Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

Question

Level 1

16 points

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

I am getting this message on Verify Disk with Disk Utility:
Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

The documents tell me to take care of it as soon as possible, but it says that Disk Utility can't fix it. What am I supposed to do?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

MacBook 13, 2GHz, 2GRAM Mac OS X (10.4.8) I heart my Apple Pie!

Posted on Mar 26, 2007 10:59 AM

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Answer 1

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Mar 26, 2007 10:59 AM in response to Trevor Deck

You can't repair your hard disk from your hard disk.

Insert your install disk, that came with your Mac, by holding down the C key as it restarts, select disk utility and repair your startup disk from there.

Then reboot, and repair permissions.

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Answer 2

Trevor Deck Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 26, 2007 11:25 AM in response to Klaus1

What I should have said, was that I get that error when I tried to Repair Disk as you have just suggested. It stops the repairing and just shows this.

This article http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=302411 tells me that I need to take care of it as soon as possible but then links me to a live verification instruction page, with no help on how to repair it, if I am running later than 10.4.3, which I am. It mentions third party stuff if I am running 10.4.2 or earlier, should I look into that?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

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Answer 3

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Mar 26, 2007 11:25 AM in response to Trevor Deck

From the link within your link:

Live Verification only works on Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)-formatted (HFS+J) volumes. If you try to verify a non-journaled disk, Disk Utility will display this message: "ERROR: could not freeze volume (Operation not supported)."

Is it?

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Answer 4

Trevor Deck Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 26, 2007 11:42 AM in response to Klaus1

No. I do not have this error.
My System Profiler also tells me my volume is Journaled HSF+.

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Answer 5

Klaus1

Level 9

52,749 points

Mar 26, 2007 2:41 PM in response to Trevor Deck

To be honest, I am out of ideas, short of a complete reinstall.

Let's hope someone wiser chimes in here.

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Answer 6

Király

Level 6

10,017 points

Mar 26, 2007 3:34 PM in response to Trevor Deck

You have a disk problem that Disk Utility cannot fix.

Two options:

-Buy a more robust disk repair program like DiskWarrior (which I recommend) or Tech Tool Pro. Those programs can fix lots of things that Disk Utility cannot.

-If the above still doesn't work, back up all of your data, reformat your hard disk, and reinstall everything from scratch.

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Answer 7

Gulliver

Level 7

25,720 points

Mar 26, 2007 3:39 PM in response to Trevor Deck

Trevor,

please read this thread: first aid failed-underlying task reported failure on exit

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Answer 8

Trevor Deck Author

Level 1

16 points

Mar 27, 2007 3:42 AM in response to Gulliver

Ok, I have resigned myself to the fact that I need third party help. ...wait, what if I just bought this MacBook 3 weeks ago? Isn't there something that covers this type of thing? Can I take it to an Apple store for maintenance? (Only thing is, I am not currently in a country with a dealer. I just bought this one on vacation in Malaysia, am now in a different country, and won't be back to the states (read: won't be able to take my MacBook to an Apple Care Center) until April 13th or so.)

...in case the answer is no, and I do have to go for DiskWarrior or ToolTech Pro, how do I know which one will help THIS problem? I have been to each of their webpages and looked at their products, but I can't tell which one would help me. Does my error message mean I have a directory problem? (This would point towards DiskWarrior) I would just hate to buy one of these and find out I needed the other. Is there a page that has a directory or something of which problems each of these softwares is supposed to fix?

Thanks again!

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Answer 9

Gulliver

Level 7

25,720 points

Mar 27, 2007 5:36 AM in response to Trevor Deck

Trevor,

both programs are appr. equivalent and are worth every cent they cost. Tech Tool Pro has some additional features though.

As I wrote in the other thread, I would not trust the system even if it can be repaired. The repair is important in order to make a backup but after that you should consider reformating the drive.

This problem is not directly caused by the Mac or the system but may be triggered by hundreds of different reasons, most of them being 3rd-party applications, misuse or just bad luck. Therefore Apple will most likely refuse any liability.

If this answered your question please consider granting some stars: Why reward points?

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Answer 10

Apr 22, 2007 12:02 AM in response to Trevor Deck

Hey guys,

I've been sufferring from the exact same problem, except I have the following additional information:

1 HFS Volume Checked
1 volume could not be repaired because of an error
Repair attempt on 1 volume
1 volume could not be repaired

I have tried utilising my updated version of disk warrior to fix but that just creates kernal panics whenever I boot my 1.67ghz PBG4 from the disk warrior cd. Can anyone help?

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Answer 11

dread

Level 1

41 points

Apr 22, 2007 9:24 AM in response to Trevor Deck

just to be clear- did you try repairing from the OS Install DVD?

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Answer 12

Apr 23, 2007 4:37 AM in response to dread

Not the 10.4 install disk. I used the powerbook system disk that installs 10.4.2.

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