Note: For additional security, you can encrypt the backup disk image. A date in the name makes it easy to tell when the backup was made. Give your image a useful name such as '04-15-2009 Macintosh HD backup'.Click the 'New Image' button in the toolbar.

If an issue is found, click 'Repair Disk' to repair.

Click 'Verify Disk' to check the hard disk for issues.Select the disk you wish to back up (your source disk, such as Macintosh HD) in the source pane on the left.Choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.(Insert the disc, then restart and hold the C key.) Start from your Mac OS X 10.5 or 10.6 Install DVD.Connect an external hard drive (FireWire or USB) that has sufficient free space to hold at least one copy of the contents of your Macintosh HD.How am I supposed to backup when it it's in OS X Utility?Īnd these instructions are for 10.5 and 10.6, I use 10.8.5, do the same rules apply? I tried holding it down but it seems kinda pointless since nothing happens, so I release it and the OS X utilities loads up again. It's flashing between these three logos as I hold shift down, like i'm not allowed to enter safe mode. When holding shift after I hear the startup sound, after a while the apple logo turns into a stop sign and a question mark folder. I also tried to enter safe mode by holding down shift at startup, but for some reason it doesnt work. (When selecting it the only option is to ''Verify Disk''). Should I try to repair it? might this be the problem? I DID NOT repair the Mac OS X Base System (under disk1) though since i don't dare to touch it before i was sure. Both times I did this it said that the disk was fine.

Instead it started up OSX Utilities with the option to use ''Time mascine backup, Reinstall OS X, Get help online and Disk Utility''.Īll I have tried so far is to repair my main harddrive by entering disk utility, selecting Macintosh HD (1TB APPKE HDD) and then verify and repair disk. I'm using IMac OSX mountain lion 10.8.5 and when I started up my computer today it didnt enter my desktop like it should.

How to access os x utilities