see if your video distortion is still there when booted from a different drive.
    Good luck!

  • "Volume Structure Failed" in TechTool Deluxe

    I tried to run Disk Utility on my laptop last night and it said that it "stopped reapiring "XXX" because the following error was encountered. The underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972)" It said there was an invalid catalog record type and volume check failed.
    I then ran the lastest update of the TechTool Deluxe CD. Everything passed except the Volume Structure.
    There were some "used nodes" and "free nodes" that differed--those numbers showed up in green as "favorable changes". "Leaf Record Count" showed up in red as an "unusual change". When I go to repair, it says that "unusual values in the volume structure have been dectected. Before repairing the volume structure, it is suggested that you back up your data. FAILURE TO BACKUP YOUR DATA MAY RESULT IN PERMANENT LOSS OF DATA!".
    I do have a Retrospect Backup on my external drive, but I'm still a little nervous about clicking the "repair" button. How likely is data loss with this particular error that it's trying to repair?
    I'd like to call Apple Support (I'm still under AppleCare for another week or so), but I'm not sure if they have Saturday hours.

    Okay, here's what I ended up doing. I did end up calling Applecare Tech support, but mostly only to inquire about potential coverage if I needed it--since I was one week away from the expiration of Applecare. They opened a "case" for me and Applecare would remain in effect for 30 from the opening of the case. This was good news.
    I tried using Disk Utility to repair the problem but it wouldn't work. I had repaired permissions and attempted to run “Check and Repair Disk”. Disk Utility said that it “stopped repairing ‘xxx’ because the following error was encountered. The underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972)”. It then said that there was an invalid catalog record type-volume check failed-volume was not repaired.
    A friend of mine has DiskWarrior for Panther so we were going to try that before trying the TechTools Deluxe CD that I had just updated from the Apple site.
    Went over today to do that. Unfortunately, we couldn't get the computer to boot up with the DW disk. It would boot up with the Install disc & TTD, but not DW. We tried booting with the option key. It did show that we could boot from "utility CD", but the minute we hit the arrow key after selecting it, we got a circle with a slash through it. We called DW support and they said that my computer was newer than the CD. This was strange since my friend's larger G4 Powerbook was only a couple of weeks older than mine and DW works fine on hers.
    Anyway, we ran TTD and let it repair. Ran DU again and it still showed a problem that it could not repair. Ran it again--same thing. Ran TTD again--just to test. It showed that there was nothing that needed repairing. Ran DU yet again--3rd time for the afternoon. Did repair permissions first, then Repair Disk. Strangely enough, now it said the volume was fine and needed no repairing.
    So, at least for the moment, things seem okay. Not sure exactly which step worked or if it was just a combination, but I'm just happy that it finally passed DU check.
    I will continue to monitor for the next few weeks.

  • TechTool Delux - VRAM Failed and Volume Structure Failed

    So I ran TechTool Delux today.. my VRAM failed, as well as my Volume structure.
    Now, it says that I should quit all apps, restart, check recently added hardware for proper installation, run the computer from another volume (if available), reinstall the OS, and finally contact applecare.
    now, is it really necessary to reinstall the OS? i'm not even sure if I could, i'm not experienced with reinstalling an OS.
    as for the Volume structure fail, it asks me to run techtool on boot, which is what i'm about to do.
    anybody have experience with these fails? any help is appreciated.

    When VRAM fails on a Powerbook, it means the logicboard needs replacement as the graphics chip is usually on the logicboard.
    Volume structure failure may indicate a hard drive dying or simply a damaged directory. If your data isn't backed up, I'd get Prosoft Data Rescue and external hard drive to attempt to recover data from the drive. If your data is backed up, I'd get Alsoft Disk Warrior to attempt to repair the directory. To learn how to backup your data, see my FAQ*:
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  • Installing techtool deluxe from Applecare Protection Plan DVD fails

    As I was having some problems with my mac, I decided to try the Techtool Deluxe utility that came with the protection plan. But the install fails: it stops at 0 items remaining, uses 100% CPU (or one core), and stays at that for at least 15 minutes - apparently doing nothing.
    I can't find a download from apple support site either - the update page has link to latest version, but I only get a page that points to quick assist page.
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    I purchased a MBP in 2008 & an iMac in 2013.  Neither came w/ TTD when I purchased AC.  I am assuming Apple no longer includes TTD w/AC. 
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  • TechTool Deluxe-Video RAM fails

    New iMac running Leopard. It came with AppleCare and TechTool Deluxe 3.1.1. I did a check on my iMac, and Video RAM failed. I am wondering whether this is due to Leopard imcompatibility?(I did get a warning when I started TechTool). or there is something wrong with iMac. Thanks.

    Try running the Apple Hardware Test and see what it says. I have heard of incompatibility if the Tech Tool Deluxe is not for Leopard. You could probably take the Tech Tool Deluxe back to Apple and ask for something that is current and will work with Leopard. They should be willing to swap out the disc for you if they have something more current on hand, or have a suggestion as to what to do. There might be a download.
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  • TechTool Surface Scan 1000+ Errors. Replace Drive or Reformat?

    My computer recently began freezing whenever I tried to open certain files. I found that each time the computer locked up, a Disk0s2 error flashed in the Console. After checking the SMART Status of my drive (Verified) and running Disk Utility (Repair Disk and Permissions), the problems persisted today. I ran a TechTool Surface Scan and found that my hard drive has over 1000 errors. My question is, should I take the time to reformat the drive and zero over it or should I replace my 3.5 year old hard drive?
    Thanks!

    jbend32 wrote:
    Thanks for your response. I was afraid that the writing was on the wall with this one.
    Methinks you're correct.
    When I ran Repair Disk, it found two errors, one about a discrepancy in the volume of files and another in the volume directory count. It told me that 1 HFS Volume had been repaired. I'm not sure what this really means.
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    RD attempts to fix the directory structure, basically the locations of every bit of millions of bits of data scattered across the HD platters. If this directory becomes corrupt, then the data cannot be located/accessed, even if it is still "intact" (would require data recovery software).
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    Message was edited by: tjk

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