Mountain Lion might have lost my data

[applefan69]

On my 2011 Mac mini, I installed mountain lion on several weeks ago. The install was weird, and I actually thought it screwed up, but it eventually didn't. Basically the installer counted down for about 20 minutes and then got stuck at less than a minute remaining. Eventually said -1 minute remaining. Then just when I was beginning to panic the install went back to 20 minutes remaining and from there seemed to go fine. This might be completely irrelevant, might not be.

After this I used the OS for several weeks, I eventually noticed that every time I shut down the computer I get a kernel panic. I did not realize this was a problem, I thought it was a random glitch and just ignored it (don't shut my computer down much anyhow). One day Im trying to seeing if there is ways around the kernel panic so I can perform a proper shutdown. So I had restarted my computer several times in a row, every time getting a kernel panic just before the computer powers down. Not a big deal until after several restarts (i was experimenting), my computer does not boot up. I get stuck at the white screen with a turning gear.

Apple support told me to repair my disk via disk utility. When I do so though I get an "error disk cannot be repaired, restore from backup" message. Apple support tells me my hard drive must have failed. But I am skeptical because if that were the case why does my partition with OS X utilities work fine?

Basically I am concluding that a glitch in mountain lion, managed to corrupt my OS and thanks to it I am potentially going to lose everything on that computer (in theory a fresh install will get the computer working again). I know I should have backed up so I am not here to complain and blame. Just warning others that if your computer is kernel panicking that I hope you ARE backing up. Furthermore hoping somebody could have a solution for me.

Hoping I can make a copy of my hard drive onto an external via disk utility, then fresh install OS X (might go to snow leopard, just saying). With any luck I'll be able to get my data back off of the external drive. Sound plausible?

 

[Krazy Bill]

Basically I am concluding that a glitch in mountain lion, managed to corrupt my OS...

The fallacy in your logic however is that a gazillion people have upgraded with no loss of data. How do you explain this?

I'm guessing your drive is simply going south.

Hoping I can make a copy of my hard drive onto an external via disk utility, then fresh install OS X (might go to snow leopard, just saying). With any luck I'll be able to get my data back off of the external drive. Sound plausible?

Better late than never I guess. But if your data isn't there now... it won't be there on the external.

 

[applefan69]

The fallacy in your logic however is that a gazillion people have upgraded with no loss of data. How do you explain this?

I'm guessing your drive is simply going south.

You've got me there. Best I can come up with is gazillion isn't a real measurement of anything. Does anyone find it odd my partition with OS X utilities is still working though?

Better late than never I guess. But if your data isn't there now... it won't be there on the external.

Yup. But maybe just maybe: The OS files got corrupt through a space worm, Or solar radiation, Or the government, Or Bill Gates, or...
But my general data files will be in tact. Long shot I know, but a buddy is lending me his external tomorrow and then I'll know for sure.

I appreciate your reality. Im sure I'll be posting back disappointed. Good news is I got 10 days left of warranty.

 

[applefan69]

Okay all joking aside I thought about a few very important details I missed that potentially could allow someone to help me.

1) I tried several things, one of them being going through the steps to reinstall Mountain Lion. I was hoping there would be an archive and install option. I did not get past the destination screen. At this screen my hard drive was recognized, but faded out. It told me the hard drive was locked and could not be used to install OS X.

2) I was later using the "get help online" function to google my problems. While using safari a window pops up saying "Allow safari access to login keychains?" I click allow and it brings me an login screen. I enter my Admin login in and it refuses me. I tried several times. Its my same password for all my computers so I doubt I forgot it.

What those two stories are trying to say is possibly my permissions on the hard drive got screwed up badly. Reason I bring this up is that if I'm not mistaken there is a way to get to a terminal screen without fully booting up. I could be wrong, I am wondering if anyone can tell me if that is true.

If it is true my next question. Is there a terminal command a person can enter to change permissions? Like a sudo command that forces the permissions change? I know it could be a longshot, I am hoping some real wise computer guys see this post.

EDIT: after googling I think I found out that is essentially what disk utility does when you use it to repair permissions. In my case both verify and repair permissions is greyed out when under Macintosh HD indicating that can't be done.

 

[applefan69]

apologies for triple post. I just did a hardware test and no problems were found.

I'm no expert but it really is looking like Mountain Lion's fault.

Doing an extended hardware test as I type.

 

[robgendreau]

First, a volume on a hard drive can be screwed up even though the other volume, or partition, is OK.

