Level 2

260 points

WARNING - Do not use AppleCare TechTool Deluxe on Tiger

A week or so after installing Tiger on my Panther-original G5 I noticed some slight slowing of my system, so I ran the Tiger disk to repair disk, ran repair permissions from the system itself, and then decided to run the original AppleCare TechTool Deluxe disk. I had checked the Apple site to see that there wasn't any warning not to do so. That was my big mistake. Techtool Deluxe deleted a number of vital system files from the Volume Structure and my system was shot to ****. It wouldn't start up and of the few ways the drive could be recognized, only one was available (that gave me some hope, but)after lengthy discussions with Apple and the Apple Store personnel, I was instructed I had no choice but to erase and install. Fortunately, one Apple tech person recommended I try Firewire Target Disc mode with firewire cable (6 pin to 6 pin cable) and connect with another OSX Mac (in my case a Jaguar eMac). Despite my G5 system not being able to start up, target mode did provide drive access to the eMac and I was able to copy the files I needed before the reinstall. What a relief. Annoying to have to reinstall everything, but alot better than nothing. Any suggestions on some kind of reimbursement from Apple, i.e. the price of a utility disk, maybe $100? The Apple tech person also stated that the current AppleCare discs which are sent out with new machines include the same software as the one which came with my Panther G5, so even if you think yours may be a helpful utility, don't run TechTool Deluxe from your AppleCare disc.

Posted on Jun 8, 2005 10:58 PM

98 replies

bvkoski Author

Level 2

260 points

Jun 9, 2005 10:28 PM in response to Matthew Smatthew

I understand that the current AppleCare cd which includes TechTool Deluxe is the same TechTool Deluxe utility that is on the pre-Tiger releases of Apple's computers. This cd is a bootable disk. I agree with you on wanting to only run utilities from a startup disc. The problem with this one, though, is they haven't updated it for Tiger yet.

Scott B.

Level 2

210 points

Jun 10, 2005 12:45 AM in response to bvkoski

Now, this may be a question for an AppleCare tech, and first thing in the morning I just may pry my eyes open and talk to one of them, but ...

If we BOUGHT AppleCare, and the disc that shipped with it is not Tiger compatible, are they going to notify us about a Tiger compatible version of this "free" TechTool Deluxe and/or ship us a replacement disc? Especially since I bought a g5. I can't use it, shouldn't use it, and only fellow users have discovered this. Seems really patently silly/stupid that we have this utility that not only should we not use, but we have no further option.

I have transferred a lot of data around in the last few days, and I'd like to optimize. Does anyone, WITH A G5 [please this is important that's why the caps], report success using any product to -optimize and repair- drives under Tiger 10.4.1?

It's a shame Apple doesn't read these boards and respond from time to time. It isn't a full time job.

Thanks all.

Jun 10, 2005 4:23 AM in response to Scott B.

Tech tool 404 is cool with Tiger, just used it to do all my maintenance including de-frag booting from a FW drive. 403 warned me it hadn't been tested, (useful reminder), so I updated and it works just fine.

Sorry to here about this applecare included product going wrong, but I actually found the non pro version of Tech tool too light to do what I wished (non helpful comment to those who lost data, sorry).

Scott B.

Level 2

210 points

Jun 10, 2005 6:13 AM in response to rsi studio

RSI - how did you go about optimizing the internal drive?

The TechTool Pro disc is version 4.03. How would I update it to 4.04, or did you use eDrive?

MIG B.

Level 1

0 points

Jun 10, 2005 9:43 AM in response to bvkoski

Bruce, thanks for the timely and helpful post. I made the same mistake with my iBook G4 yesterday a.m. And by mistake I mean using Techtool(3.0.4) and not backing up before. As with you, Techtool messed something up with the volume structure. The Firewire Target Disc Mode option worked nearly flawlessly (had to connect to another iBook, PowerBook also running Tiger did not see the drive) and was able to save vitals before reinstalling.

bvkoski Author

Level 2

260 points

Jun 10, 2005 10:45 AM in response to MIG B.

Glad my info helped you in time.
Bruce

bvkoski Author

Level 2

260 points

Jun 10, 2005 10:56 AM in response to Scott B.

Hi:
I'm hoping that TechTool (Micromat) provides the same kind of updates as Alsoft does for DiskWarrior. Alsoft has a link on their site for their updates, you download it, and then using that file, it links to your existing disc (you have to have the disc in your drive) and creates a disc image of the updated version of the disc. You then burn that and you then have a bootable updated utility. I have done that with DiscWarrior 3.02 to 3.03 - no problems. If Micromat doesn't have that process, then you'd have to make a bootable disc on your own utilizing the update (I don't know enough about that either to trust as complex a utility program as TechTool Pro to a a faulty disc image I might make). If you find out how it can be done manually flawless, let me know.

