Fix “could not validate source” error 254 in Mac Mac is the most popular used operating system known for providing better and reliable performance. Fix “could not validate source” error 254 in Mac Mac is the most popular used operating system known for providing better and reliable performance.
Disk imaging is a highly useful tool if you're wanting to create a whole copy of a volume and restore it back at a later date, either to the same disk or another one entirely. It's an integral part of Disk Utility and, as with partitioning, creating & restoring images can be executed via the command-line.
Disk Images Explained
A disk image is a file containing the entire structure of a partition or even just a folder. On the Mac, disk images tend to be DMG files. You'll likely have come across these when downloading apps, such as Skype, from the web. If you remember the days of software that was provided on either a floppy or optical disc, disk images have been designed to work in much the same way but through digital, rather than physical, distribution.
Creating an image of a disk partition duplicates its entire structure into a single file, bit for bit. Let's say we had an external hard drive that contains a single volume and created a disk image from it. If we then restored this disk image to another external hard drive, it would contain the exact same volume with identical information.
Disk images also retain boot functionality, so images created from bootable OS X volumes can be created and restored. This is especially useful for those needing to configure tens, if not hundreds, of similar Macs with the same software configuration. Rather then repeat the entire configuration process on each Mac, it could be completed on just one Mac and a disk image of it created, then restored to every other Mac.
Creating a Disk Image of a Volume
The diskutil
command is only for disk management, when it comes to creating and restoring images there are two other commands to know of.
The first, hdiutil
, is used to manipulate disk images. For the purposes of this guide, we'll be using it to create new disk images (although there is a lot more the command can do).
To create a disk image of a partition, the command is:
Executing hdiutil
in this way must be as root, hence it starting with sudo
.
An example of this command in practice would be:
This command will create a new disk image called Lion.dmg on the Desktop based upon the disk identifier disk2s4. In this instance, this referred to a volume containing an installation of OS X Mavericks.
Creating a Disk Image of a Folder
The hdiutil
command can also be used to create a disk image based upon a folder.
Using the above command, we could perform the following:
The name of the disk image and volume name are two different things, the first simply refers to the filename of the disk image created. When the image is mounted or restored to a disk, the volume name is what's referred to. So if I mount this new disk image, you'll see OS X mounts it as 'New Disk Image'.
Disk images generated using the above methods are read-only and formatted as HFS+ by default, though their size will be just enough to contain all the data needed.
Standard disk images cannot increase in size, so you'll need to specify a particular size if you intend to be adding data to it later. The parameter -size
can be used to specify the size of the disk image to create.
If you need will need to modify or add more data to the disk image, use the parameter -format UDRW
which represents read/write.
Combining all of the above, the command would be:
Creating Encrypted Disk Images
While Mac OS X doesn't support password-protected folders, you can create encrypted disk images and store important files within.
To create an encrypted disk image, use the command:
Unlike previous examples, encrypted disk images are read/write by default but contain no filesystem, so one must be specified before it can be used.
Here's an example command to create a 1GB encrypted disk image:
During the process, OS X's password generator will appear for you to either specify and confirm (or generate) a password.
Resizing Disk Images
Should you create a disk image that has become full, or one that was far bigger than necessary, it can be resized using the resize
option and -size
parameter.
Provided there is either enough free space on the volume the disk image is located on, or the size is not less than the total amount of data it contains, the disk image will resize according to the size specified.
Restoring Disk Images
Copying a disk image to a volume on a disk is more commonly referred to as restoring, you would restore a disk image. Although the term implies the disk image may have originated from the disk you're using in the first place, it's used regardless of that fact.
Restoring disk images isn't done by either hdiutil
or diskutil
, but by the next command we'll be looking at: asr
.
asr
(Apple Software Restore), is used to copy (restore) a disk image to a disk. The command used to restore a disk image is:
There are some options that can be included to speed up the process which can be added to the end of the command.
- noprompt (doesn't display any prompts before erasing or restoring)
- noverify (skips verification after restoring)
- erase (erase the target volume before continuing)
An example command using these option would be:
Restoring Volume to Volume
If you needed to duplicate a volume from one external hard drive to another, you don't need create a disk image first as asr
can restore one volume to another.
The command to do this is similar to restoring a disk image, but we reference a volume instead of a disk image. For example:
Once completed, the target volume will be identical to the source volume, even taking the same name.
Wrapping Up
Using a combination of diskutil
, hdiutil
and asr
, the functions of Disk Utility can all be performed via the command-line, from encrypted disk images to basic volume duplication.
While Disk Utility may be easier for most users, those looking to find ways of performing complex or repetitive tasks automatically can do so by way of shell scripting.
You can purchase the complete guide to Disk Management From the Command-Line that includes Building an OS X Triage Drive as an ebook in ePub and PDF format for just $0.99.
