Disk Utility finds problem with partition map - but only in safe mode

[Iklatenk]

Disk Utility in normal mode (log in from administrator account) or from Command R shows everything is normal, but when I do it in Safe Mode I get this:

Is this a bug? I wouldn't even know about it if not for random testing using Safe Mode.

When I had Sierra (before downgrading due to issues with Sierra not liking my monitor), Disk Utility didn't even want to run in Safe Mode when doing this scan on Apple HDD, just popping window saying the thing about partition map. Back to El Capitan, it now looks like that.

 

[ferrarr]

What does Disk Utility say when you run it on the partition and not the drive?

 

[Iklatenk]

What does Disk Utility say when you run it on the partition and not the drive?

You mean on Macintosh HD? It says it's fine. Disk Utility says it's always fine (I have run Disk Utility on Macintosh HD, Apple HDD and those other two that appear when using CMD+R), unless I run it on Apple HDD while in Safe Mode. Apple HDD is also fine when I run Disk Utility while logged in as administrator or when using CMD+R and running Disk utility then.



Both in El Capitan and Sierra, running Disk Utility when logging in with admin account or with Command+R, nothing showed up, Disk Utility saying everything is fine. Only in Safe Mode does this appear.
But shouldn't Command+R show the best results - the most precise ones? So is Safe Mode just having a bug of some sort? How often do people run Disk Utility in Safe Mode?
Maybe it is common, no one simply has found out about it.

 

[ferrarr]

Your internal drive has two partitions on it. One is the OS drive commonly called, Macintosh HD, and the other is the Recovery partition, the boot drive when you hold "Option+R" at startup.

I was asking, when you are in Safe Mode, did you run Disk Utility on the Macintosh HD partition?

I don't use Safe Mode often, but I do test from the Recovery partition, when I am troubleshooting issues. I would trust the results from Disk Utility that was run from Recovery partition more than DU run from Safe Mode.

 

[Iklatenk]

Your internal drive has two partitions on it. One is the OS drive commonly called, Macintosh HD, and the other is the Recovery partition, the boot drive when you hold "Option+R" at startup.

I was asking, when you are in Safe Mode, did you run Disk Utility on the Macintosh HD partition?

I don't use Safe Mode often, but I do test from the Recovery partition, when I am troubleshooting issues. I would trust the results from Disk Utility that was run from Recovery partition more than DU run from Safe Mode.

Sorry, but...
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201255
Command (⌘)-R Start up from OS X Recovery.

I get Recovery, where I can access Disk Utility when holding down Command+R. Not sure what would happen if I hold down option R.
This is the one (the snapshot)
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201314

And I run Disk Utility on all 4 disks - Macintosh HD, Apple HDD and two others, one of them is I think Apple Disk Image, but I don't remember right now. And all four are clean according to Disk Utility.

When I went into Safe Mode, I ran Disk Utility on those two that appeared on my snapshot as well: Apple HDD and Macintosh HD. Apple HDD produces the error in snapshot, Macintosh HD is okay.
Those same two also appear when logging in with administrator account. During that, both Apple HDD and Macintosh HD are okay.

So it would be just better to ignore Safe Mode alert and stop worrying?

 

[ferrarr]

Yup, you're right. I got the keys mixed up, sorry.

Yes, I would ignore Disk Utility in Safe Mode.

 

[Iklatenk]

Yup, you're right. I got the keys mixed up, sorry.

Yes, I would ignore Disk Utility in Safe Mode.

Thank you! Your answer relieves my worry!

 

[pm-r]

I didn't notice it being mentioned, but did you actually run the DU "Repair" option when booted using Command+R on the various bootable volumes???




- Patrick
==========

 

[Iklatenk]

I didn't notice it being mentioned, but did you actually run the DU "Repair" option when booted using Command+R on the various bootable volumes???




- Patrick
==========

Hello!

Not sure what you mean by "repair". When I booted using Command+R, I got Disk Utility window and ran First Aid. Like in that screenshot in my first post, there are no "repair" buttons. I run El Capitan.

 

[chscag]

I didn't notice it being mentioned, but did you actually run the DU "Repair" option when booted using Command+R on the various bootable volumes??? - Patrick ==========

I believe the latest version of Disk Utility does that automatically if it finds errors with the First Aid run.

 

[pm-r]

Not sure what you mean by "repair". When I booted using Command+R, I got Disk Utility window and ran First Aid

Sorry Iklatenk, I keep forgetting that Apple keeps changing things and there's no DU "Verify" and the old DU "repair" option has been absorbed into the DU "First Aid" with El Capitan and later.

