"Incorrect number of file hard links" - is my hard drive toast?

[dobomode]

Hello,

I was running Disk Utility yesterday and it reported that my hard drive has "Incorrect number of file hard links". It could not repair the problem. What exactly is this issue and how bad it is? Is it possible to recover from it?

I am running Leopard on Macbook Pro 15'' 2.2GHz

Thanks!

Bump.

Your help is appreciated.

Bump.

Third time's a charm.

 

[alphaod]

If you're worried, you best bet is to back up your files (not Time Machine) and reinstall the OS and all. Don't restore from Time Machine.

 

[markster]

have you checked out this thread

at apple discussions?

 

[dobomode]

Thanks guys. I did see that thread @ the apple forums, but it didn't really help.

What did help though was booting from the installation CD and running Disk Utility there. It seemed to have fixed it. I still don't know what the problems was though or what caused it in the first place.

Cheers!

 

[renault4]

If you're worried, you best bet is to back up your files (not Time Machine) and reinstall the OS and all. Don't restore from Time Machine.

curious, why do you say not to use time machine?

 

[e12a]

I'm curious too. I've restored from my TM backup twice already after re-installing OS X (for different reasons). I intentionally excluded my applications folder but everything else was back to normal.

 

[tip]

If the corruption happened prior to backing up via Time Machine, then you might be possibly restoring corrupt (or missing) files. I would have run Disk Utility from the DVD first (which the OP did), and then run TM.

 

[renault4]

If the corruption happened prior to backing up via Time Machine, then you might be possibly restoring corrupt (or missing) files. I would have run Disk Utility from the DVD first (which the OP did), and then run TM.

OK, that makes sense.

 

[n8c]

When you guys say "run disk utility," what exactly do you mean? Do you mean you are repairing permissions in disk utility, or is there something else that you are running from within disk utility? I just am asking for future reference.

 

[tip]

When you guys say "run disk utility," what exactly do you mean? Do you mean you are repairing permissions in disk utility, or is there something else that you are running from within disk utility? I just am asking for future reference.

"Repair Disk" - for your boot volume, it should be done from a DVD (or separate boot disk).