One problem a lot of mac users face is storage issues especially if there is more than one Operating System on the mac. Apple File System (APFS) is the system file that allocates disk space on. You bought a brand new external SSD and can't use it on your Mac because when you try to connect it to your.
- Apple Partition Map (APM) is a partition scheme used to define the low-level organization of data on disks formatted for use with 68k and PowerPC Macintosh computers. It was introduced with the Macintosh II. Disks using the Apple Partition Map are divided into logical blocks, with 512 bytes.
- Step Guide- 1. Launch Disk Utility (located in the rocket app launcher or ca.
- A disk which is imported into an APFS Container. An APFS Container can import more than one Physical Store, e.g. For Fusion-style Containers. An APFS Physical Store disk is not necessarily a disk from a partition map; it could be e.g. An AppleRAID Set disk. Do not assume that an APFS Physical Store's disk identifier is a 2-part form such as.
Apple Partition Map (APM) is a partition scheme used to define the low-level organization of data on disks formatted for use with 68k and PowerPCMacintosh computers. It was introduced with the Macintosh II.[1]
Disks using the Apple Partition Map are divided into logical blocks, with 512 bytes usually belonging to each block. The first block, Block 0, contains an Apple-specific data structure called 'Driver Descriptor Map' for the Macintosh Toolbox ROM to load driver updates and patches before loading from a MFS or HFS partition.[2] Because APM allows 32 bits worth of logical blocks, the historical size of an APM formatted disk using small blocks[3] is limited to 2 TiB.[4]
The Apple Partition Map maps out all space used (including the map) and unused (free space) on disk, unlike the minimal x86 master boot record that only accounts for used non-map partitions. This means that every block on the disk (with the exception of the first block, Block 0) belongs to a partition.
Some hybrid disks contain both an ISO 9660 primary volume descriptor and an Apple Partition Map, thus allowing the disc to work on different types of computers, including Apple systems.
Intel-based Macs[edit]
For accessing volumes, both APM and GUID partitions can be used in a standard manner with Mac OS X Tiger (10.4) and higher. For starting an operating system, PowerPC-based systems can only boot from APM disks[5] whereas Intel-based systems generally boot from GUID disks.[1][6][7] Nevertheless, Intel-based Macs are able to boot from APM, GPT (GUID Partition Table) and MBR (Master Boot Record, using the BIOS-Emulation called EFI-CSM i.e. the Compatibility Support Module provided by EFI).
Intel-based models that came with Mac OS X Tiger (10.4) or Leopard (10.5) preinstalled had to be able to boot from both APM and GUID disks due to the installation media for these universal versions of Mac OS X, which are APM partitioned in order to remain compatible with PowerPC-based systems.[8] However, the installation of OS X on an Intel-based Mac demands a GUID partitioned disk or will refuse to continue, the same way installation on a PowerPC-based system will demand an APM partitioned destination volume. Cloning an already installed OS X to an APM partition on Intel systems will remain bootable even on 2011 Intel-based Macs. Despite this apparent APM support, Apple never officially supported booting from an internal APM disk on an Intel-based system. The one exception for a universal version of Mac OS X (Tiger or Leopard) is an official Apple document describing how to set up a dual bootable external APM disk for use with PowerPC and Intel.[9]
Layout[edit]
Each entry of the partition table is the size of one data block, which is normally 512 bytes.[1][10] Each partition entry on the table is the size of one block or sector of data. Because the partition table itself is also a partition, the size of this first partition limits the number of entries to the partition table itself.
