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disktool is obsolete
Authored by: bhines on Sep 20, '02 03:14:30PM
I believe disktool is obsolete. The new preferred tool is "diskutil". I believe it mentions that in the 10.2 tech note:


• Supplemented the "disktool" command line tool (which was always intended as a test tool) with a more user-oriented "diskutil" command line tool. (r. 2817377).


Disk Utility Tool ©2002, Apple Computer, Inc.
Utility to manage disks and volumes.
Most options require root access to the device

Usage: diskutil
is one of the following:
list (List the partitions of a disk)
information | info (Get information on a disk or volume)

unmount (Unmount a single volume)
unmountDisk (Unmount an entire disk (all volumes))
eject (Eject a disk)
mount (Mount a single volume)
mountDisk (Mount an entire disk (all mountable volumes))
rename (Rename a volume)

verifyDisk (Verify the structure of a volume)
repairDisk (Repair the structure of a volume)

verifyPermissions (Verify the permissions of a volume)
repairPermissions (Repair the permissions of a volume)

eraseDisk (Erase an existing disk, removing all volumes)
eraseVolume (Erase an existing volume)
eraseOptical (Erase an optical media (CD/RW, DVD/RW, etc.))

partitionDisk ((re)Partition a disk, removing all volumes)

createRAID (Create a RAID set on multiple disks)
destroyRAID (Destroy an existing RAID set)
checkRAID (Check a RAID set for errors)
repairMirror (Repair a damaged RAID mirror set)



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disktool is obsolete
Authored by: elcuco on Sep 20, '02 03:22:38PM

disktool is still available in Jaguar. there may be an alternative, but i prefer using disktool.



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diskutil anomaly
Authored by: pumasalad on Sep 20, '02 05:47:16PM
when I use diskutil unmount disk2s3 , the Mac unmounts the iPod with no problem, but the iPod still has the flashing "do not disconnect" message on it's screen. Other than that, diskutil works as advertised. anyone know why? or does it matter?

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ipod forgotten, but not gone
Authored by: hooperw on Mar 03, '06 07:05:06PM

In reply to the last post, the eject options in disktool or diskutil (either one) will unmount the ipod and detach it from /dev/disk?s?, so you can pull it out of the cradle. I have the 'disktool -e' command in my backup script, and it *usually* works fine.

There is an odd problem that occurs, though, if you eject an ipod (from disktool, diskutil, or iTunes) without taking it out. The ipod sits in the cradle, charging happily, as long as your Mac is awake, and even after it goes to sleep.

If you wake up your Mac with an ejected iPod still in the cradle, though, the iPod goes into a twilight zone. The iPod dislay warns "Do not disconnect," but there's no iPod icon on the desktop, and neither disktool nor diskutil can find the device. I can get my iPod back on the desktop within iTunes, but I really want a command-line tool to rescan the firewire port and remount the ipod and/or eject it properly.

Any help would be appreciated.



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