Is this 3+ years old MacBook Pro's HDD going bad?

[Ant]

Hello.

I noticed my client's 3+ years old MacBook Pro (15")'s HDD seems to have
problems according to its Mac OS X 10.5.8's DIsk Utility. I also tried
rebooting, but that did not help. Here's are logs:

2011-10-15 18:07:58 -0700: Disk Utility started.

2011-10-15 18:08:41 -0700: Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”

Starting verification tool: 2011-10-15 18:08:41 -0700

2011-10-15 18:11:40 -0700:

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Performing live verification.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Checking Extents Overflow file.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Checking Catalog file.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: 2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Missing thread
record (id = 3902449)

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Incorrect number of thread records

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Checking multi-linked files.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Checking Catalog hierarchy.

2011-10-15 18:11:41 -0700: Invalid volume file count

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: 2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: 2011-10-15
18:11:42 -0700: (It should be 683839 instead of 683840)

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: Checking Extended Attributes file.

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: Checking volume bitmap.

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: Checking volume information.

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: 2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: The volume
Macintosh HD needs to be repaired.



2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: Error: Filesystem verify or repair
failed.2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700:

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700: Disk Utility stopped verifying “Macintosh HD”
because the following error was encountered:

Filesystem verify or repair failed.

2011-10-15 18:11:42 -0700:

===== Saturday, October 15, 2011 6:15:08 PM US/Pacific =====



CONSOLE:
10/15/11 5:38:50 PM Disk Utility[279] **********
10/15/11 5:38:50 PM Disk Utility[279] Disk Utility started.
10/15/11 5:40:12 PM Disk Utility[279] Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
10/15/11 5:40:12 PM Disk Utility[279] Starting verification tool:
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Performing live verification.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Extents Overflow file.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Catalog file.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Missing thread record (id = 3902449)
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Incorrect number of thread records
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking multi-linked files.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Catalog hierarchy.
10/15/11 5:42:56 PM Disk Utility[279] Invalid volume file count
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] (It should be 683842 instead of
683843)
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Extended Attributes file.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking volume bitmap.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking volume information.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] The volume Macintosh HD needs to
be repaired.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] Error: Filesystem verify or repair
failed.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279] Disk Utility stopped verifying
“Macintosh HD” because the following error was encountered:
Filesystem verify or repair failed.
10/15/11 5:42:57 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Starting verification tool:
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Performing live verification.
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Extents Overflow file.
10/15/11 5:55:14 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Catalog file.
10/15/11 5:55:49 PM Disk Utility[279] Stopped by user
10/15/11 5:55:49 PM Disk Utility[279] Verifying tool completed:
10/15/11 5:55:49 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:55:49 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Verifying volume “Macintosh HD”
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Starting verification tool:
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Performing live verification.
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Journaled HFS Plus volume.
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Extents Overflow file.
10/15/11 5:55:53 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Catalog file.
10/15/11 5:58:32 PM Disk Utility[279] Missing thread record (id = 3902449)
10/15/11 5:58:32 PM Disk Utility[279] Incorrect number of thread records
10/15/11 5:58:32 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking multi-linked files.
10/15/11 5:58:32 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Catalog hierarchy.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Invalid volume file count
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] (It should be 683843 instead of
683844)
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking Extended Attributes file.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking volume bitmap.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Checking volume information.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] The volume Macintosh HD needs to
be repaired.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Error: Filesystem verify or repair
failed.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279]
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279] Disk Utility stopped verifying
“Macintosh HD” because the following error was encountered:
Filesystem verify or repair failed.
10/15/11 5:58:33 PM Disk Utility[279]
...

I noticed DU said to try rebooting with the disc, but I couldn't find
that DVD (probably buried somewhere from the move) so I will need to use
a third party. I thought about using smartctl that I used in Windows and
Linux/Debian, but it has to be done through Fink. I don't want to have
to download, configure, etc. since this might make the HDD issue worse.
I already ran TimeMachine and a manual backup copy of the profiles (data
only) to an external USB Segate 500 GB HDD.

FYI, the reason why I noticed this is because I was using clamXscan and
it kept getting stuck on /net alias. I couldn't even do a rm *, rmdir,
ls -all, etc. due to hang, errors (something about I/O which looked
bad), etc.

What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

[nospam]

Post by Ant
I noticed DU said to try rebooting with the disc, but I couldn't find
that DVD (probably buried somewhere from the move) so I will need to use
a third party. I thought about using smartctl that I used in Windows and
Linux/Debian, but it has to be done through Fink. I don't want to have
to download, configure, etc. since this might make the HDD issue worse.
I already ran TimeMachine and a manual backup copy of the profiles (data
only) to an external USB Segate 500 GB HDD.

make sure anything important is backed up and those files are not
bogus. then stop using that drive *now*. don't waste your time with
linux or windows utilities.

Post by Ant
FYI, the reason why I noticed this is because I was using clamXscan and
it kept getting stuck on /net alias. I couldn't even do a rm *, rmdir,
ls -all, etc. due to hang, errors (something about I/O which looked
bad), etc.

stop using the drive until you get...

