Have tried four SSDs, and am getting the same errors on each one.

[portOdin]

I've tried four different SSDs over the last few months, on two separate Macs, and have been unsuccessful in getting OS X installed on any of them. The first was an OCW, the second and third were ADATA, and I'm now trying a Kingston HyperX Fury. I also tried two different SATA cables. I'm now trying to format the SSD externally using a USB to SATA adapter so that I can still use my computer with a working internal HD while I try to solve this problem.

In Disk Utility, I've had the same errors on all of them. Here's the basic process I've gone through in an attempt to format the drives for

I have the drive connected with an external drive adapter through USB, and am using my Macbook Pro with Yosemite in normal mode, booted on a regular working hard drive. (If necessary, I can boot it internally again if it might help.)

1. Inside Disk Utility, I click the SSD in the sidebar, and then the Erase button within the Erase tab with the Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format selected.

- Completes format without any errors:

2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700: Preparing to erase : “Untitled”
2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700:     Partition Scheme: GUID Partition Table
2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700:     1 volume will be created
2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700:         Name        : “Untitled”
2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700:         Size        : 240.06 GB
2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700:         File system    : Mac OS Extended (Journaled)

2015-08-24 22:20:15 -0700: Unmounting disk
2015-08-24 22:20:16 -0700: Creating the partition map
2015-08-24 22:20:16 -0700: Waiting for the disks to reappear
2015-08-24 22:20:16 -0700: Formatting disk7s2 as Mac OS Extended (Journaled) with name Untitled
2015-08-24 22:20:28 -0700: Initialized /dev/rdisk7s2 as a 223 GB case-insensitive HFS Plus volume with a 24576k journal

2015-08-24 22:20:28 -0700: Mounting disk
2015-08-24 22:20:28 -0700: Erase complete.
2015-08-24 22:20:28 -0700:

3. To test the disk, I click the First Aid tab and then the Verify Disk button.

- Again, everything looks fine:

2015-08-24 22:23:36 -0700: Verifying partition map for “WD ON SHFS External Media”
2015-08-24 22:23:36 -0700: Starting verification tool:
2015-08-24 22:23:36 -0700: Checking prerequisites
2015-08-24 22:23:36 -0700: Checking the partition list
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking for an EFI system partition
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking the EFI system partition’s size
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking the EFI system partition’s file system
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking the EFI system partition’s folder content
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking all HFS data partition loader spaces
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking booter partitions
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: Checking Core Storage Physical Volume partitions
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700: The partition map appears to be OK
2015-08-24 22:23:37 -0700:

4. To test the partition that was created on Erase, I click the Untitled partition in the sidebar, click the First Aid tab, and then the Verify Disk button.

- Now the errors begin:

2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Verifying volume “Untitled”
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Starting verification tool:
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Verifying file system.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Checking extents overflow file.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: The volume Untitled could not be verified completely.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: File system check exit code is 8.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Error: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.
2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700:

2015-08-24 22:25:13 -0700: Disk Utility stopped verifying “Untitled”: This disk needs to be repaired. Click Repair Disk.

5. I click the Repair Disk button.

2015-08-24 22:25:45 -0700: Verify and Repair volume “Untitled”
2015-08-24 22:25:45 -0700: Starting repair tool:
2015-08-24 22:25:45 -0700: Repairing file system.
2015-08-24 22:25:45 -0700: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: Invalid B-tree node size
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: The volume   could not be verified completely.
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: File system check exit code is 8.
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: Updating boot support partitions for the volume as required.
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: Error: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.
2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700:

2015-08-24 22:25:46 -0700: Disk Utility stopped repairing “Untitled”: Disk Utility can’t repair this disk. Back up as many of your files as possible, reformat the disk, and restore your backed-up files.

To give some more context, I first attempted to format all of these drives on my Macbook Pro. After that I tried each on my iMac and received the same errors. It seems very odd that none of these would work on either computer. I'm hoping that the Macbook Pro didn't destroy them somehow (if that's possible) which might have prevented them from working on the iMac. Maybe it formatted them in a strange way which is preventing them to work and to be properly reformatted on either computer?

