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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Mac OS X 10.4.11 Running Slowly, Freezes

whmathews - Dec 13, 2007 - 7:52 pm

Just recently, my Intel-based MacBook Pro started to run very slowly. Opening even two programs will cause freezing and slow responses. I have tried running Disk Utility and this is what pops up:

Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
Checking HFS Plus volume.
Checking Extents Overflow file.
Checking Catalog file.
Invalid node structure
The volume Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.

Error: The underlying task reported failure on exit

I have spent the last 10-15 hours doing research and trying to figure out my problem. I have read many articles that recommend using Disk Warrior, but I do not want to spend $100 if this is not going to solve my problem. Whenever I open a Microsoft office program it immediately freezes, and I have to use force quit. Sometimes response times can be as long as 5-10 minutes. I have 1GB of ram, and 20GB left on my hard drive, so I do not think that is an issue.

I have also thought about backing up and reformatting my hard drive, but have read that in many cases, this does not work either.

Please help, I am going crazy trying to figure this out.

Thanks!

R0b010146 - Dec 13, 2007 - 9:00 pm

ok. I have also seen this problem and here is my suggestion.

Back-up all of your data.

then boot to your OS X install disk.

erase the volume.

then go to partition and partition the HD into one partition. this will re-create the volume.

then install OS X.

restore your backed-up data.

then you should be good!

Serenak - Dec 13, 2007 - 9:09 pm

Hello Billy

thanks for using macosx.com and I will try to assist you.

Firstly you have taken the right route, Disk Utility is the first line of defence and repair in these situations.

The catalog(ue) (I am in the UK ) is badly damaged by the look of it: the node structure (the stuff that tells the OS where stuff is stored) is no longer properly recognisable. Badly enough that DU can't continue it would seem - yes the best recommendation is probably Disk Warrior. Though I agree that isn't cheap (yet cheap for what it can do to be fair)

Firstly do you have any decent form of backup, particularly a recent full backup from before the problem started?

Backing up the HD is a good idea even now... but you have to be aware that any backup you make now may contain some damaged data.

I think personally I would be inclined to do the following

1) make a backup if you don't have one (but do not write over any latest previous backup if you have one... you may need that)

2) test/check/repair the HD with any and all tools you can muster... look at the SMART status of the drive with disk Utility, take a look at the free demo of Drive Genius at http://www.prosofteng.com/products/d...enius_info.php drive health http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Dashboa...e-Health.shtml etc.

3) if it refuses to fix/come back clean then consider reformatting it and then retesting it ... it if refuses to give a clean bill of health while "empty" then you need to get a new HDD.

4) if it reports as fine when "empty" then I wold reinstall the OS from the disks, create an admin account and do all the updates required then consider what you want to pull back from the backup and what is better being reinstalled

5)Then test the back up... if it reports fine you can then use Migration Assistant (lives in /applications/utilites/) to bring back stuff from the back up.

What is most important here is that you secure your irreplaceable data... music, photos, etc. And do it now... OS, Applications, user accounts etc. can be recreated if need be...

And don't trust that stuff to your HD alone until you can be sure it is in fact OK.

Not trying to set you off on a paranoia trip here... but I have suffered both from catastrophic HD failures and having my works burgled and all my Macs taken... neither of these were ever nice - but multiple backups and Cd/DVD archives took the worst of it away. Back up, back up, and then back up some more is my mantra.

Come back and tell me how it is going and I will be happy to give you more advice if needed

whmathews - Dec 13, 2007 - 10:50 pm

Thank you both for your responses. Unfortunately a new problem has risen. While I was waiting for a response, I was looking at the "20 steps to help diagnose a system problem" from macosxhints.com and I tried to install the combo mac osx update. The download went very smoothly, however the installation failed. The computer then required a restart and it will not boot up. It leaves me stuck at the grey apple screen with the loading circle. I have manually shut down and restarted with no luck. Earlier in the night I also tried to startup in "safe mode" by holding shift during startup, but it always just shuts the computer down.

This is really becoming a larger problem the more things I try to do.

Suggestions are welcome!

