Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Help! won't boot/can't reinstall!

In single-use mode you can reboot by typing:

reboot [return]

...at the prompt.

I'm not sure I completely follow your other problems with the iMac. One thing at a time?
 
IJ Reilly said:
In single-use mode you can reboot by typing:

reboot [return]

...at the prompt.

I'm not sure I completely follow your other problems with the iMac. One thing at a time?
Click to expand...


I will do that-

I will post a new thread when I solve this one about my imac. Hopefully it lives until I get this one figured out.

So I assume I type that, then hold down mouse button when rebooting. working so far- waiting for it to boot up and will do same fsck stuff as instructed before.
 
booted in single user mode, it said root device is mounted read-only
ran fsck and this is what I got:
devrdosl0s3
Root file system
checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file
Checking catalog file.
disk0s3: I/O error.
Invalid key length
(4, 18075)
Volume check failed.
local hose:/ root#

I ran fsck again and same results
what now?
 
IJ Reilly said:
Did you type:

fsck -f

Normally, this would do more than check the drive, it would attempt to repair it.
Click to expand...

typed it just like you did including the space. It alread had "localhose:/ root# (and I typed) "fsck -f

In post #28 was all it tried to do.

When I was running Disk utility with the install disk I had the option to verify or repair disk- should I try that? Something else?
 
flyfish29 said:
typed it just like you did including the space. It alread had "localhose:/ root# (and I typed) "fsck -f

In post #28 was all it tried to do.

When I was running Disk utility with the install disk I had the option to verify or repair disk- should I try that? Something else?
Click to expand...

You could -- it does the same thing. But I don't understand why you're not seeing the results of an effort to repair the damage when running fsck. If the disk can't be repaired, you should see the "unable to repair" message.

My feeling at this point is that you're probably going to need to buy a disk repair utility, such as Diskwarrior, if you want to save any data on this volume.
 
IJ Reilly said:
You could -- it does the same thing. But I don't understand why you're not seeing the results of an effort to repair the damage when running fsck. If the disk can't be repaired, you should see the "unable to repair" message.

My feeling at this point is that you're probably going to need to buy a disk repair utility, such as Diskwarrior, if you want to save any data on this volume.
Click to expand...

I don't care about reinstalling everything and am prepared to do that right now if I can- but don't want to go through installing everything and end up finding out the disk is messed up and needs repair. Wat is the best way to proceed. Should I go back into disk utility and just erase the HD and start from scratch and see if it works?

By saving data do you mean the Mac OS X data to run the computer or save the data I already have on it that I have created- cause like I said above I have it backed up and am ready to wipe 'er clean~

I am sure by this point you are sick of my problem- thanks for sticking with it tonight! I will go away soon- I promise. that is until I make a new thread with my iMac problem:D
 
You could try the hardware check that comes with the system disks first, just to see if that finds anything.

if you're backed up, then boot from the system disks and format the drive, then verify it. do a basic install and verify again, or boot into single user and fsck again. Then if all is well, put the updates in (if really paranoid, fsck again) and then restore your user data.
 
frankblundt said:
You could try the hardware check that comes with the system disks first, just to see if that finds anything.

if you're backed up, then boot from the system disks and format the drive, then verify it. do a basic install and verify again, or boot into single user and fsck again. Then if all is well, put the updates in (if really paranoid, fsck again) and then restore your user data.
Click to expand...

so I am booted right now from system disk, using disk utility to repair HD. It said "keys out of order" and is rebuilding catalog b-tree right now....so it came back as failed. Disk utility stopped repairing "trout" because the folowing error: the underlying task reported failure on exit. Below in the log it reads...1 HFS volume checked. 1 volume could not be repaired because of an error

So is my HD failing or should I just erase the damn thing and try what you say?