The drives still show up in Finder and in Disk Utility, and I'm able to drag and drop files onto them. But the problems with Verify and Repair are preventing me from actually installing OS X on to them. I've tried Lion and Yosemite, and get "Installation Failed" errors with both.

I'll be standing by ready to try any suggestions. I've already tried everything that I can think of, and all the suggestions on other threads/forums, and I'm just not sure what to do.

Help is much appreciated.

 

[pastrychef]

I just found a thread where others shared the same problem you are experiencing:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/file-system-check-exit-code-8-disk-wont-repair.1819660/

Personally, I would try to confirm that the USB to SATA adaptor you are using is working correctly. Make sure the SSDs are receiving proper power. Avoid using any USB hubs if possible, plug the USB to SATA adaptor directly in to your Macs.

 

[MacUser2525]

Erase will not do what you need to do you need to re-partition the drive. In Disk Utility with the drive attached and selected (the whole drive selected not a partition on it) choose the Partition option instead of erase choose the scheme you want from the list most likely 1 partition then go to Option button in there change from the MBR it will be to GUID partition. Name it to something you want it to be other than untitiled HFS+ Journaled case insensitive for formatting hit the Apply button. You will now have a GUID partitioned drive that is usable in OSX for booting, MBR drives are not at least for booting or installing an OS on anyways, storage would be fine.

 

[Weaselboy]

Erase will not do what you need to do you need to re-partition the drive.

If you are just making one partition like the OP is, it does not matter. You can just erase and it will create one partition in GUID by default. If you look at OP's logs there, it is already in GUID.

 

[chabig]

Check out this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/file-system-check-exit-code-8-disk-wont-repair.1819660/

Idea from this thread...you've tried multiple drives, multiple cables, and multiple computers...but just one external adapter. You mentioned that you've tried multiple SATA cables, and that this adapter is connected through USB. I'm lost. If the adapter connects with USB you wouldn't need SATA cables. I suspect something is weird with the configuration of your external adapter because it's the single point of failure in your description. Try to simplify this setup. Connect the adapter directly to a USB port on the computer, with no hub in between.

 

[portOdin]

Check out this thread: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/file-system-check-exit-code-8-disk-wont-repair.1819660/

Idea from this thread...you've tried multiple drives, multiple cables, and multiple computers...but just one external adapter. You mentioned that you've tried multiple SATA cables, and that this adapter is connected through USB. I'm lost. If the adapter connects with USB you wouldn't need SATA cables. I suspect something is weird with the configuration of your external adapter because it's the single point of failure in your description. Try to simplify this setup. Connect the adapter directly to a USB port on the computer, with no hub in between.

I've tried formatting the drive internally using two different SATA cables, as well as externally using the adapter. I've also used the external adapter with many hard drives and had no problems. Both SATA cables also work with any hard drives I use them with.

I read that thread before I posted this. It doesn't really offer any solutions. I've tried a few variations on the fsck command with no luck either.

 

[pastrychef]

Why are you using SATA cables when connecting internally to your MacBook Pro? Is something wrong with the cable that's already in the MacBook Pro?

 

[portOdin]

I've tried formatting the drive internally using two different SATA cables, as well as externally using the adapter. I've also used the external adapter with many hard drives and had no problems. Both SATA cables also work with any hard drives I use them with.

Why are you using SATA cables when connecting internally to your MacBook Pro? Is something wrong with the cable that's already in the MacBook Pro?

I'm talking about the regular Macbook hard drive cables. I had a spare, so I tested it with the SSD to see if it would make a difference. Nothing seems to be wrong with either, with regular hard drives at least.

 

[portOdin]

I'm talking about the regular Macbook hard drive cables. I had a spare, so I tested it with the SSD to see if it would make a difference. Nothing seems to be wrong with either, with regular hard drives at least.