How do I mount the macintosh HD after unmounting it trying to do a disk repair.

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How do I mount the macintosh HD after unmounting it trying to do a disk repair.

This macbook was bought april 2011 and has got very little use as I make the transition from Windows OS. I have not used the machine for the past 3 weeks and when satrting it up for the first time this year I got the grey screen with the apple logo and the spinning gears and the status bar. After approx 45 secs the status bar goes off screen but the logo and moving gears remain for whatever length of time its powered up.

I tried some of the support options using disk utility etc, ran disk permissions and was ok, ran verify disk and it reads as follows,

Verifying volume "Macintosh HD"

Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume

Checking extents overflow file.

Invalid leaf record count

(it should be 27 instaead of 25)

Checking catalog file.

Invalid sibling link

The volume Macintosh HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaied.

Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.

so I click repair disk and it now reads,

Verify and Repair volume "Macintosh HD"

Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume

Checking extents overflow file.

Invalid leaf record count

(It should be 27 instead of 25)

Checking Ccatalog file.

Invalid sibling link

Rebuilding catalog B-tree

The volume Macintosh HD could not be repaired.

Volume repair complete.

Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.

Error: Disk Utility can't repair this disk...disk, and restore your backed up files.

It also shows the mount point as not mounted.

and to erase disk and reinstall OS X.

I am happy to try this as there is no data saved that I want to keep as I have not used the machine that much. However I connot erase the disk because its not mounted I guess.

I am not a computer teckie but can follow diretions pretty well, I would really appreciate any input as this may be a simple problem to solve and may not require a new HD.

Thanks in Advance,

Noel.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.6), 13" macbook pro

Posted on Jan 17, 2012 9:32 AM

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Answer 1

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Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 17, 2012 9:34 AM in response to noeljames

To repair the drive:

Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions

Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.

If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.

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Answer 2

noeljames Author

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Jan 17, 2012 10:32 AM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

Thanks for your quick response,

I tried what you said, now in the left menu I have 2 drives showing 1 x 320.07 GB ST9320323ASG Media and 1 x Macintosh HD. I can see the S.M.A.R.T status for the ST drive is varified butwhen I click the "Macintosh Drive" its mount piont reads not mounted.

When I click on the Mac OS X install the repair disk is not clickable.

Again Thanks for your help,

Noel.

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 17, 2012 10:57 AM in response to noeljames

Are you booting from your installer DVD? You don't have two drives. Disk Utility first lists the physical device (ST9320323ASG Media) under which it lists all logical volumes. You have one logical volume named Macintosh HD. When you select that volume in Disk Utility are you able to repair the drive? If not, then the next step is to repartition and format the drive:

Drive Preparation

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

2. 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.

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

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

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Answer 4

noeljames Author

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Jan 17, 2012 2:21 PM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

Thanks again I am getting somewhere now, do I need to reinstall the OS X to this new partition.

Thank You,

Noel.

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Answer 5

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 17, 2012 2:29 PM in response to noeljames

If this is to be your boot drive, then, yes, you will need to install OS X to it. If you are still in Disk Utility, then quit after the formatting has completed to return to the installer. Then just proceed with the installation.

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Answer 6

noeljames Author

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Jan 18, 2012 7:37 AM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

I delighted to report I am writing this post from my Mac book Pro, thanks to your help.

I will set up time machine now as I intend to use this machine as my main machine from now on.

Would you advise or do you see any reason to change the hard drive as a precaution, or should it run ok now.

Go raibh maith agat mo chara (thank you my friend),

Noel.

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Answer 7

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Jan 18, 2012 10:10 AM in response to noeljames

If all is back to normal, then there's no need to replace the hard drive unless it's really old - more than 5 years.

"Go raibh maith agat mo chara." That's easy for you to say. 🙂

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Answer 8

Mar 2, 2015 7:46 AM in response to noeljames

Once you restart your computer holding down command r, and you select disk utility, select the drive and click unlock and then repair the drive. It worked for me.

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