Thanks

Serenak - Dec 14, 2007 - 4:35 am

OK Billy

Well you have gotten into a pickle now my friend...

Seriously though I personally would not have attempted such a thing until I was happy that the HDD was in a good state... the install has probably failed by hitting problem writing onto the disk and now it cannot find all the resources required to get the system up and running.

Right now the best bet is one of the following depending on your backup situation

If you have no backups and/or the Mac has stuff on it you do not wish to lose (photos, music, whatever) boot the Mac from the DVD that came with it and do an Archive and Install (preserving Users & settings), hopefully that will get you at least back to where you were... (handy tip - you can speed the install considerably by using the custom button and turning off all the languages you won't use, I know some of us speak more than one language but most of us don't master 50+ , you can also turn off all the Printer Drivers you don't need too)

If you have backups (or there is nothing on the Mac that you are that bothered about, or the above install fails, or you are just deeply suspicious by nature) boot from the installer, go up to the menu and get the Disk Utility, reformat the drive and then test it. Once happy that it appears to be OK reinstall the OS, then get all the updates, then start rebuilding your user account.

Sorry you have hit such a problem but I hope we have at least been a little help in your time of trouble

whmathews - Dec 14, 2007 - 5:48 pm

I just went out and bought DiskWarrior. It recovered all of the files and uncorrupted them. The only problem is that it cannot replace the old HD because it is so badly corrupted. I am going to backup the Preview drive and then reformat and reinstall. I wanted to thank you for your patience and help, and I would recommend this site to anyone.

One question I had is, Once I reinstall OS X, how would I go about putting the backed up Preview Drive in the new one, and also, how it would sync up preferences, folders, and such.

Thanks

Serenak - Dec 14, 2007 - 7:02 pm

Be very careful...

I am not super familiar with DiskWarrior since about Mac OS 8...

but I would be very inclined to deal with it this way... do not wipe the current disk until you can attach an external drive and use DW to replace the structure on to that - I don't think the preview is a "real" image, merely a set of pointers on what can be recovered... if you wipe the disk the chances are the "preview" will be useless.

Once you have used DW to create a new version of the drive onto some sort of external I would do the following...

Wipe the internal drive and test the hell out of it with any and all tools you can find... Drive Genius here http://www.prosofteng.com/products/d...enius_info.php has a free demo... and look for others; anything is a help.

Reinstall the OS from disks.. I wouldn't be too keen to trust an OS with possibly corrupt files in it - and then use the Migration assistant to bring back your user account and applications from the external "recovered" drive... Data can be migrated manually if you are like me and stick it in "non standard" places

Once you have done that you can test Apps and any that fail can be reinstalled from disks or re downloaded...

If DW has worked as well as it served me way back when you will be good to go from there...

using the migration assistant also has the benefit that even if stuff is "not quite right" you can open a new user account and gradually transfer stuff that is OK, and weed out anything broken.

Hope that helps you... and don't be afraid to come back for more help/advice...

Serenak - Dec 14, 2007 - 7:32 pm

Another thought came to me...

consider using Carbon Copy Cloner... free here http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html to clone the drive... damaged as it is to an external, wipe the internal and install the OS from disk, then use DW on the "cloned drive" and hope it can fix it... then MA the stuff back.

In a situation like this I would want (though not necessarily be able to achieve) about 3 copies of the damaged drive, and be very loathe to mess with it until I was sure I had recovered absolutely everything it could give up...

Good luck and come back and tell me how it is progressing

whmathews - Dec 14, 2007 - 7:49 pm

I don't think I was very clear. Disk Warrior took the corrupted drive, cleaned it up, and then asked to see if I wanted to preview it. This allowed me to check this (preview) drive next to the old (corrupted drive) to make sure that everything was there. I am not in the process of copying the new (preview) drive to an external. I will then run DW for that, and see if anything comes up. If not, I am going to wipe the old (corrupted) drive, reinstall Mac OS X and then try to use the migration assistant to restore my personal settings, and files from the external drive.

What do you think?

Serenak - Dec 14, 2007 - 8:32 pm

I think we have crossed "in the post" as it were... that sounds sensible and matches what I posted I think...