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Beware - Disk Utility in Leopard


Julia Falling

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Hey, all - I've just had a really frustrating couple of days. I have always run Disk Utility regularly and never had a problem. Within the last week I've been getting bizarre error messages when I tell it to "Repair Permissions". I reinstalled and updated. I did a fresh back-up, erased, reinstalled and updated. I installed on the other drive of my G5 and updated. I kept getting the same error message no matter which drive I checked. I ran TechTool Pro. No hardware problems, disk problems, file problems, volumes problems, etc. I should have done the Google search at the outset - "Disk Utility Mac OS 10.5". Here's what came up. http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=306925. If it happens to you, relax, but in the meantime, spread the word. I now have two squeaky clean HDs in my G5 and another 500G drive ordered. Hope this spares at least one from the same loss of time and frustration I've just experienced. (I'm smarter than I was, though. Next time something weird happens, I start my repair with a Google search.) I hope 10.5.2 clears up the problem. One very positive thing - I've been good about backing up and didn't lose anything but time and sleep. No data. Well, maybe a few brain cells.

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Why do people run disk utility regularly? I've heard that in the last couple releases of OS X it is unnecessary to run it unless you encounter a problem. Any opinions on this?

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I'd personally run it only once every few months or so, or if it needs it. I also wouldn't pay too much attention to the messages, no matter what. Reminds me of the whole 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it.' Who cares what the messages are, only start worrying about them if you start having problems. By the way, I hadn't heard you don't need to run Repair Permissions for the last few upgrades. I *had* heard that all drive defragmentaiton is done realtime, so no tools are necessary to do that. That ability was implemented in Tiger or Panther.

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Julie, I'm glad you posted the link to the Apple support document. I have received these same message on my MacBook, but had no idea what they meant. Nevertheless, it seems a bit alarming. Glad to know it's nothing to worry about (evidently).

 

I tend to run disk repair after I do any kind of update to the OS or install any major software install. I've always heard that's good practice.

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Hey - I should have been more clear. My G5 WAS acting up. That's how this whole thing started. I got that list of odd messages, then the odd ones plus some WARNING messages. It got to the point where it would not boot. I was forced to do the first "Archive and Install". I ran Disk Utility afterwards to make sure all was well. The WARNING messages were gone, but the others persisted. Since I didn't get the same stuff on the iBook, I assumed there was something wrong with the G5. After multiple tries with both G5 HDs, I did one last install on the second larger one which is nearly new. I ran Disk Utility before I had done anything but move a few applications. The error messages were gone - finally. To satisfy my curiosity, I then ran Disk Utility on the iBook. Lo and behold, I got the same miserable list of gobbly-gook that I had been getting on the G5. Well, at least that saga has some to a close and I know to ignore it.

 

As far as defragging goes, Macs supposedly no longer need it. However, I do run TechTool Pro. I have found that running maintenance and defragging monthly improves my machines' performance. When I check my disk before optimizing, it shows a very fragmented disk. It's not just free space fragmentation, but also file fragmentation. Unless TTP is lying, there is no ongoing defrag. TTP for Leopard was just recently released. I have been very happy with every version. I'm just one of those, "Rather be safe than sorry" types. I'll continue to Repair Permissions every now and then, too.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I haven't had any of the error messages, but I do repair permissions after software updates, Microsoft updates, & when I'm installing a bunch of updates at once. Just to keep things in order. Been a few weird messages come up in repair permissions, but Macworld says they're OK. I know repair permissions is slower yet more thorough under Leopard.

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