Apple offers file system fix for new MacBooks

[AppleInsider]

Apple said Monday that some MacBook and MacBook Pro computers shipped without the company's recommended file system settings enabled and has released a small update to help owners remedy the issue.

"Some MacBook (13-inch Mid 2007) and MacBook Pro (2.2/2.4GHz Mid 2007) computers were shipped with file system journaling turned off," the company explained. "Journaling is recommended for all Macintosh computers as a preventative measure against file corruption."

In order to update affected systems with the proper settings, Apple recommends that owners install a just-relased MacBook, MacBook Pro Software Update 1.0 to enable journaling, and then closely follow the steps below to check their hard disk drive volume:
Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer then restart the computer while holding the "C" key.When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (You must select your language first.)Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.Click the First Aid tab.Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.Select your internal hard disk drive volume. This is usually Macintosh HD but your internal hard disk drive may have a different name.Click Repair.
Tip: It's important to start up your computer from a Mac OS X Install or Restore disc to allow Disk Utility to verify or repair your startup volume.

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[jimpryde]

I can confirm this. I purchased a 2.16Ghz White Macbook for a friend and while I was setting it up, i tried to run Cocktail, it informed me that journaling was turned off. I enabled it in Disk Utility and everything was good to go.

I did find it odd that it wasn't enabled by default on the system. Odd enough that I double-checked my own Macbook Pro to be sure it was on there (it was.)

[ajay]

so....
if this update is important, why does it not show up on "software update"?

well, as an after-thought, i ran disk-utility... it shows the HDD format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled)... I guess it means that I do not need to install the update. funny, though, that it makes no mention of asking mac-users to check first!

(I have a MacBook that's mid 2007 - purchased in end of June)

[hohlecow]

its in SU now. if journaling is already enabled, what's the point of this update?

edit, replying to myself:

I guess I wouldn't want to walk my mom through the process of enabling journaling, so its nice that its automated for people who don't have journaling turned on.

[MusLtngBlue]

What's interesting is for me, the Disk Repair option didn't have to fix anything, but the option up top to enable Journaling was grayed out... does this somehow mean that it's enabled now? I would expect the icon to go red and say something like disable authoring. How do I know if the disk has journaling enabled now?

[MacTel]

Seems like Apple needs some new quality control engineers at the manufacturing plants. Some iPod touch devices shipped with just the factory defaults, iPod Nano screens were off a bit, iPod touch screens were a bit dim, etc. Oh it is probably just growing pains for Apple.

[brassrox]

I went to the Apple support site, but I don't see any way to determine weather my laptop is affected...any tips?

[donebylee]

Originally Posted by brassrox

I went to the Apple support site, but I don't see any way to determine weather my laptop is affected...any tips?

Right click (Ctrl click) the hard drive icon on your desktop and choose "Get info." The info panel will appear and under the General section look at Format...it should say Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

[mrjoec123]

Originally Posted by brassrox

I went to the Apple support site, but I don't see any way to determine weather my laptop is affected...any tips?

Open up Disk Utility and check your hard drive. Under Format in the summary on the bottom, it should say Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If it just says Mac OS Extended, then you don't have journaling turned on.

[JeffDM]

Originally Posted by ajay

so....
if this update is important, why does it not show up on "software update"?

well, as an after-thought, i ran disk-utility... it shows the HDD format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled)... I guess it means that I do not need to install the update. funny, though, that it makes no mention of asking mac-users to check first!

(I have a MacBook that's mid 2007 - purchased in end of June)

Software update seems to show up in a staggered manner even if you manually check.

[VinitaBoy]

There's no such word as "preventative." The term is "preventive," Apple.

[MacTel]

Originally Posted by VinitaBoy

There's no such word as "preventative." The term is "preventive," Apple.

Um, the dictionary seems to disagree with you. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/preventative

[fhdogs]

AMAZING!!! After several months of my 17" MBP deciding it didn't want to boot, constant FSCK's and the such, calling Apple, and visiting several stores. They finally found the problem!

Too bad I already figured it out a few weeks ago and fixed this myself.

Oh well glad to see they are taking care of others.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by MacTel

Seems like Apple needs some new quality control engineers at the manufacturing plants. Some iPod touch devices shipped with just the factory defaults, iPod Nano screens were off a bit, iPod touch screens were a bit dim, etc. Oh it is probably just growing pains for Apple.

I was thinking the same thing. It seems to be a lot little incidents at this point but I foresee a major problem ahead if they don't get better QC.

[Berlepsch]

Originally Posted by MacTel

Seems like Apple needs some new quality control engineers at the manufacturing plants. Some iPod touch devices shipped with just the factory defaults, iPod Nano screens were off a bit, iPod touch screens were a bit dim, etc. Oh it is probably just growing pains for Apple.