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

...alsoft diskwarrior.

<http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html>

[Ant]

Post by nospam

Post by Ant
I noticed DU said to try rebooting with the disc, but I couldn't find
that DVD (probably buried somewhere from the move) so I will need to use
a third party. I thought about using smartctl that I used in Windows and
Linux/Debian, but it has to be done through Fink. I don't want to have
to download, configure, etc. since this might make the HDD issue worse.
I already ran TimeMachine and a manual backup copy of the profiles (data
only) to an external USB Segate 500 GB HDD.

make sure anything important is backed up and those files are not
bogus. then stop using that drive *now*. don't waste your time with
linux or windows utilities.

I already did as noted in my paragraph before yours. ;)

Post by nospam

Post by Ant
FYI, the reason why I noticed this is because I was using clamXscan and
it kept getting stuck on /net alias. I couldn't even do a rm *, rmdir,
ls -all, etc. due to hang, errors (something about I/O which looked
bad), etc.

stop using the drive until you get...

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

...alsoft diskwarrior.
<http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html>

Is there a freeware one? What's wrong with the opensource ones like
smartctl? I am currently running "/sbin/fsck -fy" command in single mode
as suggested in my https://discussions.apple.com/message/16394282 forum
thread. Is there a way to log all the results just in case? So far, it
says "Miss thread record...", "Incorrect number of thread records (4,
36436), Invalid file count should be 63849 instead of 68348, etc. :/
--
..."Like me with the anthill in my backyard. I spent days watching the
ants, trying to figure out which ones were good, and which ones were
bad, but they all just looked like ants, so I started smiting all of
them." "Well that's not --" "I was smiting them with the garden hose,
and with lighter fluid, and with the lawnmower, and to be perfectly
honest, I think I went a little crazy with the shovel. Those ants could
have been praying to me all day, I wouldn't have heard them." "There was
nothing they could do about it." "But, I don't think --" "Really, it's
the same with us. There's nothing we can do about anything either, so
why worry about it? Hey, this is making me feel better." "Well, that's
good, but --" "I guess all we can do is live our lives with as much
kindness and decency as possible, and try not to dwell on God standing
over us with a giant shovel."...--Dewey and Teacher in Day Care episode
from Malcolm in the Middle
/\___/\ Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on this computer.

[nospam]

Post by Ant

Post by nospam

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

...alsoft diskwarrior.
<http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html>

Is there a freeware one?

isn't your data worth anything to you?

Post by Ant
What's wrong with the opensource ones like
smartctl? I am currently running "/sbin/fsck -fy" command in single mode
as suggested in my https://discussions.apple.com/message/16394282 forum
thread. Is there a way to log all the results just in case? So far, it
says "Miss thread record...", "Incorrect number of thread records (4,
36436), Invalid file count should be 63849 instead of 68348, etc. :/

keep doing that and you're likely to make it worse.

diskwarrior will more than likely fix the problems, but if you have a
backup, you could reformat and restore if you don't want to buy
anything. just how valuable is your data?

[Ant]

Post by nospam

Post by Ant

Post by nospam

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

...alsoft diskwarrior.
<http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/index.html>

Is there a freeware one?

isn't your data worth anything to you?

...

Post by nospam
diskwarrior will more than likely fix the problems, but if you have a
backup, you could reformat and restore if you don't want to buy
anything. just how valuable is your data?

When did I say it was my data? Anyways, the issue was resolved.
/sbin/fsck fixed it. Whew!
--
"But, you may argue, our uniqueness is so extreme! More extreme than the
platypus which looks like a collection of leftover parts? More unique
than the societal honeybee with its division of labor? More unique than
the communist ants who keep aphids as farm animals?" --John Logan
/\___/\ Ant @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
/ /\ /\ \ Ant's Quality Foraged Links: http://aqfl.net
| |o o| |
\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) If e-mailing, then axe ANT from its address if needed.
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on this computer.

[Ant]

Anyways, the issue was resolved. /sbin/fsck fixed it. Whew!

Maybe not?

In https://discussions.apple.com/message/16403493 , BDAqua told me to
check again with DU, but crap it said missing directory (should be 34
and not 33). Again, I went to single mode and fscked twice (first to fix
and second showed no problems again). I rebooted again, and DU showed no
problems.

He also told me about http://www.corecode.at/smartreporter/ which is
what I was looking for without using Fink and stuff for SmartCtl.

FYI:
http://pastebin.ca/2090526 for /var/log/fsck_hfs.log file.
http://pastebin.ca/2090528 from http://www.corecode.at/smartreporter/
(uses SMARTctl) with its short test (will try long tests later on since
it would take hours to do and need to use this MBP). Also, a green HDD
icon.

[Alan Browne]

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php

This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never reports
(for reasons beyond reason).

Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

[Ant]

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never reports
(for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

Thanks. I will check it out later. :)

[Alan Browne]

Post by Ant

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never reports
(for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

Thanks. I will check it out later. :)

Oddly enough, my son's 2009 MBP's HD bit the dust yesterday. He went
out to buy a new HD (after a little over 2 years of use) and all they
had in stock (not an Apple store) was a 500 GB drive. $78 with tax.

