OS 10.14.6

I have been have trouble running D/W and alsoft has me given instructions on how to resolve the problem. After following what they advised, it still wouldn't work.

Then I read that D/W will not allow a directory to be rebuilt if you have APFS. Does the solution lie with apple? If so, is apple actually doing anything?

jaybass

In general since Disk Warrior is a third party tool designed to support file system on the Mac it is Alsoft's responsibility to be compatible with Apple and not the other way around. That said, developers have complained that Apple has been tardy in releasing the full APFS specifications, but Micromat's TechTool Pro can rebuild an APFS directory. Additionally Apple's Disk Utility > First Aid has become pretty robust and should be able to handle a directory rebuild in either APFS or HFS+ although you will have to run it from the Recovery Drive to repair the boot drive.

I have just ran TTPro14 and ran Volume rebuild which checked 11 items and returned a conclusion of "No Rebuild errors Encountered"

Unlike D/W, it doesn't give the percentage of efficiency. I image it should be the same as D/W though.

Thank you for telling me about that TTPro can rebuild my directory...I wasn't aware. Nice to know until Alsoft fixes D/W.

jaybass

Ever since APFS came out, I have been checking with Alsoft to see about DW being compatible. It has been a few years now (at least 3, I think), and nothing has happened. You can read Alsoft's take here. My guess is that DW will never be upgraded.

Disk Warrior is based on a deep understanding of the intricacies of HFS+ which is conceptualized around rotating mechanical media and APFS is a conceptual clean sheet of paper re-do for the file system for use on radically different media that renders much of what DW does unnecessary it not infeasible, so you may be right. At the same time Disk Utility has evolved to do a credible job of rebuilding directories and costs 100% less than DW and is the only tool I have actually needed in years.

According to the email below (which I received today) It seems that Alsoft is actually working on D/W to rebuild directories with APFS.



Just like every other file system, operating system, and processor change, DiskWarrior will be updated for the new technology.

Last September, Apple provided their developers with partial documentation regarding APFS. Now that this is available, the development team is working to complete the upgrade until full documentation is released.

For all publicly available information regarding DiskWarrior 5 and recent operating systems, as well as newer hardware) and the Apple File System (APFS), please visit:

https://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior5apfs

jaybass

Don't hold your breath. I seem to recall receiving that same email about 3 years ago, and the web page that you linked hasn't changed in that time. However, who knows? Perhaps hell has frozen over.