Problem repairing HD using Disk Utility from startup disc

moochpooch · 02-12-2009, 12:17 AM

I ran "Verify Disk" on my Mac Mini OSX 10.4.11 yesterday and got this message: The underlying task reported failure on exit. I then tried to "Repair Disk" after booting up from the startup disc. Well, that didn't resolve it. I still get the same message. From other similar posts I've read, it seems like my only option is to get something like Disk Warrior. Is that right, and would that have a good chance of fixing my HD? I'd hate to spend the money to get it, only to find that it won't resolve the problem.

Just some background: I'm not having any trouble booting up. The only reason I ran "Repair Permissions" and "Verify Disk" is that my computer recently did something weird. It suddenly decided one day not to let me change the highlight color. It just kept defaulting back to blue after I quit out of System Prefs no matter what color I would choose in the drop-down menu. Actually, after I ran "Repair Disk" from Disk Utility on the startup disc, that weirdness went away and I can now change the highlight color. But this has me concerned about my HD. Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

hayne · 02-12-2009, 12:23 AM

When you run Repair Disk from the Disk Utility on the OS X Install DVD, you should see other messages in the window before the final "... reported failure on exit" message.
Show us those other messages - they will indicate more details about the nature of the problem that couldn't be fixed.

If Repair Disk finds any errors at all (whether or not it says that it "... reported failure on exit"), you should repeat the repair until no errors are found (or you give up - e.g. after 4 iterations)
See this Apple doc:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214

moochpooch · 02-12-2009, 01:43 AM

I just ran "Repair Disk" a second time through the startup disc, and things now appear to be fine! Funny how you have to potentially run that more than once. Anyway, I'm just glad it actually worked. Thanks!

02-12-2009, 12:17 AM	#1
moochpooch Prospect Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4	Problem repairing HD using Disk Utility from startup disc I ran "Verify Disk" on my Mac Mini OSX 10.4.11 yesterday and got this message: The underlying task reported failure on exit. I then tried to "Repair Disk" after booting up from the startup disc. Well, that didn't resolve it. I still get the same message. From other similar posts I've read, it seems like my only option is to get something like Disk Warrior. Is that right, and would that have a good chance of fixing my HD? I'd hate to spend the money to get it, only to find that it won't resolve the problem. Just some background: I'm not having any trouble booting up. The only reason I ran "Repair Permissions" and "Verify Disk" is that my computer recently did something weird. It suddenly decided one day not to let me change the highlight color. It just kept defaulting back to blue after I quit out of System Prefs no matter what color I would choose in the drop-down menu. Actually, after I ran "Repair Disk" from Disk Utility on the startup disc, that weirdness went away and I can now change the highlight color. But this has me concerned about my HD. Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

02-12-2009, 12:23 AM	#2
hayne Site Admin Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montreal Posts: 32,473	When you run Repair Disk from the Disk Utility on the OS X Install DVD, you should see other messages in the window before the final "... reported failure on exit" message. Show us those other messages - they will indicate more details about the nature of the problem that couldn't be fixed. If Repair Disk finds any errors at all (whether or not it says that it "... reported failure on exit"), you should repeat the repair until no errors are found (or you give up - e.g. after 4 iterations) See this Apple doc: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214 __________________ hayne.net/macosx.html

02-12-2009, 01:43 AM	#3
moochpooch Prospect Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 4	I just ran "Repair Disk" a second time through the startup disc, and things now appear to be fine! Funny how you have to potentially run that more than once. Anyway, I'm just glad it actually worked. Thanks!