"Volume Check Failed" EXITED WITH SIGNAL 8

happel · 01-10-2013, 12:55 PM

Greetings, all. I am stuck and think my hard drive may be frozen or fried. I ran /sbin/fsck -fy (which last time I attempted this, ran fine) but now it is giving me an error message:

disk0s2: I/O error
Invalid node structure
(3, 1705)
**Volume check failed.
/dev/rdisk0s2 (hfs) EXITED WITH SIGNAL *

Can anyone help me get back home? Is it necessary to purchase the DiskWarrior software? If so, will it get my files and computer back to normal? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. I have just logged 100 hours of data and work and like a moron did not back up before last log off.

hayne · 01-10-2013, 01:12 PM

"I/O error" often (usually?) indicates a hardware problem with the drive.
DiskWarrior can sometimes overcome hardware problems (by trying repeatedly) but sometimes it can't. If you do try DiskWarrior, be sure to let it take its time - especially with hardware problems, the fix may take several hours (even overnight or more!)

happel · 01-10-2013, 01:17 PM

Thank you hayne. I am just trying to save a couple of bucks. I have wasted plenty in my day and am more scrupulous to dropping $100 and 'all sales are final' means I cannot even get a refund if the data cannot be recovered.

trevor · 01-10-2013, 01:44 PM

DiskWarrior may be able to save your data, but it's very likely that you will need a new hard drive to put that data onto. I agree with hayne, the error message you mention looks like those from hardware problems, and no software can fix a hardware problem.

And with a hardware problem, there's no guarantee that DiskWarrior can fix it. So you have to weigh the costs involved--is the $100 you spend on DiskWarrior worth it for the chance (not the guarantee) that you might recover your data?

Trevor

happel · 01-10-2013, 01:46 PM

Thank you as well, Trevor. I have the install disk, so I could just reinstall and start over, but that means all my data is lost, right? ".. it's very likely that you will need a new hard drive to put that data onto" - doesn't mean I need to buy a new hard drive, does it?

hayne · 01-10-2013, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by happel


	I have the install disk, so I could just reinstall and start over, but that means all my data is lost, right?

Reinstalling per se does not erase your data, but in your situation you need to do more than just reinstall - you need to erase the disk and start from scratch.

Quote:


	".. it's very likely that you will need a new hard drive to put that data onto" - doesn't mean I need to buy a new hard drive, does it?

Yes. It is very likely that your hard drive is no good anymore and that you will need to buy a new one.

How old is this Mac (and this hard drive) anyway? What model of Mac is it?

happel · 01-10-2013, 02:37 PM

Thanks, hayne. It is fairly old, 2007, I believe. MacBook and I don't know what version # model #. I thought I could do a erase/restore w/ CD disk.

trevor · 01-10-2013, 03:14 PM

I personally never trust any hard drive again after it's given me an I/O error. Even if you can get it to a state where nothing is obviously wrong by erasing/reinstalling from scratch (which is marginally possible but not particularly likely), there is a high likelihood that the hard drive will give another I/O error message sometime very soon and have problems again.

Hard drives, because they contain your data, need to be trustworthy. Because your hard drive is giving I/O errors, it is no longer trustworthy. I would strongly recommend you replace it.

A hard drive from 2007 is now more than five years old, possibly as many as six years old. It is time to replace it. The benefits are many--you will again have a reliable hard drive, plus your new drive will definitely be much faster, and probably bigger too.

Trevor

happel · 01-10-2013, 03:22 PM

Thanks, trevor. I was trying to hold off on buying a new computer until March.

macosnoob · 01-10-2013, 03:41 PM

Well, replacing the HDD on those 2007-era MacBooks is very easy--just a few screws and it slides out from the battery bay. You have what--an 80G-250G HDD in there now? Today, OWC will sell you a 320G for $49.99.

happel · 01-10-2013, 04:37 PM

160GB, I think. OWC?

macosnoob · 01-10-2013, 05:17 PM

Other World Computing, http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/Sea...3&Ntt=SATA+2.5

happel · 01-10-2013, 06:28 PM

Thank you macosnoob. I am at that inevitable crossroads of reinstalling the OS from scratch, purchasing a new HD or buying an entirely new computer/laptop. I am surmising that replacing the HD is a more inexpensive way of getting a new computer in a way, but at a discount? Ironically, I have an older HP that I did an OS restore and it's still chugging along strong, which I use for much more complex software programs every day. My Mac is just for web-browsing, email, spreadsheets, Word docs and iTunes music enjoyment.

macosnoob · 01-11-2013, 07:36 AM

If the MacBook has a dying HDD yet otherwise serves your present needs well, then a new HDD is certainly the least expensive way to get you up and running again. But this case is one of those where you have to weigh the low cost of maintaining old equipment against the fact that you can't upgrade the 2007 MacBook models beyond 10.7--at a time when Apple is shipping 10.8 and suggests there will be a 10.9 sometime in 2013.

The constant march of the OS doesn't matter (much) to a lot of people, especially those who are stuck at 10.6 because they're still running PowerPC-based applications that won't run under 10.7+.

DiskWarrior, by the way, is an excellent investment, though it's a crapshoot as to whether DW will help in any particular case. A better strategy to cope with the inevitable HDD failure--and all HDD will eventually fail--is to make routine back-ups. That's a topic for another time.

happel · 01-11-2013, 10:48 AM

Thank you very much for your feedback, macosnoob. I am the fool for not backing up what probably equates to 100hours of data saved. I do run back ups, just not every day.