The normal case is that 64 sectors (64 × 512 = 32 KB) are used by the Apple Partition Map: one block for the Driver Descriptor Map as Block 0, one block for the partition table itself and 62 blocks for a maximum of 62 data partitions.[11]
Each partition entry includes the starting sector and the size, but also a name, a type, a position of the data area and possible boot code. It also includes the total number of partitions in that partition table.[12] This ensures that, after reading the first partition table entry, the firmware is aware of how many blocks more to read from the media in order to have processed every partition table entry. All entries are in big-endian byte-order.[citation needed]
Address | Size in bytes | Contents | Required? | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Decimal | Hex | |||
0 | 0x0000 | 1 | signature1 (ASCII value 'P') | No |
1 | 0x0001 | 1 | signature2 (ASCII value 'M') | No |
2–3 | 0x0002 | 2 | reserved | No |
4–7 | 0x0004 | 4 | number of partitions (total) | Yes |
8–11 | 0x0008 | 4 | starting sector of partition | Yes |
12–15 | 0x000C | 4 | size of partition (in sectors) | Yes |
16–47 | 0x0010 | 32 | name of partition (fixed ASCII right-side NULL padded) | No |
48–79 | 0x0030 | 32 | type of partition (fixed ASCII right-side NULL padded) | No |
80–83 | 0x0050 | 4 | starting sector of data area in partition | No |
84–87 | 0x0054 | 4 | size of data area in partition (in sectors) | No |
88–91 | 0x0058 | 4 | status of partition | No |
92–95 | 0x005C | 4 | starting sector of boot code | No |
96–99 | 0x0060 | 4 | size of boot code (in bytes) | No |
100–103 | 0x0064 | 4 | address of bootloader code | No |
104–107 | 0x0068 | 4 | reserved | No |
108–111 | 0x006C | 4 | boot code entry point | No |
112–115 | 0x0070 | 4 | reserved | No |
116–119 | 0x0074 | 4 | boot code checksum | No |
120–135 | 0x0078 | 16 | processor type (fixed ASCII right-side NULL padded) | No |
136–511 | 0x0088 | 376 | reserved | No |
Partition identifiers[edit]
Types beginning with 'Apple_' are reserved for assignment by Apple, all other custom defined types are free to use. However registrationwith Apple is encouraged.
Identifier / type | Contents / file system | Name (typical) | Remarks |
---|---|---|---|
Apple_Boot | bootloader | MOSX_OF3_Booter, eXternal booter | This boot partition is used by Mac OS X on New World Macs (Open Firmware 3.0 and greater) when the file system on the main partition is not supported by Open Firmware, like in a software RAID configuration or when using a HFS+ case-sensitive or a UFS file system. It contains BootX on an HFS filesystem. |
Apple_Boot_RAID | bootloader | Raid Partition | |
Apple_Bootstrap | NewWorld bootblock | Although it is a general Open Firmware (New World) boot partition, it is specifically used by yaboot. It must be HFS formatted, so that it can be accessed by Open Firmware. | |
Apple_Driver | device driver | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition |
Apple_Driver43 | SCSI Manager 4.3 device driver | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition |
Apple_Driver43_CD | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition | |
Apple_Driver_ATA | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition | |
Apple_Driver_ATAPI | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition | |
Apple_Driver_IOKit | I/O Kit driver | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition |
Apple_Driver_OpenFirmware | Macintosh | ||
Apple_Extra | unused | This identifier masks an unused partition map entry. | |
Apple_Free | free space | Extra | This identifier masks free space as a partition map entry. |
Apple_FWDriver | Macintosh | Mac OS classic drivers partition | |
Apple_HFS | Hierarchical File System | Apple_HFS | While normally a HFS or HFS+ volume for Mac OS and Mac OS X, it can also contain an MS-DOS formatted file system (File Allocation Table, which can be accessed by Mac OS and Mac OS X). |
Apple_HFSX | HFS Plus | This partition contains a HFS+ volume without a HFS wrapper. HFSX was introduced with Mac OS X 10.3 and is only used in special cases, like case sensitive HFS+. HFSX is the standard partition type on Intel-based Macs (which use GUID instead of APM). | |
Apple_Loader | – | SecondaryLoader | Like Apple_Boot but on Old World Macs, it is used when Mac OS X is installed on a file system not readable by Open Firmware. This partition does not contain a filesystem—instead it contains the BootXmachine code in XCOFF format. This partition type was discontinued with Mac OS X 10.3. |
Apple_MDFW | firmware | firmware | This partition is used by iPod to load the firmware/OS. |
Apple_MFS | Macintosh File System | This partition is used by Mac OS for the Macintosh File System (MFS), which was introduced with the Macintosh 128K in 1984. | |
