MacBook Pro Disk Utility Missing

Unfortunately, with the help of the illustrious Mac Keeper, (thinking that I was cleaning out unwanted extraneous files) I unknowinngly deleted important system files from my MacBook Pro, including my 'Utilities' applications.

Fortunately I have been able to piece together most of my operating system with a newly purchased copy of Snow Leopard 10.6.3 which has been upgraded to 10.6.8, which has increased my computer's functionality. All except for the Utilities folder and its associated files, especially the all important Disk Utility program. So I cannot really restore my computer from the Restore Partition by doing the 'C-key or Cmd + R key' thing upon start-up.

No, I do not have the original installation disk. I've talked to Apple Support (they're the one's who sold me the Snow Leopard disk) and they've provided me with no more options other than to instal the OS with hopes that it would help. It did not.

So, what I am asking is, how does one obtain a download of system files that contain the disk utilities for an older MacBook Pro (2 Ghz Intel Core duo) w/OS X ver. 10.6.8?

Some body out there wayyy smarter than me has to have a cost effective solution.

A complete reinstall of the OS from the Snow Leopard disk you have will correct everything. Those utility files are always a part of the OS install.

- Nick

Macbook pro Disk Utility Missing

pigoo3 said:

A complete reinstall of the OS from the Snow Leopard disk you have will correct everything. Those utility files are always a part of the OS install.

- Nick

Click to expand...

I know, right...and that was the mutual consensus between myself and the Apple Support person but, to no avail Nick. I have been scouring the internet trying to find others who may have had the same issues as I but most of them had the fortune of having their original installation disc on hand. After several re-locations, I have no clue where mine is at.
After I did the full install of Snow Leopard, I was quite surprised that it didn't solve my problem.

Something doesn't sound right. If the Snow Leopard disk you have is the full install retail disk with the photo of a Snow Leopard on it. If a fresh install of 10.6 is done with this disk…everything should be installed (including all Apple apps in the Utilities Folder).

- Nick

Yes, that is what the Apple Support Tech specifically told me and assured me that it would satisfy my issue. I have thought about giving it another reinstall but I do not think it will help and the install was so time consuming.

DOGMA said:

Yes, that is what the Apple Support Tech specifically told me and assured me that it would satisfy my issue. I have thought about giving it another reinstall but I do not think it will help and the install was so time consuming.

Click to expand...

I can't tell you how many times I've done this…and never had an issue.

Make sure you're doing a complete fresh install…not some sort of update. Something that doesn't exist (the utility apps) can't be updated.

- Nick

Finder > Applications > Disk Utility and its not there?
You should be able to type Disk Utility in Spotlight and it will come up.

osxx said:

Finder > Applications > Disk Utility and its not there?
You should be able to type Disk Utility in Spotlight and it will come up.

Click to expand...

OP says they deleted these by accident. But an OS reinstall should put things back exactly via the path you mentioned.

- Nick

ferrarr said:

Why do you think you have (had) a recovery partition? If you do (did) then you have (had) a newer OS than 10.6.

When you start your machine and hold down Option, do you have a "Recovery" partition startup option? To get to my recovery partition, I have to hold "Option +R".

Click to expand...

Yes @Ferrarr, I hear ya and you are correct. Although I have been instructed to actually use both combinations of keystrokes...neither of them have produced any measurable level of success in terms of solving my dilemma.

Performing either one of those actions during start-up results in the disc going through 3 iterations of cycling and then being kicked back out of the drive.

@pigoo3 Nick I think perhaps you have a distinct point in regards to my installation disc not being what I have been told it was. Yes, it has the picture of the Snow Leopard on the casing and it has a green sticker stating that it was the 10.6 version and the whole nine...I guess its time to take it in to get serviced by professionals. I just hate to pay the exorbitant prices of getting it serviced when I'm basically sure that it's only software that I need.

Thanks guys for your helpful input. I do appreciate the very quick response.

DOGMA said:

@pigoo3 Nick I think perhaps you have a distinct point in regards to my installation disc not being what I have been told it was. Yes, it has the picture of the Snow Leopard on the casing and it has a green sticker stating that it was the 10.6 version and the whole nine...

Click to expand...

Sounds like the correct disk to me. I hate for you to go to the "professionals" if it's something you can do yourself.

- Nick

The OP never did answer what happens when he does a spotlight search for Disk Utility (the US version is spelled with a "k" so a search for Disc Utility would turn up nothing)

Macbook pro Disk Utility Missing

chas_m said:

The OP never did answer what happens when he does a spotlight search for Disk Utility (the US version is spelled with a "k" so a search for Disc Utility would turn up nothing)

Click to expand...

Yes @chas_m, you are right. I missed that question and I do apologize for that. I know you good folks are trying to help me...my level of frustration has me a bit rattled so please bear with me and my lack of knowledge regarding the rhetoric and common terms of this community. But you make a good point and I have tried both versions of Disk in my spotlight search and it turned up nothing.

