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Invalid sibling link, I/O error
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Jan 3, 2009 3:57 PM
by: Shamus
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From:
Santa Cruz, CA
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Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 18, 2008 11:21 AM
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This has been a persistent problem w/ my eMac. It took about a year from purchase until the system would not boot. Disc Warrior gets it up, but the fix doesn't last. I've done 'Archive' or 'Erase and Install' dozens of times and now the error reappears after just a few system start ups.
I've searched the Discussions site and these options appeared, among others:
Remove and reset the processors. A worsening connection could account for the increasing frequency of the problem, I suppose.
Go to Single User mode and type: fsck_hfs -r /dev/disk0s2. This begins to get a little over my level. I'm warned that mistakes here could result in permanently unmounting the volume. But, I'm willing to try.
I'd appreciate any methods or references that you, the discussion good guys, may have to offer.
Thanks,
Shamus
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB ROM, 300 GB external HD
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5,382
From:
Australia
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Jan 16, 2006
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 18, 2008 6:45 PM
in response to: Shamus
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Helpful
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Hello Shamus,
About the only thing you haven't done is use Disk Utility to Erase (zero all data) the volume and reformat it HFS+.
This is not the same as an Erase and Install of the OS.
Whilst the other things repair errors found, doing an Erase maps out bad blocks on the Hard Drive to be excluded from use. This would certainly be worth trying as delaying replacing a Hard Disk on an Emac is worth doing.
Message was edited by: roam
iMac (20" 08) eMac (ATI) iBook (G4) 10.3
Mac OS X (10.5.4)
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 22, 2008 7:46 AM
in response to: roam
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Thanks roam,
Well, as it turns out I have Erased this HD more than a few times, zeroed it out,
eight passes and all.
But, I'll take your your suggestion. Here's what I'm doing now.
I used DiskWarrior to get rid of the I/O error. It took several hours, but it rebuilt the directory (btree, I think).Then I booted to the Install disc and ran repairs and verifies three times. The volume shows'OK' all around. But it won't boot!!
I get a spinner on a blue screen with something I've never seen. A grey circle with a bar thru it. Single user mode says that it waiting for the boot volume.
So, now I'm going to install a bootable volume on my External HD and transfer my data there. Then double zero-out the eMac HD.
Is there anything I should look out for or otherwise attempt at this point?
Shamus
P.S. Typing fsck_hfs -r in the terminal window (a recommended solution for 'Invalid Sibling Link') returns "missing Special-Device" and won't run. I thought -r was the device. What's happening here?
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB ROM
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5,382
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Australia
Registered:
Jan 16, 2006
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 22, 2008 4:07 PM
in response to: Shamus
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Helpful
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One start up troubleshooting tip you could try is to reset the NVRAM
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379
as that contains startup disk information, which is one condition causing the grey prohibitory icon.
I was thinking, if this is a recurring problem, are you using some software like Norton's Disk Utility which is known to destroy Mac OS file systems?
Another thought: After you have erased and reinstalled your OS, and then you get the grey circle with the bar through it, is the install disk one that came with the eMac, or if not is it a retail Tiger Disk that is black in colour, or a machine specific grey coloured disk. If it is the latter that might be a problem.
As far as "fsck_hfs -r" goes, the -r does not mean device, it means rebuild the catalogue file. The error you are getting is because there is no disk specified. But you needn't worry about that command if you are using Disk Warrior because that rebuilds the catalogue anyway. Plus you have Mac's Disk Utility as well, so you are pretty well covered with utility software with needing to use the command line.
iMac (20" 08) eMac (ATI) iBook (G4) 10.3
Mac OS X (10.5.4)
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 28, 2008 6:04 PM
in response to: roam
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roam...
I apologize for not getting back to you very quickly. Sometimes I can't get to the computer for a few days. Sometimes I just need to think about it.
I have both the original install disks for the eMac, OS 10.3.4 and a black, retail copy of Tiger. There are no mismatched machine disks. I've reset the NVRAM as per your suggestion. No settings seemed to have been effected.
