Flashing Folder/Disc Utility

[PaulHB]

Hi all,

My Mac G5 froze while using Safari and when I turned it back on the screen went grey and eventually the flashing folder with question mark appeared.

Thanks to other threads on this forum I have managed to insert and run the install CD.

When clicking on repair in Disc Utility it starts to repair but I ger the message...

" Checking HFS Plus Volume:
Catalog file entry not found for extent
Volume Check failed

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

1 volume could not be repaired because of an error"

after a shortwhile.

Having read other threads I ve noticed that if the repair button is grey then there might be a more serious problem but as I can click on repair, I'm hoping this is not the case in this instance.

Any ideas would be greately appreciated.

Many thanks,

Paul HB.

[Satcomer]

Your hard drive is died or dying. The best hard drive utility on a Mac is DiskWarrior.

If you get the drive going again backup ASAP!!! Then replace that drive because the problems will just get worse over time.

[PaulHB]

Thank you for your response.

I have ordered Disk Warrior and hopefully it will recover the data.

[PaulHB]

An update....

I managed to back up all my files via Disk Warrior, but it would not let me replace the directory as there is a disk malfunction.

However, I somehow managed to get back into OSX by trying the install CD again. Not sure how I did it but think I found a way back in through disc utilities and choosing this as the start up disc.

Anyhow, now Im back in Im concerned about what the malfunction is. I went to Disc Utility and carried out first aid. It has told me...

Invalid node structure.
The volume '_____' needs to be repaired

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit.

1 HFS volume checked
Volume needs repair

The repair disc option is 'greyed out' and I have pressed C whilst starting up and have tried using Disk Warrior again, but I get the same message that I originally got.

Is there any way I can fix the problem I do I need to take it in to be repaired professionally?

Is anyone familiar with this problem and do you know if I need a completely new hardrive or can the 'volume' problem be fixed without the whole drive being replaced?

Any help is again greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Paul.

[eric2006]

If you have an external drive, you can use Carbon Copy Cloner or another cloning program to copy your system off, reformat the system drive, then copy it back on.