HELP-iMac internal HD not found!

[stubeeef]

In Disk Util it shows up but the image iMac is gray. I only have Verify Disk and Repair Disk. When I run them it says
Verifying volume "iMac HD"
Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume
(in red font next)
Invalid B-tree node size
Volume check failed
Error: Filesystem verify or repair failed

I was using an external for booting to get an old program going. I MAY have accidentally ejected the iMac HD from the desk top.

What can I do to get this back?

PS it is not available in Sys Pref>startup volumes

 

[Corbin052198]

I believe there is a mount button in Disk Utility. Have you tried that?

 

[stubeeef]

No haven't tried that, I am running 10.5.8.

Don't see a Mount Button.

 

[Corbin052198]

No haven't tried that, I am running 10.5.8.

If the partion is greyed out like that, it usually means it's unmounted, which is not bad. Just click on it and press the Mount button.

 

[Corbin052198]

Don't see a Mount Button.

It's at the top of Disk Utility (where the unmount button is in the picture).

 

[stubeeef]

sounds great>but when I click on it in Disk Utility I see NO mount button. Is that a 10.6 feature?
Ugh

found it and did it > said can't be mounted try first aid then mounting.
first aid.
I then try verify and repair and get the same error.

 

[Corbin052198]

Have you tried Verify and Repair Disk Permissions?

 

[stubeeef]

It's at the top of Disk Utility (where the unmount button is in the picture).

Opps, had the menu bar collapsed. found it and in the menu under file.

PS: God bless you for helping me! My life is on that drive. I have an older external but haven't done a good back up in 8 months! Crap!!

 

[stubeeef]

Have you tried Verify and Repair Disk Permissions?

Grayed out..

 

[Corbin052198]

Opps, had the menu bar collapsed. found it and in the menu under file.

PS: God bless you for helping me! My life is on that drive. I have an older external but haven't done a good back up in 8 months! Crap!!

For future purposes, I sugest backing up your HD to your external using Carbon Copy Cloner. It can copy all the stuff (and your system) on to any external and make it bootable.

 

[stubeeef]

For future purposes, I sugest backing up your HD to your external using Carbon Copy Cloner. It can copy all the stuff (and your system) on to any external and make it bootable.

;-}

Been using SuperDuper but for some reason the last few attempts at backup failed-never really looked into it either. Too stupid I guess.

 

[seamuskrat]

You may need to boot from CD with an OSX disk and and see if Disk Utility sees your drive.

Sometimes the computer PRAM (not sure if iMac uses this) gets wonky and forgets the drive is there.

But a CD boot will give you the most honest assessment if the drive can be seen or not. If it shows up, then you should be able to repair, do a restore/reinstal or select as a start up disk.

If the drive is unavailable then it is time for a nice utility like TechTools . You may need to recover data and format, etc.

All is not lost, although you are entering the next phase thatw ill require some patience and work.

Has the iMac been moved? Sat off for a long period? Installed any new software recently? Crashed a lot? Power outtage? All can cause various drive issues that cause what you are seeing.

Also, search the Apple knowledge base and enter search terms for imac hard drive missing and you will get some documents that run you through the aforemention steps in greater detail.

Good luck.

 

[stubeeef]

You may need to boot from CD with an OSX disk and and see if Disk Utility sees your drive.

Sometimes the computer PRAM (not sure if iMac uses this) gets wonky and forgets the drive is there.

But a CD boot will give you the most honest assessment if the drive can be seen or not. If it shows up, then you should be able to repair, do a restore/reinstal or select as a start up disk.

If the drive is unavailable then it is time for a nice utility like TechTools . You may need to recover data and format, etc.

All is not lost, although you are entering the next phase thatw ill require some patience and work.

Has the iMac been moved? Sat off for a long period? Installed any new software recently? Crashed a lot? Power outtage? All can cause various drive issues that cause what you are seeing.

Also, search the Apple knowledge base and enter search terms for imac hard drive missing and you will get some documents that run you through the aforemention steps in greater detail.

Good luck.

It lives a busy life in our house. Has had some freeze ups lately.
Guess I will pull out the disks later to get it up and running.

 

[seamuskrat]

;-}

Been using SuperDuper but for some reason the last few attempts at backup failed-never really looked into it either. Too stupid I guess.

By any chance do you use any compression utilities? I had this compression utility (forgot the name- I deleted it) that prevented my SuperDuper from working. You have to run a terminal script to uncompress all files and SuperDuper will work.

They have AWESOME support. I sent a screen shot of the error and they knew exactly what my issue was and told me what to do.

When I say compression I am not talking SIT and ZIP, but this other System Pane utility. I am at work and not at home or I could tell you the name. I think it was called Squeeze. I used it on some archived fodlers and it saved me a few hundred megs. But killed SuperDuper so it was not worth the hassle in the end.

 

[stubeeef]

By any chance do you use any compression utilities? I had this compression utility (forgot the name- I deleted it) that prevented my SuperDuper from working. You have to run a terminal script to uncompress all files and SuperDuper will work.

They have AWESOME support. I sent a screen shot of the error and they knew exactly what my issue was and told me what to do.

When I say compression I am not talking SIT and ZIP, but this other System Pane utility. I am at work and not at home or I could tell you the name. I think it was called Squeeze. I used it on some archived fodlers and it saved me a few hundred megs. But killed SuperDuper so it was not worth the hassle in the end.

I run a rather vanilla iMac-but with 3 kidz on here-who knows what they have put on it. Although you do need my password and they haven't hacked it yet. I would know trust me.

 

[stubeeef]

Well, dang!
Booted from 10.5 install disk, ran disk utility, everything was exactly the same. Zero difference.
So, Tech Tools or what?

 

[stubeeef]

off to a pro-has scheduled surgery in the morning. IV drip and disk warrior.