Have you being confused after seeing could not validate source – invalid argument? This type of error may come across when there is problem with disk utility by someway or the other. No wonder disk utility assists as a great utility through which one can resolve minor issue regarding the hard drive. But what would happen in the case of disk utility failure, user will have to face problem like could not validate source – invalid argument. Restarting the system can be taken as primary approach or first aid step to troubleshoot the issue incorporated with disk utility. However in case of severe issue one should go with reformatting and installing OS X again from the original boot-able disk. And in case of data loss after could not validate source – invalid argument issue resolved, go with Mac recovery through either way. First of all look for sufficient hard drive backup if available. Else Mac Data Recovery Software really is the eminent way of regaining corrupted, formatted or lost data effectively. It is developed with all the latest and robust recovery techniques through which any troublesome situation can be resolved easily. Hope you would fix could not validate source – invalid argument now!!
An Introduction to Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument
Although Mac OS X is quite reliable, but still it is not free from glitches. Sometimes, users also have to face Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issues unexpectedly. It is one issue that continues to bother irrespective of the Mac versions you might use. Eventually, as a result of it, Mac system fails to process all your request and may crash severely. What more, due to Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue, users also have to face some difficulties while accessing their hard drive files and other installed apps, which really presses a panic button at times. Wait that’s not the end, it has also been reported that system’s processing speed might get slow and even terminate abruptly, which may result in total loss of saved data on Mac. If you are also in the same situation and looking for Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument solution then you need not worry because you will find complete guide to fix Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue.
Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument: What are the Causes for Data Inaccessibility
There are various reasons behind the emergence of Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument creating panic situation. Any inconsistencies pertaining to Mac OS X files system might result in corruption of data thus making it completely inaccessible. Let’s take a look at some of the probable reasons for the same.
Human mistakes: It might be due to unintentional mistakes such as accidental deletion, formatting mac files and volumes during normal course of operation
Emptying Trash: Many a time users might empty their trash files without cross checking them, which might result in complete wipe of even important Mac data.
Sudden termination of system files: Some time due to power surge, Mac system gets terminated abruptly, due to which some of the files fail to mount and become unresponsive.
Interrupted read/write operation: The chances of Mac file corruption or deletion also takes place when we interrupt the ongoing read/write process in midway resulting in Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument situation.
Unintentional Formatting: Pressing wrong button will sometime lead to emergence of very critical Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument problem.
Sharing of data/file on unsupported platforms: Due to presence of unsupported platform, sometimes shared files becomes unresponsive and get corrupted.
Virus attack: Although Mac is considered lot more safe as compared to Windows but still few nasty viruses are being written for it. Downloading apps & other related files will lead to security issue, which further influence the entire file system.
Modification in BIOS setting: Sometime when we go for some changes into the BIOS sector it will lead to emergence of several erroneous situation related to Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument problem which you would never like to have.
Corruption in header file: Header file are one of the crucial file that contain entire information about the file that you are going to access. Hence, if there is a problem the requested file fails to respond and even generates Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument corruption messages.
Catalog files node corruption: Catalog is the system generated file which keep record of file type and its recent accessing type.
Problem with boot sector: When there is a problem with boot sector, Mac system fails to load and as a result you are unable to access the stored data files and there arises Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issues.
Kernel Panic issues: Like BSOD in Windows, Mac users might come across kernel Panic issues.
Improper installation of program: installing of unwanted apps & programs without checking its source and agreement.
Hardware or software issue: It is also a common factor that is quite responsible for Mac file corruption and in a lieu emergence of erroneous situation.
All the above mentioned reasons are the probable causes for inaccessibility of Mac data. Now a question arises that, how a novice user know about Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument ? Well, for your feasibility here are given some of the common symptoms.
Symptoms Related to Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument
- The system will get terminated automatically after few minutes of working.
- Slow & sluggish behavior of Mac system
- The stored Mac file gets corrupted or damaged without any warning
- Installed programs gets crashed or freezes frequently
- The emergence of annoying error messages like “unable to find .dmg file”
- “file not found”
- “access denied”
Precautions & Tips For Avoiding Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument
There is a well known proverb that precaution is better than cure, this too is applicable in case of Mac data. In order to avoid Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument situation and keep all Mac files safe and secure, following tips might prove to be helpful. So, let’s have a look.
Stop using Mac at once if you do not want to aggravate Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue and go for inbuilt disk recovery option.
Never overwrite the free space created after deletion of Mac files.
Don’t restart the Mac as the deleted or corrupted data might get overwritten with some other file.
Do not switch off system by ejecting the power plug.
Avoid upgrading system files.
Do not share any new data after the deletion or corruption issue.
Search the Mac Trash files.
Avoid downloading software from untrustworthy or suspicious websites.
Always shutdown your PC properly.
