[magness]

Hoo kay,

Since I'm hoping this is going in the right area...
I believe the technical term for what I have is "royally -screwed".
First, abit of background.
I run a 15" 2.33 MBP CD2 with a Bootcamp partition running windows.
My OS X version is 10.4.9
I also use Parallels 3.0 to access the Bootcamp partition when I don't want to play any games (Oblivion etc..)
I've managed to determine that Parallels was the culprit that stuffed up my OS X partition (according to the parallels forums).
Suffice to say, I'll be seriously looking at VMWare as soon as I fix my machine.
When OS X starts up in verbose mode, it gives me a whole load of "sata warning: completing a zero block transfer" errors
When I run a disk check using disk utility, it gives me an "incorrect block count for file mach" and "invalid sibling" error and can't fix the error
I've tried going into single user mode to run both fsck AND fsck_hfs and it gives me an "unable to fix"
I've paid money for techtool pro 4.5.2 and all it does it boot into a blank grey screen & reboot
I've even tried using MacDrive 7 from windows to fix it but no joy
OK,

Now here's the irony, I can actually boot into windows from bootcamp and work normally.
I can even access my mac files using MacDrive 7 but booting into OS X is a problem
This means I can backup my files if I do need to reinstall OS X ...
What I'm trying to avoid is reinstalling OSX *AND* WINDOWS to have my machine whole again
Because I use windows partition as work, I don't fancy installing Lotus Notes, office etc all over again..
Most of my work to fix it will need to happen by either booting into Windows or using the OSX Install Disc

What I need to know is (keeping my options open as well)

1) Is there a way of installing OSX without killing the bootcamp partition, leaving windows unaffected?
2) Is there a way of installing OSX on a USB 2.0 Drive (either an ATA or USB flash drive) so I can run TechTools or Disk Warrior?
3) If I have to reinstall OSX, Is there a way of easily cloning the windows partition? I know people have had issues using ghost & drive image XML on bootcamp partitions?

Any assistance you can provide would be most grateful.
Apologies if this is in the wrong area.

[magness]

Update!!

OK, I fiddled around with a spare 4GB memory stick I had and I managed to install OS X on it.
So far I managed to install Techtools on it.
Hopefully it'll fix the problem if not I'll have to clone the windows partition
It boots .. slowly .. but it boots...

*RANT BEGINS*
Now if I can only get techtools to register I'd be a happy boy
You'd think techtools australia would give me a serial number in the box but NOOOOO...
They give me a bloody "allocation" number instead and make me go through hoops to get the s/n..
So you'd think I'd be able to enter it in a site... but NOOOO ..the site is down for GOD knows what reason..
And you' d think I'd be able to use the Amerian site .. but NOOO.. we HAVE to be diffrent...
I paid AU $169 for it and you'd think I'd be able to use it immedietly like .. oh I don't know..
EVERY PIECE OF BLOODY SOFTWARE OUT THERE IN SOFTWARE LAND!!!!
*sigh*

Calm blue ocean.

*RANT ENDS*

[silver]

Have you tried diskwarrior? the fixes almost all HD errors.

You can erase the mac partition and reinstall back to the same partition. Remember bootcamp merely makes a partition for you to run XP or for some Vista. Once the HD is partitioned each one is sandboxed so to speak.

Oh yeah, I forgot bootcamp also provides drivers for XP. So just drivers and partitioning is what bootcamp provides.

One more thing vmwares Fusion is very good, been using it for many months now and except for some glitches I had it's a pretty solid product.

silver

[magness]

I haven't tried Disk Warrior. The main reason I bought TechTools was that it came with a boot disk and Disk Warrior didn't.
I managed to get my serial number for Techtools and it fixed the problem.
I managed to install OS X (using the standard installer) to a 4GB USB memory key as well as techtools.
It solved it so I'm kinda happy.
I was just annoyed that I couldn't use it immedietly.
However, since VMWARE is having a 50% preorder, I've put my name down for one.
So far it seems VERY stable. I miss the blinking hard drive light though that they have in Parallels.