Alsoft DiskWarrior - 2.0 Instruction Manual
12
Chapter 1: Introduction
Welcome to DiskWarrior
Why Alsoft DiskWarrior is the Only Answer
Only DiskWarrior includes its exclusive DiskShield to provide nonstop protection for your disks,
keeping your directories updated and error-free. No other product helps to
keeping your directories updated and error-free. No other product helps to
prevent
directory
damage before it ever occurs.
When you use DiskWarrior to rebuild your directory, it focuses on what you care most about on
your disk–your data as it is stored in your files. DiskWarrior rebuilds your directory based upon
the data it finds in the original directory. It uses this information to build an entirely new replace-
ment directory structure. This approach is similar to that taken by FileMaker with its databases
and the Finder with desktop files. If you crash or otherwise close a FileMaker database improp-
erly, the next time you open that database, the first thing FileMaker does is rebuild the database
indexes (the database structure) using the data in the database. When you rebuild your desktop,
you are rebuilding the structure of the desktop database. DiskWarrior takes these processes a
step further. When directory data is severely damaged, DiskWarrior scavenges the directory, find-
ing all the salvageable data. It then uses this data to build a new error-free replacement directory,
recovering lost files and folders as well as making it possible for the disk to appear on the desk-
top.
your disk–your data as it is stored in your files. DiskWarrior rebuilds your directory based upon
the data it finds in the original directory. It uses this information to build an entirely new replace-
ment directory structure. This approach is similar to that taken by FileMaker with its databases
and the Finder with desktop files. If you crash or otherwise close a FileMaker database improp-
erly, the next time you open that database, the first thing FileMaker does is rebuild the database
indexes (the database structure) using the data in the database. When you rebuild your desktop,
you are rebuilding the structure of the desktop database. DiskWarrior takes these processes a
step further. When directory data is severely damaged, DiskWarrior scavenges the directory, find-
ing all the salvageable data. It then uses this data to build a new error-free replacement directory,
recovering lost files and folders as well as making it possible for the disk to appear on the desk-
top.
When other utilities attempt to repair your directory, they attempt to do so by “patching” the di-
rectory structure. This method can result in sections of the directory being patched over and de-
leted. Since whole sections of the directory can be deleted, this attempt at repair can cause loss
of directory data and thus loss of access to your files. This is why you should always use Disk-
Warrior first when you suspect directory damage on your disk. Otherwise, you risk losing direc-
tory data (and thus access to your files). Successful directory rebuilding, repair, and recovery
by DiskWarrior is based on the quality of the directory data present.
rectory structure. This method can result in sections of the directory being patched over and de-
leted. Since whole sections of the directory can be deleted, this attempt at repair can cause loss
of directory data and thus loss of access to your files. This is why you should always use Disk-
Warrior first when you suspect directory damage on your disk. Otherwise, you risk losing direc-
tory data (and thus access to your files). Successful directory rebuilding, repair, and recovery
by DiskWarrior is based on the quality of the directory data present.
If you have used another utility to repair your directory and you now have a directory with no
errors but missing data, you can make DiskWarrior scavenge the directory to find the lost data.
Note that this is the same scavenge procedure DiskWarrior uses to recover your data when it
finds directory errors, but it normally skips the scavenge procedure when the directory has no
major errors.
errors but missing data, you can make DiskWarrior scavenge the directory to find the lost data.
Note that this is the same scavenge procedure DiskWarrior uses to recover your data when it
finds directory errors, but it normally skips the scavenge procedure when the directory has no
major errors.
With DiskWarrior, there is never a risk of losing directory data and thus never a risk of losing
access to your files. DiskWarrior uniquely verifies the replacement directory before it can be
written to disk to ensure that it is completely error-free. This also ensures that the disk will have
no problems when rebuilding is complete.
access to your files. DiskWarrior uniquely verifies the replacement directory before it can be
written to disk to ensure that it is completely error-free. This also ensures that the disk will have
no problems when rebuilding is complete.
DiskWarrior compares the original directory with the replacement directory and determines if
there have been any changes to the number or contents of your files and folders. It then lists any
there have been any changes to the number or contents of your files and folders. It then lists any