[X-Newbies] mac-wizards: Mount drive?

[Steven Rogers]

On Jan 20, 2005, at 9:08 AM, CP wrote:

> Ok folks… here's one that's just getting me.
>
> I have an external Lacie drive, that I can see with just about any 
> software program for repairing drives I have i.e., Apple's drive 
> utility, Nortons, Disk Warrior, Techtool…, but I can't mount it?
>
> It does say, it needs to have repairs done, which I say, go for it, 
> but the program runs for hours and doesn't seem to do anything.

Unfortunately, not all disk integrity problems can be fixed. And worse, 
some of the lesser programs (e.g. Norton or Disk Utility) make some 
changes in their failed repair attempt which guarantees that no repair 
program will be able to fix the drive. That's why its a good idea to 
always run Disk Warrior *first*. If that fails, you have nothing to 
loose by trying other programs.

> I can see it with Apple's utility, when I'm trying to install a OS on 
> it, but it says - it can't install the software till the problems are 
> fixed!

Absolutely - when the file system is broken, writing *any* data to the 
disk can potentially destroy the current information stored on the 
disk. The part that's broken is the "accounting" system of where files 
are on the disk, and what parts of the disk are not being used. The 
only choices are to fix it, or reformat.

> Now do you think I should send it back to Lacie, and hope they can get 
> it working / installing an OS or whatever (WITHOUT losing any of the 
> files on the drive) - or has someone here run into something like 
> this, and have a fix / cure?

If none of those utilities can fix it, you're hosed. Lacie will not be 
able to fix it with data intact.

SR