AppleNDixie

Q: MacBookAir Stopped Loading OSX due to space, booted off external

My MacBook Air was upgrading to Yosemite when I received a "not enough space" warning upon startup.  After doing almost everything that I could read in the forums, finally, the only way I could get it to finish was to use an external drive.  With a big smile on my face, I thought it would now just be a matter of going in and archiving/removing some space eaters then continue the upgrade.  However, once it came up, it would not allow me to get to the original drives.  They had red "x's" beside them and no means to open or access.  I can all the resident drives but all have the red "x's".  The MacBook works, but is completely dependent on the external drive (seriously it is like it is on some kind of life support.)  My goal would be to complete or revert the MBA back to how it was then clean the drive.  The MBA has $1k worth of Adobe products on it that I do not want to lose.  Any help is greatly appreciated, this forum has literally saved me too many times to mention but this is my first post.  Thanks, AnD

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10), Installation Issues

Posted on Mar 7, 2016 1:37 PM

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Q: MacBookAir Stopped Loading OSX due to space, booted off external

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  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 7, 2016 1:59 PM in response to AppleNDixie
    Level 9 (52,313 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 7, 2016 1:59 PM in response to AppleNDixie

    Try a safe boot and see if that will give you access to the MBA:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201262

     

    If no success, use Target Disk mode:

     

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201462

     

    Ciao.

  • by AppleNDixie,

    AppleNDixie AppleNDixie Mar 8, 2016 6:03 AM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 6:03 AM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I did try the Safe Mode before and was unsuccessful.  However, I have not tried the "Target Disk" mode.  I will pick up a firewire and try that.  Thanks for the advice.  AnD

  • by AppleNDixie,

    AppleNDixie AppleNDixie Mar 8, 2016 5:57 PM in response to OGELTHORPE
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 8, 2016 5:57 PM in response to OGELTHORPE

    I have a problem with the proposed solution for the target disk solution.  My MBA has neither the firewire nor the Thunderbolt connector.  It only has USB, power, SD and DVI.  Is there any workaround with those ports?  Thanks, AnD

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Mar 8, 2016 7:10 PM in response to AppleNDixie
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 8, 2016 7:10 PM in response to AppleNDixie

    So do you have a bootable clone on an external USB drive? If so, can you boot from that and then access your internal drive via the external's Disk Utility?

  • by AppleNDixie,

    AppleNDixie AppleNDixie Mar 9, 2016 4:59 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2016 4:59 AM in response to babowa

    No it will not.  That is the issue when I try to use the utility it shows the restriction symbol and states the "You do not have permission to access this drive" as seen in the image below:

     

    Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 7.52.33 AM.png

  • by OGELTHORPE,

    OGELTHORPE OGELTHORPE Mar 9, 2016 6:45 AM in response to AppleNDixie
    Level 9 (52,313 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 9, 2016 6:45 AM in response to AppleNDixie

    AppleNDixie wrote:

     

    I have a problem with the proposed solution for the target disk solution.  My MBA has neither the firewire nor the Thunderbolt connector.  It only has USB, power, SD and DVI.  Is there any workaround with those ports?  Thanks, AnD

    If you MBP has a 1.8" HDD, you could take it out and use this SATA USB adapter connected to another Mac:

     

    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA10V3K62465&cm_re=SATA_USB_ad apter-_-12-156-034-_-Product

     

    I am not endorsing this particular one.  It just is the first that I found.

     

    Ciao.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Mar 9, 2016 8:01 AM in response to AppleNDixie
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 9, 2016 8:01 AM in response to AppleNDixie

    You're showing a screenshot of your drive/user folder. Can you post a screenshot of:

     

    Boot into your external

    Launch that Disk Utility

    Highlight the internal disk in left column

    Post screenshot with the First Aid tab selected

    Post screenshot with the Partition tab selected

     

    (Screenshot below is of my internal just as an example):

     

    Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 7.58.23 AM.png

  • by AppleNDixie,

    AppleNDixie AppleNDixie Mar 9, 2016 10:30 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2016 10:30 AM in response to babowa

    As you will see below the results for the First Aid button.  The "Partition" button is grey and not available via Disk Utility before or after selecting the first aid.  In the image below is the results of DISK UTILITY>MACINTOSH HD>FIRST AID>RUN  I took the screenshot prior to opening the details however it states "Updating boot support partitions as requested for the volume as required.  Unable to unmount volume for repair. Operation failed..."   Thanks for your responses, I am forever hopeful.  AnD

     

    Screen Shot 2016-03-09 at 1.19.14 PM.png

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Mar 9, 2016 10:42 AM in response to AppleNDixie
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 9, 2016 10:42 AM in response to AppleNDixie

    1. In order to get the partition tab, you need to highlight the main drive (Apple SSD.....).

     

    2. In order to "unmount" and repair, you need to be booted from something other than your internal drive - you cannot repair a drive you are booted from. Are you booted from your WD drive?

  • by AppleNDixie,

    AppleNDixie AppleNDixie Mar 9, 2016 11:40 AM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 9, 2016 11:40 AM in response to babowa

    To my understanding, I am booted from the WD external drive; otherwise, I would not be having a problem.  I had to load the OS onto the WD in order to get the computer to boot up.  Clearly it sees the other drive and understands it is the internal drive but I cannot get to any of the files on that internal drive(s).  Without the external WD drive the computer will not boot at all, that is what I base my conclusion on that it is booting from the external drive.  Thanks, AnD