Firewire burnt my iBook - I need your help!

[pds]

I had my iBook connected to my eMac via firewire. After disconnecting, I can't boot the iBook. I get a kernel panic type of dialog. I booted from cd to try disk utility, but it says that the hd is definitely dead.

It says:
invalid b-tree node size
The volume needs to be repaired

volume check failed.

error: the underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972)

(with proper capitalization)


I really don't want to lose my last three days of work. Please tell me there is some hope that I can DIY this thing back to life. I have the emac working, both were running Panther.

[Satcomer]

O.K. Don't panic, this is recoverable. First, what operating system version is on the machine? Second, try these steps:

1) Try to boot the computer is the single-user mode and try to fix it (a small Unix command line state). During power up hold down the keys command(the Apple key)+s (together) and the machine should boot into a command line interface. Wait until all the words fly by and you get a command prompt to type. At that prompt type fsck -f (for Panther) or fsck -y (for Jaguar). Please note the space between k -f(or y). Unix LOVES correct spacing. After you type the command the machine will try to fix itself. If it fails on the first time, do it again. When is comes back saying it fixed everything (or couldn't) then type reboot to restart the machine to the Mac OS X GUI.

2) Well, it looks like you may need a disk utility that is much stronger than OS X's Disk Utility. I personally recommend a program called DiskWarrior. It has saved my bacon more than once (on some royal screw-ups on my Unix hacking). Note though, I strongly suggest staying away from an old disk utility on the Mac that royally screws up OS X systems (it starts with a N). It's bad news for OS X. There are numerous boards you can see that the companies product breaks OS X.

Oh by the way, a lot of good people are saying TechTool has also matured to a really good disk utility. That maybe an option too.

3) If all else fails, insert the OS X install disk and do an Archive & install (I think that is what it's called). This will reinstall OS X Panther (or Jaguar if you are using that) but leave your Applications you installed alone. Then go to Apple then download the latest update to bring the system up to date. I say download it (than using Software Update) because the latest update will update you system in one sweep and seems to be more thorough than Software Update.



Now, you data is savable. You just have to take a possible extra step. Good Luck.

[Krevinek]

Originally Posted by Satcomer

O.K. Don't panic, this is recoverable. First, what operating system version is on the machine? Second, try these steps:

1) ...

2) ...

3) If all else fails, insert the OS X install disk and do an Archive & install (I think that is what it's called). This will reinstall OS X Panther (or Jaguar if you are using that) but leave your Applications you installed alone. Then go to Apple then download the latest update to bring the system up to date. I say download it (than using Software Update) because the latest update will update you system in one sweep and seems to be more thorough than Software Update.

Bzzt, #3 won't work. The B-Tree is corrupted, which means that an Archive/Install will just screw up the disk worse. The B-Tree is how HFS/+ volumes determine where files are on the disk, if this is damaged, option 3 should never be considered.

My suggestion is that you follow steps one and two, but if they don't work, you are SOL... your only option left is to backup what data you can access (MAYBE), reformat and restore what backups you have. OUCH.

[pds]

I should have mentioned that I tried # 1 before posting. The don't panic is heartening though, only I don't have those tools, so it's off to the Appleman tomorrow morning...

not panicing, but anxiety is high.

[Cheryl]

It is worth the investment to have Disk Warrior or Drive 10 on the side just for this kind of emergency.

[pds]

on my way to mr appleman, wish me luck!

[pds]

OK, back with Alsoft's wonder.

It took over a half hour to do it's stuff, but it says success! But Startup gives me only the grey apple, no spinning rat-wheel, but no no-parking sign either. I left it for quite a while.

I ran DW again and replaced the recently replaced directory, just because it said I could. Start-up still gives me bupkiss.

I left it for 30 minutes, but still no movement. Single-user doesn't do it either.

So, Back to firewire, I got my data out and safely on the eMac. Now what to do?

Should I just reformat and start over or try an archive and install?

[Cheryl]

If you have all your installers, do the reformat.