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disk utility error code 3 when creating windows image for bootcamp

I have an iMac and am trying to install windows via bootcamp. I have an complete windows 7 installation disk and am using disk utility to create an image. The process appears to be working with the dialogue box saying it is reading the windows file and the progress bar takes about 10 minutes to reach about 75% and then stops saying " Operation Failed" and a supplementary dialogue box appears saying "The operation couldn’t be completed. (com.apple.diskutility error 3.)"

I have tried with 2 different destination drives with the same result.

Does anybody have any suggestions or know where I can find out what the error code signifies please?

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.1)

Posted on Nov 11, 2015 5:10 PM

88 replies

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 21, 2015 1:40 PM in response to davefromhythe

Can you reboot and check if OSX will boot properly and post the output of diskutil cs list. It is not fully available, since you are booted from your SSD.

Nov 21, 2015 3:20 PM in response to Loner T

Did you want me to reboot via the SSD or the HDD?

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 21, 2015 4:08 PM in response to davefromhythe

Boot from the SSD? Can your HDD be erased completely?

Nov 22, 2015 3:03 AM in response to Loner T

Rebooted from SSD and output posted as requested.

I have no problem with erasing HDD completely.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 22, 2015 7:34 AM in response to davefromhythe

1. Erase the HDD - diskutil eraseDisk jhfs+ HDD disk1

2. Add disk1s2 to the CS volume - diskutil cs addDisk "Type the long string from the LVG line which begins with 18033EC1-..." disk1s2

3. Post the output of diskutil cs list.

Syntax for the command, in case you need it. The long string is the lvgUUID from from your diskutil cs list

diskutil cs adddisk

Usage: diskutil coreStorage addDisk lvgUUID NewMemberDeviceName

Add a new physical volume to a CoreStorage logical volume group.

Ownership of the affected disks is required.

Example: diskutil coreStorage addDisk

11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555 disk4s2

Nov 22, 2015 4:00 PM in response to Loner T

Failed at first hurdle!

Unable to erase HDD. I thought it might be due to it being used by a program, so I closed everything I could think of and tried again, same error 69888. see snapshot.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 22, 2015 5:23 PM in response to davefromhythe

You should boot into Internet Recovery (Command+Opt+R) and then try to erase diskN. Please ensure you pick the correct disk, otherwise you will lose data.

Nov 23, 2015 1:37 AM in response to Loner T

Ok, I managed to erase macHD and then added it to the SSD. See post.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 23, 2015 10:26 AM in response to davefromhythe

Now you have the second disk included in the CS volumes, but it is Free Space. You can use

diskutil RepairDisk disk2

have the space included in the CS volume. You can also use DU and drag the bottom right corner of "Mac SSD" volume to the maximum it will go.

Nov 23, 2015 2:55 PM in response to Loner T

I tried your suggestion of "diskutil RepairDisk disk2 but it failed , see below.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 23, 2015 5:01 PM in response to davefromhythe

Try

diskutil repairVolume disk2

Nov 24, 2015 1:33 AM in response to Loner T

That failed too.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 24, 2015 4:38 AM in response to davefromhythe

Can you boot into Safe Mode and boot normally and check diskutil cs list output?

Nov 24, 2015 3:02 PM in response to Loner T

I rebooted in safe mode (by holding space key down during startup), tried diskutil repairVolume and repairDisk with the same result as before. I then rebooted normally and the diskutil cs list output is below.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 24, 2015 3:20 PM in response to davefromhythe

Boot into Local Recovery (Command+R) and run

diskutil repairVolume disk2

diskutil repairdisk disk0

diskutil repairdisk disk1

Please ensure the disk numbers are correct, because Recovery console may re-order the disks.

disk utility error code 3 when creating windows image for bootcamp