First Aid log - corrupt but OK?

> I did Backup(s). Reformat, reinstall, restore. Still have same issue.

Did the SSD pass Disk Utility First Aid test after the format (i.e. when that volume was empty)?

I guess you did not reformat the whole device (not just volumes under it) because AFAIK silicon Macs need the internal SSD for booting even from an external bootable USB flash drive. I have no 1st hand experience from silicon Macs but some sources say that if the whole device is formatted (if the current bootable installer allows it?), then the Mac's firmware must be Restored with another newest Mac. I have once did that on my Intel Mac mini.

https://mrmacintosh.com/how-to-restore-bridgeos-on-a-t2-mac-how-to-put-a-mac-into-dfu-mode/

Edit: I read the Disk Utility log and maybe you can ignore that and just do regular backups.

Another alternative is to make a bootable USB flash drive with the latest Ventura, boot it and try its Disk Utility. (In the past Disk Utility has reported some minor issues with Big Sur but when booted into Monterey usb installer it was OK (at that time I had downgraded from Monterey to Big Sur so maybe the older Disk Utility was not quite up-to-date with newer APFS version?). I later re-upgraded to Monterey and then First Aid test was OK as it is now in Ventura.

megabyted wrote:

Hi - I recently ran Disk Utility and First Aid several times on my MacBook Air (2020 / M1) on the latest macOS. I ran First Aid as part of a proactive digital spring cleaning, not to address specific issue or anything.

First Aid on my "Data" drive is saying that it was success - but I thought the final few lines of the log/read-out seemed odd...

Checking the extent ref tree.

Checking the file key rolling tree.

Verifying volume object map space.

The volume /dev/rdisk2s5 was found to be corrupt and needs to be repaired.*****

Verifying allocated space.

Performing deferred repairs.*****

The volume /dev/rdisk2s5 appears to be OK.*****

File system check exit code is 0.

Restoring the original state found as mounted.

Operation successful.*****

So it's saying that disk2s5 is corrupt and needs repairs... Then it's saying it performed the repairs. Then it's saying that disk is OK and the operation was a success.

But if I run FirstAid a subsequent time, I get the same read-out - so should I be worried about this recurring "corrupt" note, or should I just focus on the fact that ultimately it says that it appears to be OK and that the operation was successful..?

For what it's worth, I've also run this in Safe/Recovery mode, both via Disk Utility and Terminal. Same outcome.

It just seems weird that I keep seeing corrupt but ultimately OK, time and time again - I'd expected the corrupt read-out to go away since after a pass of First Aid it says things are fine.

Any thoughts? Please let me know if you need any more log files (the full read-out is below). Thanks!

**

<The volume /dev/rdisk2s5 appears to be OK.*****

File system check exit code is 0.

Restoring the original state found as mounted.

Operation successful.*****>

If you have no associated issue I would simply ignore it.

Matti Haveri wrote:

I guess you did not reformat the whole device (not just volumes under it) because AFAIK silicon Macs need the internal SSD for booting even from an external bootable USB flash drive. I have no 1st hand experience from silicon Macs but some sources say that if the whole device is formatted (if the current bootable installer allows it?), then the Mac's firmware must be Restored with another newest Mac. I have once did that on my Intel Mac mini.

Correct. The Apple Silicon special system files are stored in hidden Volumes and Containers on the internal SSD which are used to access the Apple Silicon Mac's special startup mode to access Recovery Mode. Erasing the whole internal SSD should no longer be done or a "Restore" will need to be used to fix. Just erasing a single APFS volume many not be enough unless it prompts the user to delete/erase the Volume Group as well since the multiple APFS volumes within a Container share the same storage pool and file system. Here is an Apple article which shows how to use Disk Utility to erase a "drive" (using the term "drive" loosely here), although the article does first suggest to use the "Erase All Content and Settings" as the best option if using macOS 12.x+.

Use Disk Utility to erase a Mac with Apple silicon - Apple Support

"Restoring" is also an option for any 2018+ Mac if the user has access to another Mac running macOS 10.15+.

> if something was wrong, what would be the next step(s)

Backup(s).

Reformat, reinstall, restore.

I did Backup(s). Reformat, reinstall, restore. Still have same issue.