I would guess that the manufacturer only copies an image file of the Mac OS to the notebook HDDs. In other words, Apple f*cked it up on their own and sent out a wrongly configured OS to the manufacturer.

[plantypal]

I got a refurb Macbook Pro from Apple that arrived only a few days ago, and had been having a couple of issues with it.

Could be a coincidence, but after I ran Diskwarrior from a 1st generation iPod loaded with DasBoot, upon restart my home folder disappeared. Ran Filebuddy 9 and it managed to find the folder. Somehow it seems its icon had become corrupted, so I clicked the repair icon tab and it reappeared, contents unaffected. Weird.

The boot time seems to be a little quicker now I've applied the update.

[SwissMac2]

Apple certainly have decimated their QC department this year due to the iPhone launch. Are their ambitions greater than their capacities right now? I fear Apple are going to slowly erode their reputation for quality and reliability just at the time when Windows users are flocking to the platform - only to be confronted with all these needless, sloppy mistakes in various products.

Is it just me or do you agree Apple's pursuit of profit seems to be more raw than ever these days?

Mac

[GregAlexander]

Okay... nice, so I ran the update, and now Disk Utility reports my disk as Journaled (it wasn't before). Why do the Apple instructions now say I need to run a Disk repair, from the boot disk?

While I doubt the update will make my MBP crash less, it will make it recover faster & better... which is great.

[fhdogs]

Originally Posted by GregAlexander

Okay... nice, so I ran the update, and now Disk Utility reports my disk as Journaled (it wasn't before). Why do the Apple instructions now say I need to run a Disk repair, from the boot disk?

If there are any corrupt files or permissions (The root of my refusals to boot) this will take care of them.

[Abster2core]

Originally Posted by MacTel

Seems like Apple needs some new quality control engineers at the manufacturing plants. Some iPod touch devices shipped with just the factory defaults, iPod Nano screens were off a bit, iPod touch screens were a bit dim, etc. Oh it is probably just growing pains for Apple.

Can't seem to say anything nice, can you?

However, as the adage goes, people is glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
And if you think Apple is the only one to have an occasional problem, perhaps a quick look here will show you otherwise:

http://nhthqnwws111.odi.nhtsa.dot.go...82007-1234.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/opacom/7alerts.html

http://www.recalls.gov/cpsc.html

I'll bet there was more than one time that even your mother, who was probably the best quality control engineer in your family, wished she had a way to invoke a recall. I know my mom wanted to at times and I was perfect.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by fhdogs

AMAZING!!! After several months of my 17" MBP deciding it didn't want to boot, constant FSCK's and the such, calling Apple, and visiting several stores. They finally found the problem!

Too bad I already figured it out a few weeks ago and fixed this myself.

Oh well glad to see they are taking care of others.

An non-journalled filing system shouldn't cause such problems. Before the Mac had a journalled filing system, I used to run years without having a directy or HD problem. If you're having directory or HD problems, it's likely something else. Such as your house losing power while your Mac is on, a application crashing, etc.

[fhdogs]

Originally Posted by Leonard

An non-journalled filing system shouldn't cause such problems. Before the Mac had a journalled filing system, I used to run years without having a directy or HD problem. If you're having directory or HD problems, it's likely something else. Such as your house losing power while your Mac is on.

I don't know, but when I noticed my drive was not journalled, and just for the hell of it a wiped it and formated (with journaling) everything seemed fine. 3 Weeks later not a single problem.

And I don't think losing power to my house would be an issue. Laptops are designed to be unplugged. Even while they are on! Amazing technology.

Now that I think of it... I never said my problem was the directory structure either. I said I was trying to fix it using FSCK.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by fhdogs

And I don't think losing power to my house would be an issue. Laptops are designed to be unplugged. Even while they are on! Amazing technology.

True. I was trying to think of things that cause HD directory problems as I was writing this.

Originally Posted by fhdogs

Now that I think of it... I never said my problem was the directory structure either. I said I was trying to fix it using FSCK.

Yes, and most "HD" problems fixed by FSCK are directory problems. If they were actually HD problems, you'd lose all your data. Typically they're directory tree problems and can be fixed by Disk Warrior problems.

[sc_markt]

Originally Posted by jimpryde

I can confirm this. I purchased a 2.16Ghz White Macbook for a friend and while I was setting it up, i tried to run Cocktail, it informed me that journaling was turned off. I enabled it in Disk Utility and everything was good to go.

I did find it odd that it wasn't enabled by default on the system. Odd enough that I double-checked my own Macbook Pro to be sure it was on there (it was.)

I also just got a new MBP 2.16 and I don't think jouraling is turned on as the icon is green and it says "enable journaling." And I can't get the icon to turn on so I can click it to work.