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Author Topic: Keys out of order  (Read 6361 times)

Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« on: July 18, 2003, 09:42:17 AM »
My G4 iMac, which now runs OS 10.2.6, has weird disk corruption. One reason it is weird is that it manifests in only 2 places:

1. InstallerVISE will not run under any circumstances.

2. When I run Disk Utility from a boot CD, it crashes when it encounters the error named "Keys out of order."

Starting up in single-user (Unix) mode and running fsck -y delivers this message:
   
   Keys out of order
      (4, 12737)
  **Rebuilding catalog B-tree

I have run fsck -y four times and gotten identical results each time. I rebuilt permissions twice and reset PRAM 4 times. This was on the advice of MBS in Gaithersburg, MD, which sold it to me. The extended Hardware Test revealed no problems.

Apart from the 2 operations above, the iMac behaves normally.

What IS this?

Lindsay
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Offline kelly

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Keys out of order
« Reply #1 on: July 18, 2003, 10:31:09 AM »
Hi Lindsay. This is a very serious problem. ohmy.gif

Disk First Aid: What to Do When It Finds an Error

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=13628

You are in danger of losing all your data. I have in the past for this.

Do you have it backed up or a way to back it up?

For sure run Disk Utility from the Installer CD.

It may take Disk Warrior though. If even that will work.

I recommend the latest OS X Version.

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/diskwarr...rrior3info.html
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Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« Reply #2 on: July 18, 2003, 12:26:25 PM »
>Do you have it backed up or a way to back it up?

Yep. The data are backed up.

>For sure run Disk Utility from the Installer CD.

Running Disk Utility from the Installer CD results in a crash when DU encounters "keys out of order."

My TechTool boot CD will not run at all in OS 10 mode, but I don't think this is related to the problem. I think it is just a bad disk.

Disk Warrior sounds like a worthwhile purchase, but it will take several days to arrive.

So, there's nothing for it, but to reformat the hard disk? Looks like it. [sigh]


Lindsay
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Offline ljocampo

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Keys out of order
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2003, 11:57:48 PM »
Lindsay,

Since you said that this is your only problem, I'd call Alsoft now for a rush copy of Disk Warrior 3.  I'd be willing to bet my booties that DW3 can fix this problem and save you the re-format. I had similar strange problems and DW3 worked them.
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Offline Gary S

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Keys out of order
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2003, 09:18:51 AM »
Lindsay,

i have the same idea. DW is really good with Directories!
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Gary S

Offline kps

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Keys out of order
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2003, 10:34:01 AM »
If anything can fix the b-tree header problem it would be DiskWarrior, but if you don't want to wait or purchase the software...and since you have everything backed up...a reformat is what's needed.
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Offline ljocampo

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Keys out of order
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2003, 03:23:08 PM »
TS Adict:  In my opinion, reformatting a drive when it hasn't yet crashed, and blindly hoping the backup software restore will work, is a leap of faith.  I've been there, did that, and Retrospect backup pinched me right in the arss.  I religously backup my data, but the software's checksum feature wouldn't allow the restore.  It's alway a gamble, and one that Lindsay should not have to take at this junction.  If time is that important she can have Alsoft overnite it with fedex or buy the download version and put it on bootCD.
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Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« Reply #7 on: July 21, 2003, 09:24:11 AM »
I went to the Alsoft site, ready and willing to order Disk Warrior, only to find out the new version is backordered, and there is a 4- to 6-week wait for delivery.  

Somewhat frustrated, I asked the technician at MacBusiness Systems who has been helping me via email what disk repair utility he recommends.  He said he mostly uses Drive 10, although he liked Disk Warrior too. Drive 10 was available at once, so I got it. It will most likely arrive Tuesday.

Micromat has a promotion on now, where if you get Drive 10 you will get the newest version of TechTool free, when it ships next month.

In the meantime, the iMac keeps going.

Lindsay
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Offline ljocampo

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Keys out of order
« Reply #8 on: July 21, 2003, 03:41:19 PM »
Lindsay:

I hope drive 10 can fix your problem, but I seriously doubt it can. I have Drive 10 and it has never fixed a file problem for me yet. However,  since I'm wrong at least 50% of the time, it's a coin flip  rolleyes.gif Im crossing my fingers for you to succeed.  Let us know!
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Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« Reply #9 on: July 21, 2003, 04:36:19 PM »
> I hope drive 10 can fix your problem, but I seriously doubt it can. I have Drive 10 and  >it has never fixed a file problem for me yet. However,  since I'm wrong at least 50% of >the time. . .

I'm wrong at least 50% of the time, too.  I'll let you know.

BTW, how do you create an OS 10 boot disk? Disk Warrior 3 can be downloaded from the Alsoft site, but you gotta have that boot disk . . .


Lindsay
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Offline pendragon

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Keys out of order
« Reply #10 on: July 21, 2003, 05:11:03 PM »
Lindsay, Since we are neighbors (sorta), and I have DW 3.0, you are welcome to borrow my copy until your copy arrives. Please see your email.

Harv
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Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~ Voltaire

Offline ljocampo

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Keys out of order
« Reply #11 on: July 21, 2003, 05:18:57 PM »
Lindsay:

It easy to make. First, go to downloads.com or another place like it, and get the program called bootCD, then the bootCD will talk you through the process of creating an OSX bootable disk.  The program will ask you what utilities you want on the boot disk.  In your case DW3 and any others you think will help you in an emergency.  BootCD works fine, I've used it, but it is very very slow when booting the computer, so many people think it's frozen or crashed. It's not, just slow booting so patience is important.  The boot disk loads normally by hold the "C" key. Once booted you can run DW3 and rebuild your directories. I suspect you'll have corruption, if so, DW3 will ask you if you want to fix it, so don't leave the computer, until then.  Good luck!
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Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« Reply #12 on: July 22, 2003, 09:17:14 AM »
[Harv] Since we are neighbors (sorta)....

If only. I moved to Pennsylvania in May. I now am about 12 miles south of Pittsburgh.  

Lindsay
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Offline pendragon

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Keys out of order
« Reply #13 on: July 22, 2003, 09:21:40 AM »
There goes the neighborhood. verysad.gif

Sorry I was not of help.

Harv
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Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. ~ Voltaire

Offline Lindsay

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Keys out of order
« Reply #14 on: July 22, 2003, 09:53:50 AM »
[Harv] There goes the neighborhood.

Not hardly. You still live in a great place for Mac users. Do you know about the new Apple store that started up in the OBA bank building on 355? I know about it because OBA was and is my bank (there was no need to change).  

In the entire Pittsburgh area, there is only one Mac store -- on the other side of town.  Its name is MacOutfitters.

>Sorry I was not of help.

Well, I was the one who moved.

At least there is TechSurvivors. The advice I have been getting here about this disk error is better than the advice I got anywhere else . Apple thought it was a hardware problem; even authorized a warranty repair. MacOutfitters told me, over the phone, that the only solution was to reformat the hard disk. MBS in Gaithersburg gave me some good trouble-shooting advice, though the guy who helped me advocated for Drive 10 over Disk Warrior.

Lindsay
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