# invalid B-tree node size



## SonicChaos756 (Jul 7, 2008)

yeah i need help with this, i was playing with my powerbook g4 and it slowed down and froze so i turned it off, then while it started loading then it froze again then i did the same thing over then it started to load then it went to this gray background w/ a folder that blink a question mark and a smily face. i downloaded this program called BootCD and it boots a very simple mac os x 10.3.9 off of the CD and i went to disk utilty and tryed to verify disk and i get and error:

Verifying volume "disk0s3"
checking HFS Plus volume

invalid B-Tree node size
The volume needs to be repaired

volume check failed

ERROR: The Underlying task reported failure on exit (-9972)

1 volume checked
      0 HFS volumes verified
      1 volume failed verification


i tryed repaing it and it didnt work, is there anyway to fix this? plz help


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## Tommo (Jul 8, 2008)

Unlikely I'm afraid. I had a similar issue with a Mac and in the end I had to re-install the OS. Some people have reported success using Disk Warrior, but more have reported that they needed to re-install.


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## Giaguara (Jul 8, 2008)

If DiskWarrior can't fix it, or you don't have diskwarrior, try copying all files using command line to some other disk (unless you have a fresh backup) then do an erase and install on that drive.


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## nfoav8or (Jan 4, 2009)

Giaguara said:


> If DiskWarrior can't fix it, or you don't have diskwarrior, try copying all files using command line to some other disk (unless you have a fresh backup) then do an erase and install on that drive.



how do you access the command prompts (besides using my OS X  Install DVD's Terminal app) since none of these ways allows me to mount the drive because of the b-tree node 0 error. I've tried DiscWarrior and it was a waste of $100 _for my problem_. Good app... just not able to fix the problem. The disc could not restore the file tree because there were too many errors (last I saw there were over 208). Any other apps that would be of assistance? I've tried DiscWarrior (like I said above) and Drive Genius and the TechTool Deluxe that comes with the Apple protection plan. None seem to work to allow me to have access to my files.

I'm comfortable with the Terminal commands so any help would be appreciated. Thanks.


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## Giaguara (Jan 4, 2009)

By using any other system and mounting this system in target mode. 
Or from the install disc and then copying the files from the system to some other location.

You've tried most of the applications out there that should fix it. If the above won't solve it, and you have no recent backup evaluate how valuable your data is - the next step may  be some drive recovery company like drivesavers.


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## MisterMe (Jan 4, 2009)

SonicChaos756 said:


> yeah i need help with this, i was playing with my powerbook g4 and it slowed down and froze so i turned it off, then while it started loading then it froze again then i did the same thing over then it started to load then it went to this gray background w/ a folder that blink a question mark and a smily face. ...


It sounds like your computer is experiencing a hard drive failure. Replacement is probably your only option. Before replacing the drive, I would try three things:

Restart in _Single User Mode_. At the command prompt, type _fsck -fy_. This runs *File System Check* and allows a journaled files system to be repaired. 
Boot from the System Restore disc or distribution disc for a retail version of your OS. Launch *Disk Utilities* and run _Disk First Aid_.
If you have AppleCare, then boot from the AppleCare disc and run *TechTools Deluxe*.
I recommend not doing more than two of these options. Futzing with a damaged disc can do further damage to your files. If


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## nfoav8or (Jan 4, 2009)

Giaguara said:


> By using any other system and mounting this system in target mode.
> Or from the install disc and then copying the files from the system to some other location.
> 
> You've tried most of the applications out there that should fix it. If the above won't solve it, and you have no recent backup evaluate how valuable your data is - the next step may  be some drive recovery company like drivesavers.



I just tried disc warrior again and ran it twice. the second time it allowed me to preview my data after fixing my directories but didn't give me the option to rebuild. All I want to do is get the data off that drive and backed up to another. I took the drive out and have it running as an external USB drive and am installing OS X to another drive and will attempt to make an image of it from DiskUtility onto another drive. I've already ordered another HD (a better one than Apple originally gave me too) and will get it in a few days.

Thanks for the ideas and advice.


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## nfoav8or (Jan 5, 2009)

Well I've done it. Installed OS X to an external HD then ran disk warrior from that system for the internal HD which is going bad (SMART reports it will fail very soon). After the disk warrior makes it through the rebuilding of the directory tree, I am now allowed to view the hard drive like it was any other read-only drive on the desktop (unlike with the CD version which allowed me to look at it but since I wasn't running OS X it didn't allow me to rebuild it or copy the data) so now I am copying the drive's contents to a sparseimage (100GB in size) on the external drive so I can copy the data from it later when my new internal arrives.

The old one was a 120GB 5400rpm 5MB SATA and the new is a 320GB 7200 16MB SATA-300. I think I'm stepping up. Thanks again to Giaguara for sticking with me and seeing it through. Disk Warrior has few features but it is powerful.


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## Doctor X (Jan 5, 2009)

Good to read a disaster that has a happy ending.  You will enjoy that HD better!

--J.D.


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## mieliepap (Feb 17, 2010)

Giaguara said:


> If DiskWarrior can't fix it, or you don't have diskwarrior, try copying all files using command line to some other disk (unless you have a fresh backup) then do an erase and install on that drive.



could anyone tell me how to "use command line"? i have an external USB hard drive (lacie), which i suspect was improperly disconnected and is giving me the invalid b-tree node size message. How can i back this up files on it, since disk utility can't varify or repair it.


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## djackmac (Feb 17, 2010)

DiskWarrior is your best shot.


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## sprale (Feb 17, 2010)

djackmac said:


> DiskWarrior is your best shot.



+1 for DW!


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## perra (Jan 19, 2011)

Just forget about it & buy another one


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## soobaroo (Feb 4, 2011)

I've tried for months to fix this drive. I tried other software, a new controller, disk utility, anything i could find. I read this thread, and had my data back 10 minutes later.

Thanks folks, and thanks Disk Warrior. Best $100 i ever spent.


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## Giaguara (Feb 7, 2011)

I'm glad Disk Warrior was able to save it for you, soobaroo.


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