disc repair w/out original startup disc?

Duplicate installation disks can be purchased from Apple customer service. Have the MBP serial number ready.

Ciao.

If they installed Lion - then you should be able to start in Recovery & use Disk Utility from there.

Single user mode...

Resolve startup issues and perform disk maintenance with Disk ...

Use fsck if necessary

fsck is a command-line utility that may be able to verify and repair a disk. If you can successfully start up in Safe Mode or use Disk Utility while started up from a disc, you don't need to use fsck. Here are some situations in which fsck may be necessary.

• Your Mac OS X disc isn't available.
• Your optical drive isn't available.
• You can't start with a Safe Boot by holding the Shift key during start up.

Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line.To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse pointer to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:

1. Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
2. At the command-line prompt type:
   /sbin/fsck -fy
   
3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found:
   

   ** The volume (name_of_volume) appears to be OK

   If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message:
   

   ***** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED *****

   Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.

Your computer should start up normally and allow you to log in.

"the volume can't be repaired after 3 attempts. "

Unfortunately no, your drive has failed. You can bring your machine in for servicing, or, you can order a 2.5'' SATA drive and install yourself (which may be the better option - and is cheaper than having apple perform a replacement):

2.5" Laptop Hard Drives

You're welcome. Note this is an indication of impending failure of your drive. The first thing I would do, immediately, is back up your data. Best of luck.

They might have did you a favor upgrading your machine to 10.7, but you can't reinstall 10.7 as it's not tied to your Apple ID.

10.7+ now comes from the AppStore that is installed in 10.6.8

This is what you need to do.

1: Get a copy of the 10.6 retail disk from the Apple online store, it will work on that machine.

2: Perform data recovery if needed as the entire boot drive will have to be erased not only to fix your problem, but to revert the machine back to Snow Leopard (10.6)

.Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive

3: Read this for more details as it partially pertains to your problem

How to revert your Mac to Snow Leopard

4: Follow these instructions to install Snow Leopard (remmeber the ENTIRE drive needs to be erased!)

How to erase and install Snow Leopard 10.6

5: Next you setp Snow Leopard and then Software Update to 10.7, then in AppStore you can install Lion (10.7)

6: Install your software, return files from backup.

"repair disk" is 80% useless, a failing HD is a failing HD is a failing HD

like putting a bandaid on a dying old horse. 😊

In your specific talk, you didnt give much specifics until you said----

macbooktj

saying the volume can't be repaired after 3 attempts.

Obviously 100% accurate online diagnosis is not foolproof, however at that point yes, conclusion would be impending mechanical failure of your drive.

Most above mention "reinstalling.....", but thats the cart (OS) before the (dying) horse (your HD) 😉

I assume most of them are assuming you KNOW your HD is on its last leg and you need a new HD .......then "installing....."

The ideal way before the OS got/is (?) corrupted would be to have a HD clone...... the pros keep clones of their HD,..... so when mechanical failure occurs, you yank the bad HD, and toss in the new,....and be 100% up and running in mins. .........nothing to install, or recover etc. etc.

good to have a TM backup for fresh data backup, but the HD CLONE makes quick recovery a dream, ....removes the stress, the reinstalling ....etc.

The talk about "backups" is mostly dirrected as you protecting your valuable data BEFORE the HD finally crashes and burns.

By "OS failing" your consideration is the files on the HD are 'fine', but are failing as meant the HD is corrupt and dying, so same thing, a distinction without a difference,.

like trying to get memories out of someone with a head injury, obviously. 😊

A clarification/distinction needs to be made between logical and physical disk failure. In your case, I can say with 95% certainty it's the latter. The two are not mutually exclusive, however.

A logical failure involves a corrupted filesystem, where data is improperly written and thus improperly read from. In some cases, you can repair the filesystem from either a seperate partition (IE, disk utility on your recovery partition), or, even better, from a seperate drive using the same method.

A physical failure is, as it sounds, irreperable damage to your hardware....the drive itself - whether the platter or the head. There is no troubleshoot for this. The only solution is a new drive.

Logical failure is often a symptom of physical failure, even moreso if the problem is recurrent. Only after the latter is addressed can the former be taken care of.

macbooktj

so... if the HD and OS are the same thing.....i sense things are going to go from bad to worse!!!

Is the brain (HD) and memories (data) same thing? .....If the HD is dying, then of course the data is all but 'out of reach'.......once a HD fails mechanically, data can be extracted, but its EXPENSIVE.

OS is just data bits written on the disk in ferromagnetic binary, like songs on a vinyl record.

No, youre fine, a new HD is only $65.

There is no (from this end) indication you have other than a HD failure, ...but ONLINE diagnosis of hardware,.....logically, is far from foolproof.

Apple can diagnose same for you firsthand for free. Things arent "going bad to worse" 😍

But yes, without a backup of your data,....data recovery is grim,.....you must keep that in mind all the time in the future.

The ONE time paranoia is a GOOD THING, is when it comes to making "too many backups of your data"......because there IS NO SUCH THING as "too many backups"

Is the brain (HD) and memories (data) same thing?

Now that we are incorporating metaphysical distinctions in our diagnosis, what would constitute 'thoughts'? 😎

because there IS NO SUCH THING as "too many backups"

Unless you are backing up existing TM backups. RIP Pondini.

Can I have "dual" backups? Or back up my Backups?