Invalid Volume header after notebook was dropped

Hello everybody.

I was working at my MacBook (13" OS X v10.4.1) and big oops, accidental it fell down from a little table 30cm height. Then it asked me for a restart, shut down, or cancel so I continued working. Now it turn on but OS doesn't work ( I got that blue screen)
Tried to star it from the instalation CD but there is no disk shown, so I try to run Single User (fsck -fy) and that's what I got:

** /dev/rdisk0s2
** Root file system
Invalid Volume Header
** Checking HFS Plus volume
disk0s2: 0xe0030005 (UNDEFINED).
Invalid record count
(3,79)
** Volume check failed.

Does anybody know what it means?
Is it possible that it's just disconnected or should I label it as a big R.I.P.?
And finally, for recovering files could you please give me an advice, DiskWarrior or something like that?

I'd really appreciate your feedback

Sounds like you damaged the hard drive when the machine fell off the table. It may require a new hard drive. A nasty fall will sometimes cause the heads on the drive to impact on the platters which usually results in gouging of the platters and bending the heads.

I noticed according to your signature you're still using OS X 10.4.1? Is that correct? Tiger is up to 10.4.11. You might consider updating if you already have not.

As for recovering files.... If the disk is damaged, Disk Warrior nor any other recovery software is going to be able to get your files back. You can certainly try using recovery software, but be aware that it's expensive. I recommend trying "Data Rescue II". I believe they have a trial version.

Regards.

From your description the hard drive will be damaged. The best value for money data recovery software is Data Rescue as mentioned in the post above. Buy an external hard drive (you'll need this for future backing up whatever the recovery outcome), instal your OS, then Data Rescue. Run Data Rescue from the external drive and use the drive for recovery.

Thanks you all for your answers

I took a look and find OK the SilverDrive Alu Quattro 500 Go 7200t (as bootable for mac) Now is understood that my macbook will survive with a box by the side

In the Rescue Disk site I found this note:
What if the drive doesn't show up in Disk Utility?If the drive is not recognized in Disk Utility, then Data Rescue II will not be able to see it either. The fact that the drive is not showing up in Disk Utility is most likely a sign that there may be some hardware issues with your drive. You may try to put the drive into a separate enclosure to see if that fixes the issue (that may allow the drive to be seen in Disk Utility).

So I'll like to know, is it posible to conect my disk into any external HD or should I have an enclosure absolutly?

Thanks in advance

ugono said:

accidental it fell down from a little table 30cm height.

Click to expand...

Wow, you have some real bad luck! I've dropped my MacBook from a full metre onto a concrete floor, and still works 100% to this day (this happened a year ago now). Granted though my school binder hit the floor immediately before my MB did.

Hello everybody, it's me again.

According to your advises and the note I saw in the Data rescue site I did like this:

I bought a Hard Disc and a enclousure separately.
1. I putted my old disc into the enclosure but the machine don't still restart (it continues to shut down automatically, even with the instalation CD and the C or S key pressed)
2. I putted the new Hard Disc into the mac and this way with the CD it ask me to install the OS, but still the same problem that at the beginnin, there is no volume available to choose for an installation, so:

1. should I format my disk in a specific way before install the OS or
2. is it my problem more complicated than this?

For references: the HD is a 500 Go Seagate Momentus 5400.6 SATA 2,5" 8 Mo

Thanks in advance for your comments

You need to prepare the new hard drive first in order for it to be available for installation of OS X. Use Disk Utility to format the drive using the HFS Journaled file system. At the same time name the new drive MacIntosh HD.

When the format finishes the drive should be available to installing OS X. If there are other problems caused by dropping the machine, they'll still be there.

Regards.