Features of Disk utility in detail

Mac systems are based on advanced technology with many excellent utilities, one of them is Disk utility. Disk utility in Mac OS X is used for various purposes like verifying disk, repairing file system, checking S.M.A.R.T status, checking read/write permissions, erasing free space, and many other tasks. Sometimes data loss situations occur in your Mac due to accidental/intentional deletion, virus attack, file system corruption etc. Disk utility helps to recover and protect data in this catastrophic situation. There are lots of options in this utility. Here , we are discussing disk utility in details.

Options in Disk utility- a closer look

First Aid:- Disk Utility's First Aid feature has two unique functions. One can help you to repair a hard drive and other helps to repair file/folder permissions. If your Mac is crashing frequently, displaying error messages, you can use First Aid option as a first step to check for reasons and fix the issue. Click First Aid tab, you can select multiple volumes at a time by holding down the command key.

Click Verify disk and if found any problem, repair it. You can stop the scanning process any time by clicking on Stop Verify and Stop Repair option. Sometimes you will get error message :- " Scan complete. Problems were found, but disk First Aid cannot repair them"

It means, there might be a serious problem in your disk and you may have to reformat it.

Erase:- This option helps to erase data from disk. You can select any volume and specify format and name of the drive and erase data. When we connect any external drive ,you have to decide what file system to put on it.

Types of format of file system:-

1.Mac OS X Extended(journaled):- It is a default file system format for Mac OS X drives. The "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" option will have the highest degree of support for Mac OS X features, and there's no limit to the size of files you can put on the drive.

Disadvantages:- Windows-running PCs can read files from drives formatted this way, but they can't write to them. If you're transferring files from Macs to PCs, this won't be an issue; however, transferring files from PCs to Macs won't be possible if your drive is formatted in "Mac OS Extended (Journaled).

2.Mac OS X Extended(journaled, Encrypted):- Require a password to access external drive drive with encrypted partition.

3.Mac OS X Extended(case sensitive journaled) called HFSX:- HFSX is an extension to HFS Plus and allows volumes to have case-sensitive file and directory names. It means two objects whose names differ only by the case of the letters in the same directory at the same time. So, you can select this format of file system of Mac drive if you want to make it case sensitive.

4.Mac OS X Extended(case sensitive journaled, Encrypted):- Case sensitive drive format with password protection.

5.MS-Dos(FAT):- for under 4GB files and to work with consoles, devices that need firmware etc.

5.ExFAT :- for over 4GB sized files (Mac's pre OS X 10.6.5 won't have exFAT).


Restore:- This option helps to copy or restore disk image to a volume. You have to specify source and destination of image in the Pop up window.

In this way Mac users can use each option of Disk utility.