Input output error in Mac and data loss

When any system generates errors, it is almost certain that the system is facing one or other problem; it can either be logical or physical damage. An input /output error in Mac OS X is one such error that causes critical data loss. As it is the most difficult thing to bear, data recovery mac needs to be done with efficient applications. In a particular situation when mac system is booted or while working on it applications may crash unexpectedly, decrease in system performance, server file system errors, spinning wheel and such others situations may crop up. I/O errors indicate problem that the hard drive experiences in writing and reading data.

By checking the file system, following error may be found – “disk0s5: I/O error.
Invalid key length
(4, 3424)
** Volume check failed.”


Not only this booting for the second time, Input/output error with parameter -36 and -50 is shown. Here -36 indicate issues with internal structure of hard drive and -50 states that illegal operations have been performed on the drive. As it is not possible to reboot the system data remains inaccessible until retrieved with efficient extensive scanning of recovery application. Both software and hardware issues are responsible for such an error to take place.

Disk utility (mac repair tool) may be used to check drive errors and accordingly fix them but its failure may essentially require formatting the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system. All the damaged data structures are then replaces with newly created ones.

But, as you know this process will remove drive data and thus causes data loss. Still the data and files can be restored back with thorough drive scanning, extracting and locating data which are merely invisible and in unrecognizable form due to lack of important file structure components which is used by file system to locate and present files for access. This is how Mac I/O error can be resolved without loosing important data.