Searching the Applications folder I found the Utilities folder within it but then, it only contained a few abstract files like Adobe utils and some other third party app. None of the other system utilities were even in the Utilities containment folder. This my friend is my dilemma.

Did you run the install disk, then press utilities from the disc, hit disc utility, select your hard drive and then format it in the OS Extended? Sorry I cant remember if its journaled or not but something like that. Then install on it? Maybe you arent doing a fresh install but installing over your existing, broken install. Its been a while since ive booted from an OS X CD so I cant remember everything exactly but getting to the disk utility through the disc should be something like that.

First - there is no restore partition (actually, it's called the "Recovery" partition) with Snow Leopard. That was introduced with 10.7. So, no point in even trying that.

Second - have you "uninstalled" MacKeeper? I don't mean you dragged the icon to the trash...
I mean uninstalled it - by using the uninstaller they provide - it will remove it with versions from 2012 forward. If you did just drag it to the trash, then you need to reinstall it and then use the uninstaller. Have a read for more info here.

Then, reboot your machine from the Snow Leopard disc and install it - yes, again if you've already done it once.

bobtomay said:

First - there is no restore partition (actually, it's called the "Recovery" partition) with Snow Leopard. That was introduced with 10.7. So, no point in even trying that.

Second - have you "uninstalled" MacKeeper? I don't mean you dragged the icon to the trash...
I mean uninstalled it - by using the uninstaller they provide - it will remove it with versions from 2012 forward. If you did just drag it to the trash, then you need to reinstall it and then use the uninstaller. Have a read for more info here.

Then, reboot your machine from the Snow Leopard disc and install it - yes, again if you've already done it once.

Click to expand...

Good point and yes, I remembered what one of the techs at the Apple store told me once and I uninstalled MacKeeper using its own utility within its folder. So at least I did something right...(smiles).

I did manage to get it to reboot and load the disk properly and got the install disk utility functions to act right. Incrementally I got more and more success out of each iteration of attempts. At one point in time, I waited up to 4 hours for it to finish its 'so-called' installation. At another time, I got to the Disk Utility of the install disk but all the functions were greyed out and I could not select the hard drive in the left pane to activate any of them.

Now at this point I can after 6 tries. I am going to erase the disk and perform a fresh install. I trust your recommendation but I truly feel that something is truly screwed up with what presently on the disk.

So now, I am just trying to figure out which disk to click on to erase and which format to perform. What in the world is 'Journaled'...lol?

Any advice?

After you boot to the SL disc, before you install it - go to the menu bar at the top - Utilities - Disk Utility - try a Verify and then Repair drive if it reports any errors.

If you are going to do a clean install - e.g. you don't mind wiping the drive -
Highlight the drive and go to the Partition tab - 'Current Layout' button and change it to '1 Partition'
Click the Advanced (could be called Options) button and make sure it is set to GUID partition table
Give the Partition a name
Leave it at Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
then Apply

After that is done, then try the installation.

DOGMA said:

Now at this point I can after 6 tries.

Click to expand...

Whatever is going on...it should not take "6 tries". Definitely do what 'bobtomay" suggested (Verify and Repair the drive). But if after this you still have issues...I'm thinking that you may have a dead or dying hard drive.

This process should definitely not take 6 try's.

- Nick

That'd be my inclination at this point - dead drive - but not sure yet.

Let us know any errors reported by the verify drive.

Macbook pro Disk Utility Missing

bobtomay said:

After you boot to the SL disc, before you install it - go to the menu bar at the top - Utilities - Disk Utility - try a Verify and then Repair drive if it reports any errors.

If you are going to do a clean install - e.g. you don't mind wiping the drive -
Highlight the drive and go to the Partition tab - 'Current Layout' button and change it to '1 Partition'
Click the Advanced (could be called Options) button and make sure it is set to GUID partition table
Give the Partition a name
Leave it at Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
then Apply

After that is done, then try the installation.

Click to expand...

Yes @Pigoo3, I do believe you're right...I may be having dire issues with my drive.

@bobtomay, thank you...I will perform the steps you've stated down to the exact 'T' and I will respond tomorrow as to my results. Thanks to you all for hanging in there with me. Crucially appreciated.

MBP utility missing

when I bought my current MBP 2nd hand, it had 10.8.5, which at the time I didn't want, so tried to get back to 10.6 using the original install disk(s), which it wouldn't, then the 10.6 snow leaopard upgrade disk, which did.

But the real point is that within 48 hours the hard-drive went down and must have been struggling during the set-up process. So for starters, make sure everything is backed up. Then re-boot from the back-up HD and install 10.6 from whatever you are installing it from (got lost in the thread).

That way the external HD is running with the whole of the computer less the internal HD, thus possibly isolating it as the cause of the trouble.