 

[pm-r]

I believe the latest version of Disk Utility does that automatically if it finds errors with the First Aid run.

OK.

I didn't want to do just any old assuming.

 

[chscag]

It's OK Patrick, we realize that since you're still using Mavericks that you may not be familiar with the newer versions of OS X.

 

[Iklatenk]

Thank you for your comments!

 

[harryb2448]

It is nothing to do with God or his Son.

 

[Jospeh]

Yup, you're right. I got the keys mixed up, sorry.

Yes, I would ignore Disk Utility in Safe Mode.

I'd like to require assistance. With this situation where Disk Utility says one thing in Safe Mode, but nothing in log-in or Recovery Mode, it is therefore best to just ignore Safe mode, like you said?

But could this has been caused by forced shut down, by holding down power-button until it closes? Have had few instances and no underlying problem I have found. Unfortunately I did not use Disk Utility before those cases so I don't know if this type of message was there before.

And even if it could be caused by forced shut down, it would still be good idea to just ignore it as long as nothing pops up in Recovery (cmd+R) mode?

 

[chscag]

Welcome to our forums.

I think one thing needs to be clarified... you can not run Disk Utility with any kind of confidence whether in standard mode or safe mode because in both instances you're attempting to check a partition|disk that is in use. The only way to run Disk Utility successfully is when the partition or disk is not mounted. That's why Apple has provided Recovery Mode since OS X Lion.

But could this has been caused by forced shut down, by holding down power-button until it closes? Have had few instances and no underlying problem I have found. Unfortunately I did not use Disk Utility before those cases so I don't know if this type of message was there before.

Shutting down your Mac forcibly can cause problems since files may be written to when the shut down occurs. That can cause corruption and one of the things that Disk Utility will attempt to repair - but only when booted to Recovery.

And even if it could be caused by forced shut down, it would still be good idea to just ignore it as long as nothing pops up in Recovery (cmd+R) mode?

The bottom line here is that you continue to make backups to protect your data. Disk Utility does not check the electronic or mechanical workings of a HHD or SSD, only the file and folder system. Hard drives and SSDs can fail without notice. Backing up your data faithfully is the only way to protect yourself from a loss of valuable photos, music, documents, and programs.

 

[JospehII]

Welcome to our forums.

Thank you! Also, my apologizes - I had to make this second account because my password is not working and I do not receive recovery emails. I hope this isn't against rules. First account can be shut down by administrator/moderator.

I think one thing needs to be clarified... you can not run Disk Utility with any kind of confidence whether in standard mode or safe mode because in both instances you're attempting to check a partition|disk that is in use. The only way to run Disk Utility successfully is when the partition or disk is not mounted. That's why Apple has provided Recovery Mode since OS X Lion.

This is definitely good news for me. Because if Safe Mode is nor reliable, the weird message I got from there means nothing then. Recovery Mode Disk Utility check comes up clean. Thank you for spelling this part out! I assumed Recovery Mode should be most precise, but nowhere was it said.

Shutting down your Mac forcibly can cause problems since files may be written to when the shut down occurs. That can cause corruption and one of the things that Disk Utility will attempt to repair - but only when booted to Recovery.



The bottom line here is that you continue to make backups to protect your data. Disk Utility does not check the electronic or mechanical workings of a HHD or SSD, only the file and folder system. Hard drives and SSDs can fail without notice. Backing up your data faithfully is the only way to protect yourself from a loss of valuable photos, music, documents, and programs.

In Recovery Mode I found nothing, so that should be good.
Back-ups I do. But, just in case, can forced shut down cause issues to Mac's operational system in a way that it's security weakens?
I make copies of everything, but I got worry that what if forced shut down caused weakening somewhere that could assist malicious sides to gain access?
Is that impossible?

 

[chscag]

Thank you! Also, my apologizes - I had to make this second account because my password is not working and I do not receive recovery emails. I hope this isn't against rules. First account can be shut down by administrator/moderator.

I'm glad you told me this because our forum software will detect your IP address as registering a second account and you will be automatically banned and told to contact the Administrator (me). What is the user name of your first account that you can not remember the password for?

 

[JospehII]

I'm glad you told me this because our forum software will detect your IP address as registering a second account and you will be automatically banned and told to contact the Administrator (me). What is the user name of your first account that you can not remember the password for?

Jospeh is first account, JospehII (this one right now) is second.