o1sowise
Level 1 (4 points)
Mac OS X

Q: Command-R Disk Repair Failed

My son's MacBook Pro hung and would not reboot.  White screen, then turned off.

 

Command-R repair got many, many errors - then finally said:

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

Wouldn't you know it, my son has no backups other than the ones on this damaged disk. Before I format the drive and reinstall Mavericks, how do I get his backup zip file (and as many other data files as I can) off of the damaged HDD and onto my USB flash drive?  I do not see any way to mount the drive and copy stuff off...???

 

-John

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Mar 10, 2014 9:36 AM

by Kappy,Solvedanswer
Kappy Kappy
Level 10 (271,860 points)
Desktops
A:

You are trying to network between the two computers. That doesn't work. If the HDD doesn't appear on the iMac's Desktop then try rebooting the iMac. If it still doesn't show up on the Desktop then the drive is no longer working. It needs to be replaced.

Posted on Mar 10, 2014 1:57 PM

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o1sowise

Q: Command-R Disk Repair Failed

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  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Mar 10, 2014 9:36 AM in response to o1sowise
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 10, 2014 9:36 AM in response to o1sowise

    If both of your computers have Firewire ports then you can connect them via a Firewire cable in order to access the MBP from the iMac provided the MBP's drive is accessible. You will useTarget Disk Mode. Boot the MBP into TDM. Boot the iMac normally. If the MBP is accessible its drive will appear on the iMac's Desktop.

  • by o1sowise,

    o1sowise o1sowise Mar 10, 2014 10:11 AM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 10, 2014 10:11 AM in response to Kappy

    Wow, thanks.

    Now I just need to get me a firewire cable!!

  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Mar 10, 2014 10:20 AM in response to o1sowise
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 10, 2014 10:20 AM in response to o1sowise

    Be sure it is one that has the correct plugs on each end to match the Firewire ports on the computers. If they both don't have identical ports, then get a cable with a plug for each on the ends (FW400 and FW800.)

  • by o1sowise,

    o1sowise o1sowise Mar 10, 2014 10:45 AM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 10, 2014 10:45 AM in response to Kappy

    Yup.  Thanks again.

  • by o1sowise,

    o1sowise o1sowise Mar 10, 2014 1:51 PM in response to o1sowise
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 10, 2014 1:51 PM in response to o1sowise

    I got a cable.  The laptop boots into Target Mode, I think.  I see a very large FireWire screen saver floating around the screen.

     

    The iMac does not show the MBP on the desktop, but it is visible in the SHARED section of the Finder sidebar.  When I click on it, it attempts to connect but after a while my iMac give me a message saying:

     

    OS X can't repair the disk. 

    You can still open or copy files on the disk, but you can 't save changes to files on the disk.  Back up the disk and reformat it as soon as you can.

     

    and Finder says "Connection Failed"

     

    Now what?

  • by Kappy,Solvedanswer

    Kappy Kappy Mar 10, 2014 1:57 PM in response to o1sowise
    Level 10 (271,860 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 10, 2014 1:57 PM in response to o1sowise

    You are trying to network between the two computers. That doesn't work. If the HDD doesn't appear on the iMac's Desktop then try rebooting the iMac. If it still doesn't show up on the Desktop then the drive is no longer working. It needs to be replaced.

  • by o1sowise,

    o1sowise o1sowise Mar 10, 2014 5:39 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 10, 2014 5:39 PM in response to Kappy

    That did it!   I'm all back!   Data all moved to USB, laptop formatted, Mavericks reinstalled, almost all data restored.