How to create a start up disc

Hello Stu.

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If You Are Purchasing DiskWarrior
Repairing your usual startup disk requires that you start up from another disk. In order to use the download copy of DiskWarrior, you will need to start up from another disk with Mac OS X 10.3.9 through 10.4.x installed. You will then need to run a copy of DiskWarrior from a disk that is not the disk you are repairing. (The DiskWarrior download does not include the Apple System files necessary to create a startup CD.) If you cannot use the download version of the software (i.e. you have only one internal hard drive and this is the drive you wish to repair), please order directly from our sales department or from one of our resellers to be sent the software on CD. If you order via the secure server, you will be sent a CD, but delivery of your CD will take approximately three to four weeks, depending on your location.

Hi, Stu.

Unfortunately, you can't create a bootable disc from only the DW download. Also, unfortunately, BootCD — a utility for creating bootable discs — isn't compatible with Tiger, and I know of no other utility like BootCD.

See the advice in the following Alsoft Support Database articles:

• For DW 4.x: "I received DiskWarrior 4.0 electronically, but I cannot rebuild the directory of my startup disk because I do not have a second media source from which to run it."

• For DW 3.x: "I purchased DiskWarrior online and downloaded it. I have not received my CD yet. How can I rebuild my startup disk?"

for advice on how to use your download to repair your startup disk.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X

You must boot your computer from the external drive in order to run DW from that drive so unless this drive is a Firewire drive with OS X installed or a bootable clone backup of your internal drive along with DW installed, no go.

Repairing your usual startup disk requires that you start up from another disk. In order to use the download copy of DiskWarrior, you will need to start up from another disk with Mac OS X 10.3.9 through 10.4.x installed. You will then need to run a copy of DiskWarrior from a disk that is not the disk you are repairing.

Is your external drive a Firewire drive?

If not, do you have access to another Mac that supports Firewire Target Disk mode?

You wrote:

"P.S. Dr Smoke - the links don't seem to work, are they right?"

They're correct and I tested them yesterday after writing my post. However, it appears that Alsoft's Support Database Server is down, which explains why the links don't work at present. I've e-mailed my contacts at Alsoft to alert them to this problem.

The upshot of those articles is to

1. Install DW on a second Mac — call it the "good Mac."

2. Connect the problem Mac to the good Mac and start it up in FireWire Target Disk Mode.

3. Launch DW on the good Mac and use it to repair the drive of the problem Mac.

Good luck!

😉 Dr. Smoke
Author: Troubleshooting Mac® OS X