Posts Tagged ‘startup disk’
August 17th, 2009 | 
Author: Operating system (also known as system software) is the most important component of a computer system, which is responsible for coordination and management of activities and sharing of computer resources. It works as an interface between software and hardware.
But sometimes when you start your Mac OS X computer, you might see a flashing question mark. It prevents you to start your system and makes all of your valuable data inaccessible. This behavior of Mac OS X results into critical data loss situations and require Mac Data Recovery to be sorted out.
This behavior generally occurs when your system can not file and system software, which is required to start up. In case of flashing question mark, one of the below things may occur:
System starts up after a brief delay
System does not start up
Resolution
If your system starts up properly, you just need to select the start up disk again in the Startup Disk preferences. This is usual to see flashing question mark when the startup disk hasn’t been selected.
If you re using MacBook Air, you have two options to start your system with the software installation DVD:
Connect MacBook Air SuperDrive with MacBook Air using USB port and then restart the system, holding the C key during startup.
Go for Remote Install Mac OS X to start it from system software DVD, which is located on partner computer.
If your system does not boot up from the system software DVD and hard drive is not mounted or available, then reset the PRAM (Parameter Read Only Memory) and try again.
When all of the above methods can not perform Mac File Recovery, then you need to carry out Erase and Install installation of Mac OS X. It is helpful in resolving most of the operating system related issues, but it also has a downside. It deletes all of the data from your hard drive and cause complete data loss.
In such situations, you need to perform Mac Recovery using third party applications. These software thoroughly scan the whole hard drive and extract all of the lost data from it. With self-descriptive and interactive user interface, these software allow you to have quick and easy File Recovery Mac.
Stellar Phoenix Mac Recovery is the best ever made and the most powerful tool to recover lost data from HFS, HFS+, HFSX, HFS Wrapper and FAT file system. This software is designed for Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, 10.4 Tiger and 10.3.9 Panther.
Jonny a student of Mass Communication doing research on mac file recovery and mac recovery software. He is also a freelancer for http://www.stellarinfo.com
Article Source: Flashing Question Mark and Data Loss in Mac
In Windows, a special session manger called Usetup.exe starts a mini-kernel mode phase, which is referred as text-mode phase of Setup. This phase is responsible for checking the system for basic hardware installed, creating file systems and registry and partitioning and formatting the drive for file systems. It also examines the hard disk for integrity. One of the peculiar symptoms that it shows while partition table is corrupted (specifically in Windows 2000) is when you try to upgrade your system; it displays few partitions that actually don’t exist on the hard disk. Since the partition table is damaged, you cannot access your data, thus require restoring from backup. But availability of valid and complete data backup is not must in all cases. Therefore, you should use data recovery software. to successfully scan and recover the lost information.
When you try to install Windows 2000 SP3 using Windows 2000 SP3 CD-ROM in text-mode setup, you observe that setup shows some partitions that actually don’t exist on hard disk. When you select a partition, its related options appear in its status bar at the bottom of screen. But if you select such non-existing partition, you don’t see the Delete option to delete it.
Cause
Windows 2000 setup is unable to read partition table information because it is corrupted. The similar behavior can also be seen on new hard disks that have not been partitioned yet.
Solution
To correct this issue, you need to repartition the hard disk and restore lost data from backup. You can repartition the hard disk using any of the below mentioned method:
• Use different version of Windows 2000 CD-ROM to start your system and use Delete option after selecting each of the listed partition
• You can also use Windows 2000 Setup boot floppy disk for this purpose
• Boot your system using startup disk and use Fdisk utility to repartition the hard disk
You can continue installing Windows 2000 SP3 Setup after restoring lost information using backup. This has been assumed that you have backed up all the important data to restore it later. While any violation in this case, you can simply scan your hard disk using data recovery.applications before performing any further task. data recovery software are powerful tools to recover lost data in any logical crash case.
Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is the finest data recovery tool to restore lost data. It is an easy to use application with native support to Windows 7 (currently in RC 1), Vista, XP, 2003, and 2000. This non-destructive application is compatible with FAT32, VFAT, NTFS, and NTFS5 file systems.
K madhav is a data recovery expert and doing research on data recovery and file recovery.
Article Source: Text-Mode Displays Invalid Partitions
Sometimes you may need to re-partition your Mac hard drive and then carry out Mac Data Recovery. These situations occur when your current partition configuration does not allow you to perform required operations. For example, when you install firmware updates on Intel-based Mac if it is using non-standard partition scheme like fdisk scheme.
When you attempt to install the firmware updates on a partition that is using fdisk partition scheme, the process gets terminated and you may encounter the following error message:
“Unexpected error occurred (0); unable to upgrade firmware.”
To install firmware updates in such situations, you need to change the partition scheme that requires re-partitioning of hard drive.
Solution
To resolve this problem, you have two options:
Use external startup disk: Use bootable external disk, like firmware disk which is configured with GUID (Globally Unique IDentifier) partition scheme, to start your Mac using Startup Disk preferences. Apply firmware updates during startup. The updates will be applied to Mac, not external disk.
Erase and repartition the hard drive and reinstall Mac OS: Format your whole Mac hard drive and delete all the existing partitions. Then repartition the drive using GUID partition scheme and reinstall Mac OS X on it.
