Disk Utiity First Aid fail, macOS Monterey, restore method?

[Len Walther]

I have a 2020 13 inch MacBook Pro (last Intel), runing the latest version of macOS Monterey.

Yesterday, I performed both a Time Machine backup, to an external spinning hard disk, and a Carbon Copy Cloner  (latest version) backup to an external Thunderbolt SSD.

Today, I ran Apple Disk Utility First Aid.   It completed, but didn't fix a problem, and suggested that I immediately back up.  So, I performed two more backups, to different external devices.   Time Machine, to an external Thunderbolt SSD, and Carbon Copy Cloner, to an external Thunderbolt SSD.

Apple Disk First Aid had shown a mismatch between thread counts, suggesting to me, that there was a corrupted Volume Structure.   Before, I updated to macOS Monterey, if the problem couldn't be fixed by Disk Utility First Aid, I'd use Micromat TechTool Pro, booting from it's hidden eDrive partition., and repair the Volume Structures.   I have the latest TechTool Pro installed, but eDrive isn't supported for macOS Monterey.

Here, is how I propose repairing things.   Would appreciate any suggestions.  In macOS Monterey Disk Utility, the internal drive, is shown as an APFS Container, containing a data volume, and a System Volume.  Since Disk Utility First Aid, didn't find a problem, when it scanned the System volume, I don't think that I have to reinstalled macOS Monterey.   I proposed using Disk Utility Erase, to delete the Data volume.   Then, I would restore, from either my Carbon Copy Cloner backup, or my Time Machine backup.

Any comments, would be welcome.   I plan to fix things, tomorrow.

Len Walther

[Len Walther]

There, is a saying, when all else fails, RTFM (Read the Fine Manual}!

I opened the Manual for TechTool Pro 16, then to the sectron on Volume Rebuild.   It said that for the APFS file system, that the startup volume could be rebuilt, without booting from another Volume.  It would fix the errors, but wouldn't optimize.

I proceeded to Rebuild the Volume, and it successfully completed.   Then, I ran the Volume Structures test, which it passed.   Then, used Apple Disk Utility First Aid, in the Recovery Partition, and BINGO.   It successfully completed.   Hope, this is a permanent solution.

Len

[Jim Gill]

Hey, Len - Thanks for sending this. It’s a great. tutorial!

Jim Gill

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[Charles Gousha]

One follow-up….

If you run Apple Disk Utility: First Aid and it reports a problem it can’t fix, it’s worth trying First Aid while booted from something else. There are some issues that can be more readily fixed if you’re not currently running from that volume.

1) You can boot from a drive with a separate MacOS install of its own. SuperDuper backups do well for this! Run Disk Utility as you normally would, against the Internal drive rather than your boot drive.

2a) Boot your Intel machine to Recovery Mode and run Disk Utility from there.  Restart your Mac while holding down the Command and R keys, and keep holding them until you see an Apple Logo with a progress bar… or you get to the Recovery Mode selection window. Run Disk Utility from there.

2b) Boot your Apple Silicon machine to Recovery Mode and run Disk Utility from there. Turn your Mac off, then press AND HOLD the power button until the screen says “Loading startup options…”  Select the Options icon (the one with the gear) and click continue. This should bring you to the Recovery Mode selection window. Run Disk Utility from there.

Charles Gousha   leader - Silicon Valley Mac User Group

http://www.svmug.org

User group meetings 7pm, third Monday of each month

On Aug 29, 2022, at 10:58 AM, 'Len Walther' via SVMUG <sv...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

[Len Walther]

Charles, thanks so much, for your helpbul advice!

For clarification, everything I did with Disk Utility, was while booted from the Apple Recovery Partition.   I had taken Joe Kissell's advice, and gave up on bootable backups, since he thought that they were more trouble than they were worth.

Len

[Len Walther]

The directory corruption reappeared.   This time, neither Disk Utility First Aid, when booted from the Recovery Partition, nor Micromat TechTool Pro, could fix it.

Since directory corruption can cause problems with future macOS upgrades, I decided that drastic action, was required.

I booted from the Recovery Partition, and Erased (reformatted) the internal Apple SSD (a TERRIFYING thing to do).   Then, I installed a fresh copy of macOS Monterey 12.6.   When, the installation prompted to proceed with Apple Migration Assistant, I attached my external Thunderbolt 3 SSD, containing a one day old Carbon Copy Cloner backup.   It took some time, but it completed.   Then, I waited a long time, for a new Spotlight Index to finish being built.

Then, I booted from the Recovery Partition, and  ran Disk Utility First Aid.    It passed!!!

It will take a few days to test all Applications.   Reconfiguring macOS security settings to Full Security, was required to enable Apply Pay.   Numerous Post Install tasks, were time consuming.

Len W.