Unable to get Disk Warrior to work from a bootable flash drive

Most likely it's because you did not prep the device correctly. You need to do this:

Extended Hard Drive Preparation

1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.

2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.

3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.

4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.

6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

To put the DW disc onto the drive:

Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility

1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
4.Check the box labeled Erase destination.
5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the USB flash drive.
Source means the DW mounted disc.

Once you've got your little external running with Kappy's instructions, you should update your DW version to 4.2 (free as long as you have your serial number for 4.0 or 4.1) before trying to use it.

+Installation Requirements+
+To install, you must be started from Mac OS X 10.3.9 through 10.6 with at least 512 MB RAM. DiskWarrior 4 version 4.2 is completely compatible with Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. Alsoft recommends that you don't run DiskWarrior 4 version 4.0 while started from Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or 10.6 Snow Leopard. Alsoft also recommends that you don't run DiskWarrior 4 version 4.1 while started from 10.6 Snow Leopard. Instead, you should download the free DiskWarrior 4 version 4.2 Disc Update. This free updater allows you to create a new startup disc containing DiskWarrior 4 version 4.2.+

As an aside, I've found that trying to boot from the DW disk (and restarting with the internal HD) is frustrating at best, so I have DW installed on my bootable clone. I simply boot from the external and run DW from there on my internal. Then simply restart using the interal HD to reboot. Makes life much easier.

DW 4.2:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19441

The way I understood the notes and instructions on Alsoft's website, you can't use the 4.2 to boot with Disk Warrior; however, if you boot from your Mac OS on an external drive which has DW installed, you should be able to run DW:

+NOTE: *The current DiskWarrior DVD cannot start up* the new iMac Quad-Core (introduced 10/20/2009), *the new MacBook Pros (introduced 4/13/2010)* or the new Mac Mini models (introduced 06/15/2010). An updated disc that will also start up these recent Mac models will be released as soon as Apple, Inc. releases new startup files to Alsoft, Inc. and other developers.+

You need 4.2 to run DW while started from 10.5 or 10.6 (update your version - do not use your old version - I don't believe it has anything to do with the Mini, only your outdated version):

+Alsoft recommends that you don't run DiskWarrior 4 version 4.0 while started from Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard or 10.6 Snow Leopard. Alsoft also recommends that you don't run DiskWarrior 4 version 4.1 while started from 10.6 Snow Leopard.+

Message was edited by: Barbara Daniels1

In which case format the flash drive per my procedure. Then boot your computer from the Snow Leopard DVD and do a minimal installation of SL. Once completed you can install DW onto the flash drive. You can then boot your computer from the flash drive in order to DW. This is what I do in case I ever need to repair my laptop when on the road. I just carry the flash drive with me.

I don't think this has to do with the new hardware because I have exactly the same problem using my DiskWarrior 4.2 CD (which has worked fine previously) with my original 17" MacBook Pro (i.e. three years old!) now I'm running 10.6.4. It will get as far as drawing the graph of the drive, but when I click to replace I get that descending grey screen that tells me I have to hold down the power button to turn off my Mac...

I've been having a problem with DW not responding at the end of their process for years - that's why I stopped booting from it because I couldn't get back out of it and/or restart with my internal. My fix: I always just run it after restarting from my external bootable clone which contains DW and it works from there, so you should be able to do the same.

Edit: And I don't mean a flash drive when I said "external clone" - I meant an external hard drive.

Message was edited by: Barbara Daniels1