# [SOLVED] OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk



## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

I looking remotely at a friends OSX Macbook pro 2008 - 
not sure what OSX is on it

Had an issue with outlook 2011 not opening - repairing the database identity did not fix the issue 

I was going to put thunderbird on a see if i could import the emails - but the device running very slow and Safari crashed 

so I got him to run verify under disk utility and got an error the disk needed to be repaired and something about a repair HD disk

We don't have any thing - and not an OSX expert.

Can i do a repair like chkdsk on windows 
or what can i do know 

i have copied all the data (except the microsoft outlook database identities ) strange reason theres 300GB free on the external drive - and the identities with all the copy and backups - is 119GB - but the copy says not enough room ?????

any way and safe way to repair 

Next steps ?

I have suggested he purchases an portable external 1TB drive to copy to 
and then use for timemachine once sorted 

thanks


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

When you have the OS-X Disk Utility open, you click on the hard drive in the left window pane.

Once you have done that, there is a button for "Verify Disk"... then once that is complete, there will be a button for "Repair Disk". You just click on that and it will do the same thing you are accustomed to on Windows.

If AFTER doing the above there are STILL issues where it is reporting an incorrect disk size it is likely something wrong with the disk, and I would suggest replacing it ASAP.


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

Oh , so you think the external drive info is reporting incorrectly - interesting thanks 

i'll have a go at the repair


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*



etaf said:


> Oh , so you think the external drive info is reporting incorrectly - interesting thanks
> 
> i'll have a go at the repair


well yes.. Disk Utility only knows what the drive reports to it. It doesn't go and count the blocks 1 by 1. It just says "Hey how big are you?"


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

its not disk utility 

I plugged an external drive to copy the data - it already has a backup on it 
and then 
Getinfo should the size 
then when i copied it failed on the copy 

The disk utility was on the system drive - which i thought because of the outlook database errors i would check 

so two different points 

sorry for the confusion


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## MartyF81 (Jan 23, 2013)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

You should look at the external drive in Disk Utility and see what it tells you. The File Explorer (Called Finder on Mac) is using the same system processes as Disk Utility to determine space available.

So if you look at the external drive with disk utility you will be able to see partition sizes, room available etc... There could be a part of this disk that is not Partitioned at all, or there is a separate partition that is not compatible with Mac.... etc....


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

will do thanks


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

OSX is version 10.9.5



> Incorrect number of file hard links.
> The volume Macintosh HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaired.
> Error: this disk needs to be repaired utilities window appears, choose disk utility.
> 
> ...


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## etaf (Dec 28, 2008)

*Re: OSX Disk Utility - how to use to repair system disk*

Thanks - I suggest he gets an new external drive to copy all the data off first - as no backup at all 

and hes decided he does not want to spend any time on this and has taken into a repair shop 
I will let you know the outcome 

thanks for all the help and assistance, I learnt a lot , and as more of my friends use Macs, I'm sure i will get to do the above myself 

Thanks
Wayne


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