You mentioned Norton. This has come up lately. Let me explain. I began my computing experience on an iMac (Summer 2000) running OS 9.0.4 and a large part of my current data, on the 'problem system', dates from that era. I transfered it all over to a new eMac a couple years ago and within 6 months the system began to corrupt. I purchased DiskWarrior to keep the patient alive. The same problems began to appear more frequently. So, I obtained a 300 GB Maxtor external HD for backup, just in case system recovery became impossible
Now, when I install a fresh copy of Tiger on the external HD, I choose the option, 'Transfer Data from Another Mac'. That is the eMac data. When this is complete, this message comes up:
The following application(s) may need to be re-installed:
- Norton Utilities
I didn't think this was very important. I have heard that Norton could create worse problems then it repaired on a Mac. However, I haven't been running Norton and don't even remember buying or using it. I must have though, when I was first learning to operate in the 'old days' of OS 9.
I've run a search on my entire setup and copies of Norton applications appear in OS 9/Applications/Utilities. Aliases, prefs, and extensions seem to be everywhere.
So, this is where it stands. There are two partitions on the eMac, one is named 'Olde iMac System', 32 GB in size. This is the problem system, it gets the prohibitory icon. Booting into single user mode goes a few lines down and then just repeats,' Still waiting for root device'. Another sector I call 'Pristine Partition' which contains just the operating system, a username and no other data. I will watch this one to see if, and how, it corrupts. As all others have.
The Maxtor external HD has three partitions, 100 GB each . The one I'm using now is the old system, plus recent work, which I boot into from the eMac. There have been no problems in doing so. The second is reserved as a Backup disk. I need to figure out how to do an efficient system backup and I think I should do so soon. Suggestions would be welcome.
A few days ago I installed a fresh copy of Tiger on the third partition and transfered the broken, prohibitory system from the eMac. It boots up just fine.
So, it looks like volumes resident on the eMac HD get I/O errors while external volumes do not. Does this make sense to you?
Let me know what you think. I do appreciate your help.
Thanks,
Shamus
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB ROM, 300 GB External HD
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Posts:
5,382
From:
Australia
Registered:
Jan 16, 2006
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Nov 29, 2008 5:16 AM
in response to: Shamus
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Hello Shamus
As you say, you must have used Nortons at some point a long time ago, as it has left its imprint.
I did not use that product on a Mac myself, but understand that it worked alright on OS 9 but couldn't handle symbolic links on the newer and different OS X file system.
If your 'Pristine Partition' is just 10.3 or 10.4 and it continues to boot normally then that would make the other partition susceptible to some muddying of its OS X and some effect of nortons possibly used in OS 9. What exactly, would be too complex to speculate, I'll just leave it at 'muddy'.
If you really need OS 9 you could copy your created documents to a CD, do a clean install of it, reinstall the OS 9 applications, and then copy back your documents.
In this way you may expunge any traces of the nortons phantom, and that may be enough, if it is the cause. At least doing that stands a good chance of excluding it as a possiblity.
Oh, and on the matter of backups, I use SuperDuper to make a clone onto a partition of an external drive. If you pay the shareware fee, you can also update the clone incrementally.
The important thing to realize with a clone, is that it is only as good as the original source disk, because it is a duplicate. So if I installed some new software for instance, I would try it out for a few days to make sure it worked well, before I updated the cloned backup.
Message was edited by: roam
iMac (20" 08) eMac (ATI) iBook (G4) 10.3
Mac OS X (10.5.4)
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Dec 2, 2008 5:43 AM
in response to: Shamus
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Well, It's time to put this issue away.
I've deleted all the OS 9 and Norton I can Find, saving some personal data.
Both the OS Install disk and Maxtor software will block copy the Boot Volume back and forth. If that's what you mean by cloning? It's good backup!
So,I'm off to a brighter start.
Thanks for your guidance.
Shamus
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB ROM, 300 GB External HD
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Posts:
4,254
From:
aboard the Desparate Lark
Registered:
Sep 13, 2002
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Dec 4, 2008 3:29 PM
in response to: JMVP
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JMVP,
Thanks for this tip. It was 'slick and quick'. It deleted named items that I never would have found.
Shamus
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB RAM, 300 GB Maxtor external HD
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Dec 5, 2008 8:48 AM
in response to: Shamus
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roam,
I'd like to give you credit for solving this problem, although JMVP.s suggestion was very helpful.
Thanks.
Shamus
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Dec 5, 2008 9:11 PM
in response to: roam
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Well, SuperDuper is a super dubber.
Better than block copy on Disk Utility.
Just nice to use.
Reply and I'll mark SOLVED.
