The file system check exit code is 8 on macOS may be fixed by restarting Mac, running the First Aid tool, or booting Mac in Safe Mode to check the disks. In other cases, you may need to run the fsck command in Single-Client Mode to check your disks and clear the error message.
While Mac has multiple tools for repairing disk partitions and file systems, the First Aid tool is one of the commonly used Disk Utility tools. Normally, this tool returns exit code 0, which means that no error was found. If you are getting the “File system check exit code is 8” error message instead, the file system verification or repair failed.
It means that a corrupted file system was found during the system check. Although the error may occur on an internal hard drive, you are more likely to encounter it while using an external hard drive on Sierra. This guide will enlighten you on the possible causes as well as how to repair the File system check exit code is 8 error.
File System Check Exit Code is 8 Error Causes
The File system check exit code is 8 error message on Macintosh OS X may be found on both external as well as internal hard drives. It may be triggered by different things, including:
- Outdated drivers
- Sudden power failure
- Invalid volume header
- Misconfigured system settings
- Virus attacks
- Catalog file corruption
- Corrupted Mac system directory or file in the drive
How to Repair the File System Check Exit Code Is 8 Error
Just as there are multiple causes of the “file system check exit code is 8” error, there are several solutions that may be used to fix it. Discussed below are some of the most effective methods you may use to fix the problem:
Method 1: Restart Mac
Just as is the case with many other devices, restarting your Mac computer deletes the previously saved temporary files, preferences, and cached files. This resets the system this fixing the minor glitches and errors.
If it is the first time you are getting the error for the very first time, restarting the computer may actually resolve the problem. To do this, select Restart from the Apple drop-down menu, located at the top-left corner of the screen.
Method 2: Boot Mac in Safe Mode to Check the Disks
Booting the Mac computer in the Safe mode can help solve a number of problems, including the file system check exit code is 8 error. The Safe Mode in Mac features a programmed startup check and repair functionality.
To boot your Macintosh into the Safe Boot mode, restart the computer and then hold the Shift button as it boots up. Next, you will be required to sign in with your secret word, before the computer starts the automatic disc checkup.
Note that, the login procedure may take a while longer while booting into the Safe mode. Just allow it enough time to complete. After signing in, you should see a work area and a notification that the disk check was completed. You may now restart the computer normally and check whether the error was resolved.
Method 3: Run the First Aid Tool in the Recovery Mode
Running the First Aid tool in the normal startup may not be able to fix the file system check exit code is 8 on macOS. As such, you first need to boot the computer into the Recovery mode and then run the First Aid tool. Here is how you should go about it:
Step 1: Reboot the computer by pressing and holding the Command + R keys on the keyboard until the Apple login is displayed.
Step 2: Now open the utility menu on your macOS device, and then select ‘Disk Utility’.
Step 3: Choose the disk that is showing the “File system check exit code is 8” error message from the displayed list of disks.
Step 4: Click on the ‘First Aid’ option at the top of the Disk Utility window. Once the process has completed, click on the Done key on the same window.
Once you are done, restart the computer to apply the changes. Now to check whether the “file system exit code 8 error” error message has been cleared.
Method 4: Update the Faulty Application
Are you getting the “file system exit code 8 error” message when you try to run a particular application on your Mac computer? If so, the problem could be the installation files for that particular app. In most cases, this occurs when the installation files for an app are corrupted or outdated or are just incompatible with the current OS version.
In such a case, you need to either repair or upgrade the problematic application to clear the file system exit code 8 error message. To do this, navigate to the Apple menu and select the ‘App Store’ option to launch it.
On the top pane of the App Store window, click on the ‘Updates’ button. This will check for and install the available updates for the system, and applications.
Method 5: Run the FSCK Command to Fix the File System Check Exit Code is 8 Error
Filesystem in the macOS is responsible for organizing how the data is stored and recovered. If the Filesystem is corrupted or develops an inconsistency, you need to verify its integrity. This can be achieved by running the file system consistency check (fsck) system utility tool.
The following procedure will help you accomplish this:
Step 1: Reboot the Mac Computer
The utility may be executed automatically during startup or ran manually. To make this method more effective, you first need to shut the Mac computer down completely, the way you normally do. Power the computer, and then press, and hold the Command + S keys simultaneously as it boots, until you hear the boot chime.
Step 2: Open the Terminal
From your Applications folder, open Utilities. Next, double-click on the Terminal to open it. Alternatively, you could just press the Command – spacebar to open the Spotlight. Now type Terminal into the Spotlight and search for it. Double-click on the Terminal entry on the search results to launch it.
Step 3: Run the fsck -fy Command
Type fsck -fy into the Terminal window and run the command. Wait until you get a generated message saying, “File system was modified”. Now input the fsck -fy command into the Terminal and run it yet again.
If you get a message saying, “The volume ** appears to be OK”, then the problem has been resolved. In this case, you should enter reboot into the Terminal and run it to exit the Single User Mode. You may then reboot the computer to apply these changes.
Method 6: Reinstall the macOS
If none of the above-described methods have solved the issue, you need to reinstall the macOS to clear the “file system check exit code is 8” error message. This method is particularly helpful when the Filesystem on your computer is either damaged or corrupted.
Before you begin, check to ensure that the computer is connected to the internet. Now restart the Mac computer the way you normally do. As the computer boots up, wait until you see the gray screen to press the Command + R keys simultaneously.
Select ‘Reinstall macOS’ from the macOS utility dialogue box that comes up. Now you need to follow the on-screen prompts to complete the re-installation process.
Final Verdict
The exit code is 8 error message may be returned for internal as well as external disks. Basically, it shows that the Filesystem is either inconsistent or corrupted. Since this may be brought about by several things, different methods may be used to fix the issue. Regardless of the actual cause of the problem, this guide will help you fix the “file system check exit code is 8” error message in macOS.