Now I get to help him install that and recover from 1000 km away...

[Ant]

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never reports
(for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

Thanks. I will check it out later. :)

Not bad. HDD seems to be OK from this even after long tests.

Post by Alan Browne
Oddly enough, my son's 2009 MBP's HD bit the dust yesterday. He went
out to buy a new HD (after a little over 2 years of use) and all they
had in stock (not an Apple store) was a 500 GB drive. $78 with tax.
Now I get to help him install that and recover from 1000 km away...

Fun. I might have to do the same. Which HDD did you get in case I need
to buy one too.

[Alan Browne]

Post by Ant

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never reports
(for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

Thanks. I will check it out later. :)

Not bad. HDD seems to be OK from this even after long tests.

Post by Alan Browne
Oddly enough, my son's 2009 MBP's HD bit the dust yesterday. He went
out to buy a new HD (after a little over 2 years of use) and all they
had in stock (not an Apple store) was a 500 GB drive. $78 with tax.
Now I get to help him install that and recover from 1000 km away...

Fun. I might have to do the same. Which HDD did you get in case I need
to buy one too.

Not sure what he picked up. I think it's the WD Scorpio 500 GB.

[dcastonguay]

Post by Alan Browne

Post by Ant
What else can I try? :( Thank you in advance. :)

DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never
reports (for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

I'm also a big fan of using Volitan's SMART utility to check the
drive's SMART status. You're right Alan, for some bizarre reason Apple
doesn't like providing SMART data consistently or very transparently,
but on newer OSes (I think after 10.7?) they've been including SMART
attributes in the drive's info pane when you cmd+i on the physical
drive in disk utility. El Cap seems to have gotten rid of that or they
hid it somewhere else in this new interface.

Ant: As far as your drive goes, congrats on fsck getting it fixed! From
what I've seen in the past, missing thread records can be difficult to
repair and can often result in the need for a reinstall, so it's great
that everything turned out for you. I would HIGHLY recommend backing up
and running SMART utility on the drive to make sure that it is not
failing. Your filesystem might be repaired for now but if the disk
itself is failing you'll just end up with more corruption down the road
and you'll be back where you started.

On a slightly different note MBPs have a tendency to have issues with
the SATA cable going between the drive and the main logic board. The
cable runs along the bottom of the machine and will rub against the
bottom plate of the machine, often with pieces of dirt or debris
rubbing against the cable and the bottom case. If that ribbon cable
gets damaged it can cause intermittent I/O failure between the disk and
the logic board which will result in filesystem corruption. This is
just another possibility to keep in mind.

Anyway, good luck with everything!

[Ant]

Weird. I missed this newsgroup.

Post by Alan Browne
DL a free SMART status app such as
http://www.volitans-software.com/smart_utility.php
This will point out SMART status that the Mac SMART status never
reports (for reasons beyond reason).
Will report both a failing HD and a failed HD.

I'm also a big fan of using Volitan's SMART utility to check the drive's
SMART status. You're right Alan, for some bizarre reason Apple doesn't
like providing SMART data consistently or very transparently, but on
newer OSes (I think after 10.7?) they've been including SMART attributes
in the drive's info pane when you cmd+i on the physical drive in disk
utility. El Cap seems to have gotten rid of that or they hid it
somewhere else in this new interface.

Paid trialware though. I didn't know about the hidden cmd+i.

Ant: As far as your drive goes, congrats on fsck getting it fixed! From
what I've seen in the past, missing thread records can be difficult to
repair and can often result in the need for a reinstall, so it's great
that everything turned out for you. I would HIGHLY recommend backing up
and running SMART utility on the drive to make sure that it is not
failing. Your filesystem might be repaired for now but if the disk
itself is failing you'll just end up with more corruption down the road
and you'll be back where you started.

Yep, the drive was failing since both SMARTtools and Apple store confirm
failing drive. It was replaced by a 500 GB Crucial SSD about 1.5 weeks
ago. Everything is fine now (I hope). :D

On a slightly different note MBPs have a tendency to have issues with
the SATA cable going between the drive and the main logic board. The
cable runs along the bottom of the machine and will rub against the
bottom plate of the machine, often with pieces of dirt or debris rubbing
against the cable and the bottom case. If that ribbon cable gets damaged
it can cause intermittent I/O failure between the disk and the logic
board which will result in filesystem corruption. This is just another
possibility to keep in mind.

No lose cables since SSD fixed everything. :D

Anyway, good luck with everything!

Thanks!
--
"The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to
the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his
men are slain, while the town still remains untaken. Such are the
disastrous effects of a siege." --Chapter 3 in Sun Tzu's The Ancient Art
of War (Translated by Lionel Giles)
Note: A fixed width font (Courier, Monospace, etc.) is required to see
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/\___/\ Ant(Dude) @ http://antfarm.ma.cx (Personal Web Site)
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\ _ / If crediting, then use Ant nickname and AQFL URL/link.
( ) Chop ANT from its address if e-mailing privately.
Ant is currently not listening to any songs on this computer.