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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

Nov 25, 2015 3:23 PM in response to Loner T

ok can I download Lion from the apple website? I will have to put it on a flash drive as I don't have any TB or FW devices. Will it need to an iso?

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 25, 2015 3:30 PM in response to davefromhythe

You do not need to download Lion. Click on Re-install OSX and ensure you point it to the USB flash drive (USB2 is slower than USB3). Once Lion is installed on the USB, boot from it and upgrade it to Yosemite and reboot from the USB again and then we can fix your CS volume.

Nov 26, 2015 4:04 AM in response to Loner T

I am now rebooted from el Capitan on my Samsung ext HDD as requested and have posted the diskutil list & cs list below.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 26, 2015 6:00 AM in response to davefromhythe

This looks much better. Please run

diskutil repairDisk disk0

Nov 26, 2015 9:37 AM in response to Loner T

Ok, repairDisk disk0 followed by cs list & list.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 26, 2015 9:46 AM in response to davefromhythe

Can you unmount the internal Mac SSD volume in Disk Utility and re-run the resizeVolume followed by repairDisk?

Nov 26, 2015 2:39 PM in response to Loner T

I think I have managed to get the disk2 volume resized. It would not run with Mac SSD unmounted so I remounted it and it worked, see below.

Do I need to run all 3 of these now?

diskutil repairVolume disk2

diskutil repairdisk disk0

diskutil repairdisk disk1

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 26, 2015 3:17 PM in response to davefromhythe

You already have the disk space from HDD added to the CS. There is no Free Space left in the CS. 249G+119G is 368GB. Notice the line which says 'Growing Logical volume'. Please backup OS X, Windows, and create a Windows System Restore point.

The issue was the old OS X version and the mounted CS.

Nov 26, 2015 3:35 PM in response to Loner T

Are you saying we are there and that there is no need to run the repairvolume and repairdisk instructions?

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 26, 2015 9:49 PM in response to davefromhythe

Yes. You can verify the storage in About This Mac -> Storage or right-click on Mac SSD and select Get Info. Please remember to back up OS X and Windows regularly.

Nov 26, 2015 11:47 PM in response to Loner T

Ok Loner T thanks very much for your time and patience, bye.

Loner T

Level 9

59,526 points

Nov 27, 2015 5:23 AM in response to davefromhythe

You are welcome. Please test booting from the CS internal disk and verify. Do not forget the backups.

CremaG

Level 1

0 points

Feb 29, 2016 8:37 PM in response to davefromhythe

Hey there, I am having exactly the same issues using an 8GB flash drive. Will this flash drive work if I display copy the contents of the Windows disk rather than making a disk image of it?

disk utility error code 3 when creating windows image for bootcamp