First method may not work in some situations but the second one will work in most of the situations and solve your problem.
Although, re-partitioning the hard drive would fix your issues but it also has a downside. All the data stored on your Mac hard drive will be deleted and you need to carry out Mac Recovery to get your data back.
Mac Data Recovery can easily and effectively be performed using third party Mac Recovery applications. These software are particularly designed to scan the affected hard drive and extract as much data as possible from it.
Most of the Macintosh recovery software come equipped with simple and interactive user interface the lets you perform ‘Do It yourself’ recovery in majority of logical data loss situations. With read-only and non-destructive design, these applications provide safe and systematic data recovery.
In order to have secure, quick and effective recovery, you are recommended to go for powerful and advanced recovery software. The software should support your combination of file system and Mac OS version.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery is the ultimate solution of all your Mac data loss related issues. It supports Mac Recovery from HFS, HFS+, HFSX, HFS Wrapper and FAT file system volumes. It is compatible with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, 10.4 Tiger and 10.3.9 Panther.
Allen Sood a student of Mass Communication doing research on data recovery mac and mac data recovery software. He is also a freelancer for http://www.stellarinfo.com
Article Source: Mac Data Loss While Changing Partition Scheme
A Kernel is the basic and central component of any operating system, which is responsible for providing basic services to all parts of operating system. Its features include providing lowest-level abstraction layer for the resources and managing the system resources. A kernel panic is a state when it receives any instruction, which can’t be handled or is received in an unexpected format, which eventually creates Mac Recovery needs. When an error has occurred, but the operating system is not being able to recover from it, kernel panic is said to occur. Kernel panic can result from both software and hardware issues.
In Mac OS X, Kernel panic is encountered in different forms of error messages and unexpected system behavior. One of the Kernel panic error message has been illustrated, which typically occurs in Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard):
“You need to restart your computer”
Cause
The stated error message indicates the issues with operating system. This particularly occurs when any of the important system files or folder has got damaged, renamed or moved and thus is creating problems for Leopard to start correctly.
Solution
Reinstalling Mac operating system can cure all the related issues. But, if it is known that none of the system files or folder has been changed, then we can restart the system, while holding X key. Then we need to select Apple menu> System Preferences and click Startup Disk, making sure that the disk containing Leopard is selected. Alternatively, we can also start the system, holding Option key and select Leopard disk, click the forward arrow and continue starting. After restarting the system, we need to reset PRAM and then use System Preferences to restore the settings.
On the other hand, if system file is being the issue, then we can reinstall the operating system after backing up all the important data, which can prevent Mac Data Recovery needs.
If data backup has not been taken or backup fails while attempting restoration, Data Recovery Mac software can help extracting. Mac Recovery utilities can scan and recover the lost information and restore them at safe location. We need to check the compatibility of Data Recovery Mac application and should install it on other system.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery software is known for using powerful Mac Data Recovery algorithms, which extract the lost data effectively. This Mac Recovery software is compatible with Mac 10.3.9 and above versions and can be used with disk having HFS, HFS+, HFS X and HFS Wrapper file systems. Interactive interface and easy to use Data Recovery Mac options make the application perfect at its work.
Allen Sood a student of Mass Communication doing research on data recovery and mac data recovery software. He is also a freelancer for http://www.stellarinfo.com
Article Source: Kernel Panic in Leopard
The EFI or Extensible Firmware Interface is the specification, defining the software interface between Mac operating system and platform firmware. EFI boot process involves a boot manager which is built into the firmware. But with few of the Mac systems, the boot drive options are found to be changed to include EFI boot.
When the user desires to choose from the available boot volumes, the boot menu starts displaying the options which have never been expected. The EFI boot option
starts displaying and you have no clue of the bootable volume which has lots of important data within. Also the booting process may not be as usual, but the drive name appears as normal in Finder.
The condition is threatening as the data stored can’t be lost in this way. The possible culprit behind the scene could be the some modifications, done to volume structure of the drive. This is also feasible that the user has restored a clone of the hard drive after upgrading or any other case.
In such conditions, the user is recommended to stop doing anything with the system and follow the given steps:
· If you are cloning the hard drive, try using some alternative method. It should be a bit-for-bit transfer as small differences could create problems. You can try cloning a temporary external disk and then replacing the internal one and then cloning back.
· Try using the disk repair utility
· Reset PRAM as this might contain some boot information
· Attempt changing the startup disk in System Preference as this could be the result of some firmware settings
· Erase all the partitions of the drive as the last resort by using the Disk Utility
Erasing or formatting the hard drive partitions mean that all your data has gone and this is the time to have Mac recovery. Data worth when this is significant from business point of view. So Mac data recovery needs productive source to happen.
Data recovery industry has benefited the users with data recovery Mac software which have the high scanning ability for the lost data. These Mac recovery utilities are easy to use and well in results.
Stellar Phoenix Macintosh Data Recovery software is the advanced Mac data recovery help, offered to scan the affected drive. This data recovery Mac application is found to be compatible with HFS, HFS+, HFSX and HFS Wrapper file systems. Through its read-only conduct, the software is viable to get safe Mac recovery.
Williamz Jack work as a freelancer and researcher of Data Recovery & File Recovery Software.
Article Source: Boot Options Change To ‘EFI Boot’ in Mac