Macbook Cannot Boot: Harddisk Repair / Restore Error

Hi, I am currently unable to get my MacBook to power up, it gets about halfway through the initial loading and then shuts off. I have read in multiple forums to try to use the recovery process and all that, MacBook doesn't show "recovery hd" when starting up while holding command r, and read that it means the hard drive has failed. Would replacing the hard drive fix the problem? I ordered one that should be here soon, just wanted to know if that's the best solution for my problem.

First stop trying to boot it up. Next buy a new hard drive as the one in your computer is failing.

Then use your Time Machine backup to restore your files to the new hard drive once it is installed in the computer.

skeles wrote:

My MacBook is unable to boot. Whenever I try to boot, the spinning circle and the progress bar appears on the grey screen, but when the progress bar reaches about 40%, the computer shuts itself down.

See

Gray Screen with stuck or always showing progress bar

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3046

I started in Verbose Mode and tried AppleJack, and it said my harddisk needs to be repaired; but AppleJack is unable to do that. (Error Messages: "Invalid node structure" and "Incorrect number of thread records)

I then tried to startup with both Recovery HD

Error: AppleJack is not updated to work with 10.7 (correct me if I'm wrong of course)

I then tried to startup with both Recovery HD and Mac OS X Install DVD and ran the Disk Utility on both of the startups.

Error: You shouldn't use the OS X 10.6 install diskto repair the 10.7 altered drive.

The parittion map has been changed and there is a new Recovery HD on the drive that the 10.6 DU doesn't know what it is.

At the First Aid tab, I selected my Hard Drive (not the Hitachi one, the Macintosh HD one) and clicked on Repair Disk. The error messages I got from Repair Disk were:

Invalid volume file count

Invalid node structure

The volume Macintosh HD could not be verified completely.

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

And, lastly, the following popup message appeared:

Disk Utility stopped repairing "Macintosh HD"

Disk Utility can't repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.

Yes you need to completely erase your entire drive with Erase > Security Option Zero all data, while booted from the 10.6 DU. Select the entire drive on the far left (not the MacIntosh HD, that's a partition)

Read on later...

Not being sure how to back-up my files using Disk Utility, I plugged in an external HDD to my USB port and clicked on the Restore tab in the Disk Utility. As the Source, I selected Macintosh HD and as the Destination, I selected one of the partitions I created on my external HDD. However, when I clicked on Restore, I got the following error message:

Restore Failure

Could not restore - Input/output error

Forget Disk Utility.

I partitioned my external HDD by creating 2 partitions formatted in Mac OS Extended Journal - GPT.

Ok

Now, what can I do to save my files (and my MacBook's HardDisk)? Could anyone help me please?

Ok, I've written some heck of a lot of great User Tips to help out your problem exactly.

What you should do is follow the

1: Data Recovery efforts first, get a copy of your User files folders (Music, pictures movies, etc) off the internal drive and safe. (including out of bootcamp)

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3172

2: Hold c boot from the10.6 disk and Erase with Zero the ENTIRE internal drive like I've mentioned above. This will take a bit but let it finish, the reason you can't do this from Recovery HD is because your drive is corrupted, so you need to erase everything on the drive, including the Recovery HD got it?

The Zero Erase will map off any bad sectors causing your troubles. Do not move hard drives while in operation!

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3044

3: Install 10.6 and reboot, use the SAME User name as before, log in and Software Update until clear, then log into MAS option click on Purchases and redownload install Lion cakes.

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3251

4: Make sure your software update is clear.

5: Install all your 10.7 compatible programs from fresh sources and update.

6: Lastly return user files to the same folders they came out of before. (music in music, pictures in pictures etc) Return user files last as thats what robs hard drives of performance, so they need to go last on the drive.

7: Clone this pristine new boot drive to a blank powered external drive by itself (no other parittions) it's your option key bootable backup (make two)

https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3045

https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents

Thanks for this information. I'm currently trying to backup via terminal, but I ran out of room on my external/backup HD. My husband is getting a new one right now.

Were you able to restore after you erased your HD using time machine without a big hassle?

Hi!

I am having the exact same problem you had, Skeles, and going through the same troubleshoot proposed by ds store, which by the way seems to be really useful.

I have one question, as I go along through the process.

My Macbook Pro HD is divided into 3 partitions. When I ran Disk Utility, it said that the Volume Home (my booting volume) could not be repaired.

I was wondering if I only need to backup this partition, or the three of them. I am not sure if its the entire disk which needs to be erased or just one partition could solve the issue.

Thanks a lot for the insight on this,

Also, I am accessing the damaged disk through Firewire Target Disk Mode. I would need to know if I erase the main volume (Home/C) which I have already backed up, If I will be able to reinstall OSX through the Target Disk Mode. This would be done in order to be able to recover the other files in the two partitions left which I cannot backup at present, as the corrupted disk fails constantly making everything idle.

I hope I am being clear enough so that someone can explain to me how to continue. It will be very much appreciated.

Please HELP!

Can you give some more info about the use of terminal? I tried your suggestion but I get some options about coping... Any thoughts would be appreciated!

thanks for this

cp -rpv "/volumes/Macintosh HD/users/xxx" "/volumes/Portable HDD" is very useful... ive done the same thing, however It's appearing with "no such file or directory" next to all my files, yet is still going through the process... could that be because my external HD is not called "portable HDD" .. bit of a stupid question but I think that will be the problem? thanks.

@DS_Store

The support docs you link to are coming as unauthorized for me... I have this same problem, but don't know how to copy the necesarry files over to my external drive using terminal..

I hope you can explain?

Since I can't find how to edit: I did manage to get the backup through disk utility. I'm using an external drive with no power adapter, it gets it's power through the USB port. Since the recovery disk of Lion is using the most basic settings (wich aren't changeable as far as I know) I figured that the input/output error was due to the MacBook going to sleep and not powering the disk anymore.

I managed to put a paperclip between the keyboard so that 1 key was permanently pressed to keep it from falling asleep, and voilla the restore ran fine.

Hi skeles,

I typed cp but it said illegal option. Do you know why? and what's xxx for? is that a name to replace it or I should type xxx? thanks!