JWeinberg

Level 2

420 points

Jun 10, 2005 11:44 AM in response to bvkoski

I understood your original post. But, it was also appropriate to note that the updated commercial version of TechTools has been Tigerized, and that all versions of TechTools don't suffer from the same critical problem as what comes with the AppleCare disc.

It also needed to be said that Micromat did make the effort to notify its registered commercial version customers not to use their product without a Tiger update.

JWeinberg

JWeinberg

Level 2

420 points

Jun 10, 2005 11:51 AM in response to Scott B.

I have both TechTools and DiskWarrior. I have read a number of posts here on the Apple site, as well as other sites, about disk optimizations using TechTools. Some good reports (hey it worked), others not so good (hey it messed up my hard drive). I personally use DiskWarrior as my primary disk fix and optimize utility, and have never had a problem.

I use TechTools for other hardware diagnostics on my G5.

Whatever you do decide to do, I would highly recommend that you make a complete backup of your hard drive before you optimize, just in case. I generally make a backup to an external drive and then do any disk tweaking.

JWeinberg

Jun 15, 2005 5:04 AM in response to Scott B.

A fw drive can cost as low as 60 bucks these days, so its a great companion for an iMac.
Install your OS on an external FW drive (update to 10.4.1) and install tech tool pro 403 then 404 updater on to it.
I suggest you boot form the finished drive and update all the components while booted. Then after a permissions check etc, run TT on the internal Drive
here is what it sais about the updater at micromat .com
http://www.micromat.com/downloads/downloads.html#Anchor-TechTool-49575

TechTool Pro 4.0.4 Updater (15MB)

Top
About
This updater will update TechTool Pro 4 to version 4.0.4. You MUST have version 4.0.1, 4.0.2 or 4.0.3 of TechTool Pro 4 installed on your machine in order to apply this updater. The updater is capable of updating the TechTool Pro 4 application that resides on the eDrive volume.
What's New in Version 4.0.4
Mac OS X v10.4 "Tiger" Compatibility.
Corrected reported issues with eDrive creation.
Corrected iMac G5 Main Memory information drawer layout.
Corrected Video Memory information drawer for older machines.
Corrected Optimization window display issue.
Corrected Fast User Switching issue.
Corrected Gigabit connection speed in Network test.
Additional FireWire hard drive support in Drives category.
Additional support for Mobility Radeon 9700 in Video Memory test.
Enhanced USB information drawer display.
Added support for Case-sensitive volumes.
Global updates for identifying new machines and hardware.
Other minor fixes and updates.

Jun 15, 2005 9:24 AM in response to bvkoski

Is techtools pro worth the money?

bvkoski Author

Level 2

260 points

Jun 15, 2005 1:07 PM in response to Steve Rosenberg

I've read numerous posts on different sites that TechTool Pro is great and that the 4.04 update for Tiger is fine. However, I've read just as many posts that users have also had horrible problems with Pro, just as bad as what I experienced with Deluxe. I don't know what to tell you - it seems hit and miss. I think I'll stick with Mac's Disk Utility and Alsoft's DiskWarrior. Even though they don't go as far as TTPro or what Norton's used to, I'll live without those if they can or do cause problems. Good luck to us all.

Patrick F.

Level 4

3,203 points

Jun 15, 2005 9:47 PM in response to bvkoski

I never use techtool, why? because it always said there was an update, when none was to be found

Jun 16, 2005 11:21 AM in response to bvkoski

I as well suffered from this problem and I also got off the phone an hour ago confirming that this is a problem. The only thing they suggested is to re format the drive.

For all those people saying that we shoudln't use non tiger"ized" verions of software... how are we to know? Should I as the consumer, who recieved my TechTool CD from AppleCare 1(one) week ago, have gone to the MicroMat website to check for an update, which I'm inelligible for since i'm using an AppleCare copy of tech tool? And, just to add, they sent me this CD after I called them complaing of problems with Tiger. So they are quite aware of the fact that I'm using 10.4

So again, just be aware.

-ben

Jun 16, 2005 4:13 PM in response to JWeinberg

Hi there JWeinberg!

I have recently purchased a DP 2.3 and it is in the manufacturing process... but better to know now and get the right disk for when a problem comes up I figure...

Please tell me what version of Techtool you were told to upgrade to to be compatible with Tiger?

thanks
KK

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WARNING - Do not use AppleCare TechTool Deluxe on Tiger