![]() ![]() However, minor directory corruption (which can eventually lead to bigger problems) often exhibits no symptoms at all, so you may never know you have it until you have it bad. If you're experiencing problems with your computer that can't be traced to a bad preference file or that affects all users, your first step should be to verify and/or repair your drive directory. Lesser instances can manifest themselves in sluggish system performance or problems opening applications or documents. (Or, even worse, files are listed in the directory that no longer exist, and vice versa.) The worst cases of directory problems can result in lost data or even a computer that refuses to boot. Just like the old card catalogs could sometimes fall victim to lost cards, or books wouldn't actually be where the catalog said they'd be, disk directories can develop errors and corruption so that files (or parts of files) aren't where the directory says they should be. (I hope I didn't date myself too much by using the term "card catalog" there.)Īlthough the disk directory generally works well, it isn't foolproof. Your disk directory works similarly: it keeps track of where every file is located on your hard drive (specifically, the exact blocks-tiny storage spaces on the drive's magnetic platters-where all of the file's data are stored), so that your hard drive's read/write heads can access them on command. The directory is like a card catalog or computer database at the library-the books are spread all over the building, but the catalog/database exists in a central location and lets you quickly figure out where each book is actually located. This ability to store and access files quickly is provided by your drive's directory. When you stop to think about it, your hard drive is a pretty amazing thing you have hundreds of thousands of files stored on it, yet you can access any of them at a moment's notice. I hope you back up regularly and this isn't an issue …you do back up regularly, right? (This is just the first of many nagging lectures about backing up your important data that I'll be giving you in this chapter.) ![]() It's rare that a repair will actually cause you to lose data, but it's possible. DISK AID VERSUS DISK DOCTOR PLUS(HFS Plus is the default for Macs, but UFS is an option if you manually reformat a volume.)īefore you perform any sort of repair or maintenance on your hard drive(s), you should make sure you've backed up any important data. Note that almost all disk utilities currently available for OS X are incompatible with the UFS volume format. I don't have the space to give you a how-to or walk-through of each, but by giving you a taste of which utilities to consider for particular uses, you'll be better able to decide which you might want to purchase for yourself. In the discussion that follows, you'll get a good idea of the features and abilities of each. ![]() There are a number of third-party hard drive repair and maintenance utilities available for OS X the truth is that it can get pretty confusing which ones do what. Unfortunately, things can and do go wrong, but even then there are things you can do to keep your drives running well, and to fix them when they don't. They store upwards of billions of bits of data on tiny magnetic sectors, and spin as much as 24 hours a day, and yet the vast majority of time they work problem-free and last for years. Today's hard drives are marvels of technology. ![]()
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