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB RAM, 300 GB Maxtor external HD
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Posts:
4,254
From:
aboard the Desparate Lark
Registered:
Sep 13, 2002
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Dec 6, 2008 8:18 PM
in response to: Shamus
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I agree --- all the analysis and work was roam's, from recognizing the baleful influence of Norton to recommending the paid shareware fee version of SuperDuper!, and the praise and credit is rightfully his.
As a bit of history, Norton Disk Doctor was an invaluable lifesaver up to and including OS 8. It saved several Macs at work and one or two at home for me personally, and was perhaps the most recommended utility software package around for Macs, bar none (including Disk Warrior, even). There was always, however, a problem in that the current version of Disk Doctor never quite worked safely with each new version of the Mac OS, and there were varying delays between a new Mac OS and an updated Disk Doctor. The versions that Symantec released for both OS 9 and the initial 10.1 version of OS X turned out to be a disaster of epic proportions. Norton DD for 9/X had occasional defenders, mostly those running OS 9 exclusively, but it turned out to damage OS 9 just as badly as OS X. It's not an exaggeration to say that a number of long-time Mac users took that almost as a personal betrayal ("hey, I recommended that program to so-and-so, and it destroyed her hard drive!"). The program's reputation took such a hit that Symantec abandoned the Mac disk utility market around the time of OS X 10.2.1 It's been years since Symantec sold that program, but you can still get around 4,800 Google hits on "Disk Doctor Kevorkian" (down from 50,000+ at one point).
(It's still a pity Symantec did in Norton Disk Doctor so badly --- the OS 7 and 8 versions of Norton Utilities had an absolutely great disk editor, and I still haven't found one as good or easy to use for certain file copy security tests.)
Incidentally, for both home and work Macs, I use SuperDuper! to put a known-good baseline reference clone onto one external HD that's normally kept in a different location, another baseline clone onto one partition of the external HD normally attached to the Mac, and to do daily incremental backups onto another partition. That way, if some new update or program turns out to be a problem, I can go back to the same-disc reference, updating that reference infrequently and only after concluding that the current setup is indeed stable --- and if I'm wrong, I can retrieve the dated but known good clone from the other disc. With 160 - 250 GB hard drives dropped to the $100 ballpark, it becomes a lot more practical to do a multiple backup scheme.
eMac 700MHz
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
640MB RAM ABS Snow LaCie D2 HD; AL iMac 10.4.11 2 GB RAM; LaCie D2 DVD-RW
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Jan 3, 2009 3:42 PM
in response to: Shamus
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Well, I still have the 'corrupts quickly' problem. Within a few startups. Disc Warrior gets 'speed inhibited'. SuperDuper won't clone it and I lost my backup trying.(see: Multiple backups are important). When I boot into single user it goes to a blue screen w/ a cursor.
I know that the machine must be somewhat sticky, greasy inside since I live in a studio apartment and it's exposed to kitchen vapors. The more exposure ,I suppose, could account for the progressive frequency of the problem.
I don't mind opening up the case. But I don't know what I'd do once inside. Possibly make matters a lot worse.
Any further guidance here would be welcome.
Shamus
Message was edited by: Shamus
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Posts:
35
From:
Santa Cruz, CA
Registered:
Mar 12, 2003
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Re: Invalid sibling link, I/O error
Posted:
Jan 3, 2009 3:57 PM
in response to: JMVP
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Thanks for the historical particulars on Norton Utilities. Indeed, it is a pity how things went, they were once the premiere suite for doctoring in Mac.
I just posted this 'follow up' and forward it to you for your opinion.
Personal Thanks,
Shamus
Well, I still have the 'corrupts quickly' problem. Within a few startups. Disc Warrior gets 'speed inhibited'. SuperDuper won't clone it and I lost my backup trying. (see: Multiple backups are important.) When I boot into single user it goes to a blue screen w/ a cursor.
I know that the machine must be somewhat sticky, greasy inside since I live in a studio apartment and it's exposed to kitchen vapors. The more exposure ,I suppose, could account for the progressive frequency of the problem.
I don't mind opening up the case. But I don't know what I'd do once inside. Possibly make matters a lot worse.
Any further guidance here would be welcome.
eMac G4 1.25GHz SuperDrive
Mac OS X (10.4.11)
1 GB RAM, 300 GB Maxtor external HD
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