The hardware test you speak of- that is the hardware test disk- correct? Can I boot up from that disk if I can't boot my iBook from the HD?
 
yes, that's the disk. i'm embarrassed to admit that i've never used it so i don't know if it's bootable, but i'd imagine yes. (actually i don't even know what it does but it sounds like a good thing for this kind of situation)

Some utilities like Disk Warrior can recover stuff that Disk Utility can't, but it doesn't sound like it's worth it in your case, just format it. If it's got serious problems, it'll fail on that too.

If it's still failing verifications after a format, i think you're going to need a new drive.
 
frankblundt said:
yes, that's the disk. i'm embarrassed to admit that i've never used it so i don't know if it'd bootable, but i'd imagine yes.

Some utilities like Disk Warrior can recover stuff that Disk Utility can't, but it doesn't sound like it's worth it in your case, just format it. If it's got serious problems, it'll fail on that too.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't be embarrased. Rather I would feel lucky!

Will try it, then try to erase and format, etc.and let you know how it goes. I am glad you chimed in because I am sure IJ Reilly was getting sick of dealing with me and my lengthy posts. I just know so many members here always are saying please give us more info here...so I probably went too far the other way.:rolleyes:
 
the more info the better.
the only thing really annoying thing is when you give a bunch of things to try and people come back with "tried it it didn't work", with no indication of what they tried or what didn't work, or what messages came up.
You're doing just fine. keep it up. :)
 
and Mad Jew will be here in a minute. he'll sort you out, while I go and cook dinner - the magic of time zones..
(actually, surprised he's not here already, most unusual. hope he's OK)
 
Yeah, MadJew was very helpful early on through this thread and many others I searched on fsck and DU.

So I erased and it took like two seconds- is this correct?

What's for Dinner? Enjoy and I will let you know how it goes.

EDIT- Just verified and it says it is fine so I will proceed. (crossing fingers, toes, son's toes...)
 
Installed no problem now. I am updating the Mac OSX combined updates and java. I think I will use it like it is for a few weeks then proceed with all other installs, etc.

Question- is it best to use the admin. account for everday use or create a separate one for everyday use? I have always used Admin, but heard some don't except for maintenence, installs, etc. What do you all rec.

thanks again for your help...look for my new thread in the next day about my iMac issue.

Johnny
 
flyfish29 said:
I wouldn't be embarrased. Rather I would feel lucky!

Will try it, then try to erase and format, etc.and let you know how it goes. I am glad you chimed in because I am sure IJ Reilly was getting sick of dealing with me and my lengthy posts. I just know so many members here always are saying please give us more info here...so I probably went too far the other way.:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I didn't duck out because I was annoyed. A person has to eat sometime! (Alright, I admit, I also watched a movie on TV.)

FWIW, I had a very similar problem just yesterday, after a power outage. The Mac would not boot. For the first time in many years, Disk Utility and fsck failed to repair the damage to the disk directory. I had the same "keys out of order" error you reported. Even though I'd backed up in full just a few days ago, I saw my life flashing before my eyes. Diskwarrior saved my bacon. It's not cheap, but worth every penny, even if this happens only once every few years. My next expenditure will be for a couple of UPS systems.

Also, and FWIW, fsck or Disk Utility will fix most disk errors you are likely to encounter.
 
IJ Reilly said:
I didn't duck out because I was annoyed. A person has to eat sometime! (Alright, I admit, I also watched a movie on TV.)
Click to expand...
Eating...likely excuse...what movie? I have to admit while attempting to install this tonight I played some Battlefield2 Modern combat to keep my mind off the issues I have been experiencing as well as get out some aggression!!!!!:mad:


Weird, but at my school we had some power issues about the same time I had issues. All day one very windy day the power was flickering the lights..coincidence? I think I will plug into the UPS that is under my desk for our server.

Everything is going smoothly right now. I am syncing all my .mac stuff and should be up and running tomorrow. Have created extra admin. account but I had already installed office on the "day to day" account...probably won't worry about it. I will be backing up after every work day (which is only two or three days a week :D so if it does go south I will be prepared. Will put off warrior for now, but may have my school buy it for me if necessary. I am the principal for goodness sake!

Thanks again and enjoy your dinners everyone! (movies too!)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back