Apple_partition_map | partition map | Apple | The partition map is also a partition of its own. It can vary in size depending on how many partitions it may contain. |
Apple_Patches | patches | Patch Partition | Mac OS classic patch partition |
Apple_PRODOS | ProDOS | ProDOS file system | |
Apple_RAID | RAID | Apple_RAID_OfflineV2 | This identifier marks a Mac OS X partition used in a software RAID configuration. It normally contains the same filesystems a regular Mac OS X installation would have, like HFS/HFS+ or UFS. The separate boot partition Apple_Boot is mandatory. |
Apple_Rhapsody_UFS | Unix File System | Mac OS X Server | This partition contains a Unix File System (UFS) used by the Apple Rhapsody operating system (a development name marking the transition from OPENSTEP to Mac OS X) and is also used by Mac OS X Server 1.0 through 1.2 v3. |
Apple_Scratch | empty | This identifier marks an empty partition. | |
Apple_Second | Second stage bootloader | ||
Apple_UFS | Unix File System | Mac OS X | This partition contains a Unix File System (UFS) and is used by Mac OS X, Mac OS X Server (Version 10.0 and newer) and various Unix-like operating systems. |
Apple_UNIX_SVR2 | A/UX, Unix | Originally introduced for A/UX (Apple Unix operating system based on System V Release 2, hence SVR2) on the 68k, it was later reused for MkLinux which used the Extended file system. It is the standard partition identifier for many Unix-like operating systems, including Linux and NetBSD. It may contain any file system suitable for the installed operating system. If bootable, a file system that can be read by the Open Firmware bootloader from Apple_Bootstrap (e.g. yaboot) must be used. | |
Apple_Void | A dummy partition map entry to ensure correct partition alignment on bootable media. | ||
Be_BFS | Be File System | This partition contains a Be File System (BFS) and is normally used by BeOS. | |
MFS | TiVo Media File System | MFS application region, MFS media region | Used to hold the proprietary Media File System on TiVo hard drives formatted using Apple Partition Map. |
Partition status[edit]
Partition status is a bit field composed of the flags:
Value | Description | System |
---|---|---|
0x00000001 | entry is valid | A/UX |
0x00000002 | entry is allocated | A/UX |
0x00000004 | entry in use | A/UX |
0x00000008 | entry contains boot information | A/UX |
0x00000010 | partition is readable | A/UX |
0x00000020 | partition is writable | A/UX, Macintosh |
0x00000040 | boot code is position independent | A/UX |
0x00000100 | partition contains chain-compatible driver | Macintosh |
0x00000200 | partition contains a real driver | Macintosh |
0x00000400 | partition contains a chain driver | Macintosh |
0x40000000 | automatically mount at startup | Macintosh |
0x80000000 | the startup partition | Macintosh |
Apfs Apple Partition Map Or Guid
See also[edit]
- Amiga rigid disk block (RDB)
- Extended boot record (EBR)
- GUID Partition Table (GPT)
- Host protected area (HPA)
- Master boot record (MBR)
References[edit]
- ^ abc'Technical Note TN2166 – Secrets of the GPT'. Apple. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
…a standard block size of 512 bytes… […] Apple did consider extending APM to support larger disks. However, as such a change would break all existing partitioning tools…
- ^Mac OS: Technical overview of disk volume structures
- ^Apple Support Communities: Guid Partition or Apple Partition? (2012)
- ^MacTech Magazine: Apple's Transition from Apple Partition Map to the GUID Partition Table by Criss Myers
- ^Apple Mailing List: Subject: Re: Apple Partition Scheme or GUID Partition SchemeArchived 2009-04-06 at the Wayback Machine, Timothy Standing, 2006-04-30
- ^Apple Support Communities: Create a bootable clone using Disk Utility (2014): an example of problems trying to boot on an Intel Mac using an APM partitioned drive.
- ^Apple Support Communities: Running Mavericks + FCPX on External Boot Drive? (2014): OS X Mavericks does not boot from APM partitioned drives.
- ^OWC: Booting your Intel Mac to an APM-formatted drive, M. Christopher Stevens
- ^Mac OS X 10.5: Creating and maintaining a bootable 'universal' external disk
- ^Rebe, René; Klaus, Susanne (2007). 'Creating custom Linux solutions – Apple Partition Map'. T2 System Development Environment.
While the original intent was to handle various block sizes, in practice only 512 byte blocks are supported.
- ^'Yellow Dog Solutions – Attaching Firewire Disks to a Linux Box'. Fixstars Corporation. Archived from the original on 2009-10-13. Retrieved 2013-02-24.
Comment: The command pdisk -l /dev/sda shows a size of 63 blocks for the Apple_partition_map. There is a multitude of examples like this to be found on the internet.