I may just reinstall the drive now, then look at new machine or just a new HDD over the weekend. I saw the link you attached and they have good prices.

01-10-2013, 12:55 PM	#1
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	"Volume Check Failed" EXITED WITH SIGNAL 8 Greetings, all. I am stuck and think my hard drive may be frozen or fried. I ran /sbin/fsck -fy (which last time I attempted this, ran fine) but now it is giving me an error message: disk0s2: I/O error Invalid node structure (3, 1705) *Volume check failed. /dev/rdisk0s2 (hfs) EXITED WITH SIGNAL Can anyone help me get back home? Is it necessary to purchase the DiskWarrior software? If so, will it get my files and computer back to normal? Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. I have just logged 100 hours of data and work and like a moron did not back up before last log off.

01-10-2013, 01:12 PM	#2
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 31,938	"I/O error" often (usually?) indicates a hardware problem with the drive. DiskWarrior can sometimes overcome hardware problems (by trying repeatedly) but sometimes it can't. If you do try DiskWarrior, be sure to let it take its time - especially with hardware problems, the fix may take several hours (even overnight or more!) __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

01-10-2013, 01:44 PM	#4
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 19,549	DiskWarrior may be able to save your data, but it's very likely that you will need a new hard drive to put that data onto. I agree with hayne, the error message you mention looks like those from hardware problems, and no software can fix a hardware problem. And with a hardware problem, there's no guarantee that DiskWarrior can fix it. So you have to weigh the costs involved--is the $100 you spend on DiskWarrior worth it for the chance (not the guarantee) that you might recover your data? Trevor __________________ How to ask questions the smart way

01-10-2013, 03:14 PM	#8
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 19,549	I personally never trust any hard drive again after it's given me an I/O error. Even if you can get it to a state where nothing is obviously wrong by erasing/reinstalling from scratch (which is marginally possible but not particularly likely), there is a high likelihood that the hard drive will give another I/O error message sometime very soon and have problems again. Hard drives, because they contain your data, need to be trustworthy. Because your hard drive is giving I/O errors, it is no longer trustworthy. I would strongly recommend you replace it. A hard drive from 2007 is now more than five years old, possibly as many as six years old. It is time to replace it. The benefits are many--you will again have a reliable hard drive, plus your new drive will definitely be much faster, and probably bigger too. Trevor __________________ How to ask questions the smart way

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01-10-2013, 01:17 PM	#3
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thank you hayne. I am just trying to save a couple of bucks. I have wasted plenty in my day and am more scrupulous to dropping $100 and 'all sales are final' means I cannot even get a refund if the data cannot be recovered.

01-10-2013, 01:46 PM	#5
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thank you as well, Trevor. I have the install disk, so I could just reinstall and start over, but that means all my data is lost, right? ".. it's very likely that you will need a new hard drive to put that data onto" - doesn't mean I need to buy a new hard drive, does it?

01-10-2013, 02:37 PM	#7
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thanks, hayne. It is fairly old, 2007, I believe. MacBook and I don't know what version # model #. I thought I could do a erase/restore w/ CD disk.

01-10-2013, 03:22 PM	#9
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thanks, trevor. I was trying to hold off on buying a new computer until March.

01-10-2013, 03:41 PM	#10
macosnoob MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,751	Well, replacing the HDD on those 2007-era MacBooks is very easy--just a few screws and it slides out from the battery bay. You have what--an 80G-250G HDD in there now? Today, OWC will sell you a 320G for $49.99.

01-10-2013, 04:37 PM	#11
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	160GB, I think. OWC?

01-10-2013, 05:17 PM	#12
macosnoob MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,751	Other World Computing, http://eshop.macsales.com/Search/Sea...3&Ntt=SATA+2.5

01-10-2013, 06:28 PM	#13
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thank you macosnoob. I am at that inevitable crossroads of reinstalling the OS from scratch, purchasing a new HD or buying an entirely new computer/laptop. I am surmising that replacing the HD is a more inexpensive way of getting a new computer in a way, but at a discount? Ironically, I have an older HP that I did an OS restore and it's still chugging along strong, which I use for much more complex software programs every day. My Mac is just for web-browsing, email, spreadsheets, Word docs and iTunes music enjoyment.

01-11-2013, 07:36 AM	#14
macosnoob MVP Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,751	If the MacBook has a dying HDD yet otherwise serves your present needs well, then a new HDD is certainly the least expensive way to get you up and running again. But this case is one of those where you have to weigh the low cost of maintaining old equipment against the fact that you can't upgrade the 2007 MacBook models beyond 10.7--at a time when Apple is shipping 10.8 and suggests there will be a 10.9 sometime in 2013. The constant march of the OS doesn't matter (much) to a lot of people, especially those who are stuck at 10.6 because they're still running PowerPC-based applications that won't run under 10.7+. DiskWarrior, by the way, is an excellent investment, though it's a crapshoot as to whether DW will help in any particular case. A better strategy to cope with the inevitable HDD failure--and all HDD will eventually fail--is to make routine back-ups. That's a topic for another time.

01-11-2013, 10:48 AM	#15
happel Prospect Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 8	Thank you very much for your feedback, macosnoob. I am the fool for not backing up what probably equates to 100hours of data saved. I do run back ups, just not every day. I may just reinstall the drive now, then look at new machine or just a new HDD over the weekend. I saw the link you attached and they have good prices.