Always keep your Mac system update with patches & security fixes to protect against software loopholes
Always have a proper & updated backup of your saved Mac files to overcome data loss and Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue.
At this juncture it has been commonly seen that the majority of users may lose their hope and get indulged in some expensive procedure for Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue. But, why to do so! If here available an effective solution for it.
Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument: Manual Method to Get Rid of It
In case of Mac file corruption resulting in Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument complications, follow this:
Search and launch “Disk Utility”
Click on “check file system”option
Wait till the scanning process gets over
Select the file that you want to mount it
2.If there is a problem with Mac file system due to Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument then you may try this
Insert the Mac Bootable CD/Flash drive and restart the PC.
Click on “Install Mac OS X” option.
Continuously press “C” button from your keyboard.
Accept the license agreement & select the desired language.
Choose the destination drive which has the problem. In general, click on “Macintosh HD”.
After that click on “Options” icon to select the installation method. Further, if you want to save your personal file folders, networking accounts & user accounts click on “Archive to Install” & select “Preserve Users and Network Settings.
Restart your Mac system and reply to configuration prompt.
Note: Attempting to fix Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument manually requires technical skills which newbie lacks. Even slight mistake might bring risk to data. So, it is recommended to take the help of Mac Data Recovery tool to rescue data in case of Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue.
Mac Data Recovery Software: Automatic Way to Resolve Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument Issue
No doubt, Mac data recovery software is an extremely simple and reliable tool that rescues data in case of its loss. It has also been noted that, the tool is quite effective in any case of data loss situation no irrespective of the reasons behind the corruption or deletion issues. Apart from that, its robust recovery algorithm performs thorough scanning of entire Mac hard drives either its internal or external and provide the users with optimum result.
Furthermore, Mac data recovery software has been well developed with layman prospective to provide simple working environment for the beginner users too. Another property of this very software is that, it can easily be installed and operate with minimal system resource utilization. In addition, due to all these effectiveness and meritorious work in the field of data recovery, the tool has gained 8 out of 10 rewards globally. Do not delay anymore, there is nothing as good as Mac data recovery software. Just download and install it to avoid Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument scenario.
Striking Features of Mac Data Recovery Software
Undelete Mac data: Reliable and advance tool to perform smooth recovery of Mac data/files in any Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument situation.
- Developed with robust scanning & recovery algorithm to provide complete Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument solution.
- Highly applicable in case of Mac data corruption/ deletion issue
Deleted volume recovery: Also works effectively in case of Mac system file corruption or erroneous situation
Enabled with advance inbuilt file searching and recovery features in a single click
RAW file recovery: Supports recovery of more than 300 popular files including spreadsheets, ZIP archives, RAR files, PPT files ,PSD files, RAW files,music files, videos, etc.
Lost partition recovery: Safe data recovery from NTFS, FAT, ExFAT, HFS, HFSX based Boot Camp Partitions
Works as a system start up in case of boot failure issue
Maintains and preserves the integrity of data
Also, provide the preview of scanned & recovered files along with the option to see the ongoing scanning process during Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument
Enable with resume recovery to later recovery of data from .dmg file format
saves recovered files at the user’s desired location
it is Cost effective
System Requirements for Mac data Recovery Software
- Processor: Intel
- Memory: 1GB
- Free Space on Hard Disk: 50 MB
- OS: OS X Mavericks 10.9, Mountain lion 10.8, Lion 10.7, Snow Leopard 10.6, Leopard 10.5, Tiger 10.4
Pros and Cons of the Software
Pros:
- Very easy to use
- Highly reliable
- Scan and recover entire Mac hard drive data irrespective of circumstances
- best to overcome and fix Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument
Cons:
- Demo version can only be used to see the preview of recovered files.
- licensed version is required for saving the recovered data on desired location.
Conclusion: Now there is no need to worry at all! You can easily be able to rescue Mac data irrespective of the circumstances behind Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue using an reliable and sophisticated Mac data recovery software.
Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument: Users Guide to Operate Mac Data Recovery Software
Step 1: Download and install Mac data recovery software to resolve Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument issue.
See Full List On Macfixz.com
Step:2 click on ‘Quick Recovery’ which is located below of the tab ‘Drive Recovery’.
Step 3: Select the Mac volume to be recovered by clicking on either “Volume recovery” or “formatted recovery” option for best Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument solution.
Step 4: Now, click on start scan button.
Step 5: Wait till the scanning process gets over, after that a list of scanned files are displayed.
10.5: Avoid 'resource Busy' Errors In Disk ... - Mac OS X Hints
Step 6: Choose the file/folder or volume to be repaired and then select the desired location to save all recovered data and thus fix Could Not Validate Source – Invalid Argument problem.
Cached
Step:7 Progress bar will confirm the saving of selected files to the desired destination.