Disc Utility can't repair HD and can't restore so I can save the files to an external drive

Question

Disc Utility can't repair HD and can't restore so I can save the files to an external drive

I had the dreaded spinning beach ball and my computer wouldn't boot properly. (Problem started after I stupidly installed and ran "Avast" anti-virus and stopped it after 40 minutes before it had finished its job - worked well the first time I used it)

Inserted the Snow Leopard install disc. Brought up Disc Utility and tried First Aid. Failed. Got "Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disc and restore your backed-up files". I tried to transfer the corrupted HD across to a brand-new 2TB external drive through the "Restore" function but that failed. I'd like to save the photographs and word files at least. (I know how to erase and reformat). How do I do this? I can't repair the HD and I can't export the files.

I've never bothered with the Time Machine btw - so that won't help.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Aug 9, 2014 10:46 AM

Reply

Answer 1

rkaufmann87

Level 10

140,682 points

Aug 9, 2014 11:24 AM in response to Metronicity66

There is a good chance Avast is causing your problems, not only is that a waste of time, system resources and possibly money antivirus apps on OS X machines will tend to create more problems than they solve. Locate the uninstall instructions the developer recommends and uninstall Avast and any other anitivirus or "performance enhancing" apps which are almost certainly bogging down your computer.

My suspicion is you recently switched from MS Windows and have carried your bad Windows habits along with your Mac.

Reply

Answer 2

Aug 9, 2014 11:21 PM in response to rkaufmann87

Your suspicion is wrong. I can't stand Windoze. Been on Macs 9 years. I had a specific task for Avast - and it achieved that. But it certainly crashed my computer this time - after I stopped it completing its tasks.

Anyway...I can't get into the applications to uninstall it - or I would have done that. At this stage I can't even eject the Snow Leopard disc. I have a dead parrot. I don't want to have to take it to the shop. I would prefer to fix it myself if possible.

Reply

Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,045 points

Aug 10, 2014 8:16 AM in response to Metronicity66

If you have access to another computer and both have the appropriate connects, you might be able to save the files in the Target Disk Mode.

Target Disc Mode

Reply

Answer 4

Aug 10, 2014 11:54 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric...I had thought of that but I only have a Macbook 6,1 - with no Firewire and no Thunderbolt port.

In Safe Mode I managed to get the dock, desktop and most of the Applications to load. It appears to still have my files and photos. I connected an external drive - which it recognized - it asked if I wanted to back-up my Hard Drive using Time Machine and the external drive... I clicked...and got the dreaded beach ball and it froze for an hour or so.

I'm trying to avoid having to take it to the shop and be burgled hundreds of dollars.

Bloody Avast - that's where the problem lies. If I could just get into that and turn it off and then trash it. And...if I could at least save my documents and photos...

Reply