- ^'IOApplePartitionScheme.h'. Apple. 2009. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
External links[edit]
- Mac OS: Technical overview of disk volume structures Overview of the elements of a disk volume / partition
- File System Forensic Analysis: PC-based Partitions – Apple partitions Detailed technical analysis of the structure of Apple's partition map.
Summary : This blog helps you repair your APFS or HFS partition on Mac SSD or hard drive. Download the free-to-try data recovery software for Mac to rescue APFS or HFS partition data.
Table of Content1. Repair Damaged APFS or HFS Partition by Using Disk Utility
2
If you are using macOS Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, then most likely, your internal storage drive is partitioned in APFS format. In case your Mac is running on macOS Sierra or OS X Lion, the internal drive partition may be in the HFS+ format. Many users, these days, are upgrading their macOS and moving to APFS to be on par with the current technology.
If your APFS or HFS partition is not functioning properly due to aging or usage, repair the partition immediately to avoid data loss. The next section describes how to fix an APFS or HFS+ partition.
Apfs Partitions
1. Repair Damaged APFS or HFS Partition by Using Disk Utility
You must be using Disk Utility in your system to perform disk management tasks. You can also use it to repair your logically damaged APFS or HFS partition.
To fix your APFS or HFS partition using Disk Utility, do the following:
Step 1) Press Command + Space Bar to launch Spotlight, and then type ‘disk utility' and press Return. The Disk Utility window will open. Or else, navigate to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility. Double-click the Disk Utility icon to launch it on your Mac.
Step 2) Select an APFS or HFS partition from the left pane of the Disk Utility window. From the top pane, click the First Aid tab, then click Run. Disk Utility will analyze the partition and repair any logical errors.
Step 3) If Disk Utility can't repair the partition, it suggests the next action course. For instance, 'Disk Utility fails to repair the startup disk. Backup as much data as possible and erase this drive.' Read More: APFS Data Recovery
To repair 'Macintosh HD,' the partition that stores your macOS, perform the following steps:
Step 1) Start or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold Command + R keys; release the keys when the Apple logo appears. Your Mac will boot into macOS Recovery mode.
Step 2) From macOS Utilities, select Disk Utility, then click Continue. From the sidebar of Disk Utility, select Macintosh HD the startup disk, then click the First Aid tab. Next, click Run to initiate the repair process. Playerunknowns battlegrounds buy.
Step 3) When the repair is unsuccessful, recover data from the drive using a data recovery software for Mac (as explained next). Next, erase the drive and reinstall macOS. Finally, restore the recovered data.
2. Recover Failing or Irreparable Partition Data by Using Software
When your non-startup Mac APFS or HFS volume is severely corrupt or inaccessible, you won't be able to back up its data as you would typically do. In such a scenario, you need to recover your data using a data recovery software for Mac. The recovery steps are as follows:
Step 1) Download and install the *trial version of Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac on your MacBook Pro/Air, iMac, or Mac mini.
Step 2) Launch the software, and from the 'Select What to Recover screen,' specify the type of file that you wish to recover, then click Next.
Step 3) From the 'Select Location' screen, select the non-startup APFS or HFS partition, toggle on Deep Scan, and then click Scan. Allow the software to scan your drive.
Step 4) Preview the scanned files, select the required ones, then click Recover. Specify a different drive location, then click Save. Navigate to the save location to check all your recovered data.
*Trial version of Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac allows free scan and preview but needs activation to recover data. Activate the software with complete assurance as it has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
In case your Macintosh HD is severely corrupt or inaccessible, your Mac won't boot. In such a case, use a working Mac to run the activated software, then create a recovery USB drive. Connect the recovery drive to your non-booting Mac and access your data. Read More.
Apart from recovering data, Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac helps you repair your corrupt photos and videos. Use the file repair feature in case you find some of your recovered photo and video files corrupted due to bad sectors on the Mac partition. Filevault password not working.
Conclusion
This blog focused exclusively on repairing a corrupt Mac startup or non-startup APFS or HFS partition. But if macOS can't fix your disk, you need to use Stellar Data Recovery Premium for Mac to salvage your data. The software has four unique features to provide you with data recovery, drive monitoring, and repair module for photos and videos. For any query related to APFS or HFS partition repair and recovery, ask us in the comment box below.