Second, there used to be a utllity to reset password on the Disk Tools DVDs. I think it still exists, but you have to run it from Terminal as "resetpassword" or something. Might help if somehow your SL install got locked.

There are utilities like DiskWarrior and TechTool Pro that can help recover a failed volume; they might help, especially if it means you can at least get your user data.

If you do get into that partition, copy your user stuff out. You can always reinstall applications, set preferences, etc etc. It's your photos, documents, etc that are the priority. And if you have access to some other way to boot, you could even try Linux recovery tools, see this:
http://abhinay.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/repair-fix-mac-hfs-partition-using-ubuntu-cd/

Don't be trying stuff like that except as a last resort though. The low level disk tools you can get for Linux or Unix are really powerful and put you a couple of keystrokes away from REALLY frying stuff. But at the same time they can do more than just Disk Utility.

 

[Kate.]

On my 2011 Mac mini, I installed mountain lion on several weeks ago. The install was weird, and I actually thought it screwed up, but it eventually didn't. Basically the installer counted down for about 20 minutes and then got stuck at less than a minute remaining. Eventually said -1 minute remaining. Then just when I was beginning to panic the install went back to 20 minutes remaining and from there seemed to go fine. This might be completely irrelevant, might not be.

This happened to a lot of us — there's a thread about it around here somewhere — and no one reported data loss as a result. Same machine for me with the negative minutes with a jump to 20 minutes remaining and I had no issues during or after the install. I hope you get everything straightened out but this part, at least, is irrelevant to your problem.

Edited to add: Here's the thread I mentioned.

 

[applefan69]

The reset password trick got me nowhere, and I didn't want to start playing around with Ubuntu but thank you for the advice, I looked into what you mentioned and there is a chance it would of worked. Also thanks Kate.

Anyhow I got an external hard drive and did exactly what my original plan was and it actually worked! After I used the restore function I plugged in that external hard drive into my other mac. I had to force mount the disk image and doing so I got an error saying something like "disk image damaged cannot be repaired, no changes can be made" (not word for word). But I was able to mount the image still and read all of its files so I am not going to lose any data. Going to add that curiously enough when looking through my files the /System/Library/ Folder was completely empty. That would explain why the OS would not boot.

So all said and done its pretty much a for sure thing that Mountain Lion did something wrong, because my hard drive is functioning just fine. I know it sounds weird I personally haven't heard of OS X ever corrupting itself like this. Thats like back in the old Mac OS days.... But still what other explanation is there?

For some stupid as hell reason the "restore OS X" function installed 10.7.4. I am glad that it intelligently gave me the most of up to date version of Lion. But why not Mountain Lion?? Stupid now I have to spend ANOTHER 6 hours downloading. Apple is impressing me less and less these days. The exact opposite of the simplicity that makes everyone love Apple.

 

[brand]

I know I should have backed up so I am not here to complain and blame. Just warning others that if your computer is kernel panicking that I hope you ARE backing up. Furthermore hoping somebody could have a solution for me.

Your say your not here to blame but yet you say Mountain Lion lost your data? The only thing that caused your data to be lost was you not having a backup of your data. If you had a data backup this would be a nonissue.

 

[Krazy Bill]

But why not Mountain Lion?? Stupid now I have to spend ANOTHER 6 hours downloading.

I don't understand. If you're convinced ML corrupted your drive, why do you want to use it again? On the same internal drive no less. Color me silly but this doesn't make sense.

Apple is impressing me less and less these days.

Guess that means you'll be changing your moniker.

 

[applefan69]

Your say your not here to blame but yet you say Mountain Lion lost your data? The only thing that caused your data to be lost was you not having a backup of your data. If you had a data backup this would be a nonissue.

I ended up getting my data back in the end. Wasn't a simple or fun process though.

My whole point is that it seems Mountain Lion did something wrong. It wasn't user error. It wasn't my hardware in any shape or form. So what caused this issue? OR am I making this all up?

Please, I do not want to argue. If you can tell me what it could have been let me know.

My other possibility is it could of been the filesystem. But from my understanding HFS+ journalized has methods to avoid corruption.

Really I'll admit I'm not happy, but that does not mean I am blindly blaming Apple. If anything you should all think about this and realize maybe there can be something wrong somewhere. Do you think it is normal for the OS to kernel panic every time you try to shut it down? Keep in mind I am a paying customer not a beta tester and I am using a less than 1 year old computer.