Unable to install OSX

GruvDOne · 04-17-2012, 03:21 PM

Hello all,

I was recently helping a friend with her 2007 MBP when it stopped booting completely through. It would only go as far as the white screen with the Apple logo and spinning bit, where it would freeze.

I was able to mount it in FW Target mode, and get the majority of her info off. I then reformatted it in disk utility (OSX Extended Journaled), and set about doing a nice fresh install.

That's where things went off the rails. I've tried Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion (all of which are supported by her machine). Each time I insert a install disk - either when the ? folder appears, at boot up, evoking the option key, or even the c key - the disk just gets spit back out.

I've reconnected via Target Mode again, double checked that the disk was good and that it had the required GUID partition table, and even formatted it again, yet nothing.

What could it be?

Thanks in advance,
-Will

trevor · 04-17-2012, 03:27 PM

Hi Will,

Exactly what discs are you using to try to install Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion? Are they gray-colored discs that shipped with another machine, or retail full-install discs?

Have you tried connecting another Mac to the 2007 MBP over FireWire, booting the other Mac in FireWire Target Disk Mode (hold down the T key while booting it until you get a dancing FireWire logo on-screen), and inserting the retail full-install disc into the other Mac? If you have a hardware problem with the DVD drive on the 2007 MBP, you can install it from the DVD drive in the other Mac.

Trevor

GruvDOne · 04-17-2012, 03:38 PM

Hi Trevor,

All three disks are retail (in the case Lion, it was an installer image burn from the App Store download).

Yeah, I suppose I could go the other direction with the target mode, but if the installer doesn't know it's installing onto a laptop, is it still going to put all the laptop specific bits and bobs onto it?

I'll have a go of it tonight.

- Cheers!

onceagain · 04-17-2012, 06:50 PM

Why not install OS X on it while it is in target disk mode?

That's my standard install method in short. In detail - I keep a copy of OS X updated and maintained and "clean" on an external HD, and then when I need it on some machine, I just clone it over. Works every time, never had an issue with it.

Optical drive on my machine hasn't worked in I dunno how long, but it's really not an issue.

gsahli · 04-17-2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GruvDOne


	Yeah, I suppose I could go the other direction with the target mode, but if the installer doesn't know it's installing onto a laptop, is it still going to put all the laptop specific bits and bobs onto it?

Not sure if I get your question - forgive me if not...
The Mac Installer installs driver files for the Mac model that is actually running - but not for the model that is acting as a dumb external drive (the one in Target mode).

ldrury · 04-17-2012, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onceagain


	Why not install OS X on it while it is in target disk mode?

+1 for this - good idea....
I would think you'd be able to install straight from the app store this way.....

onceagain · 04-18-2012, 02:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsahli


	Not sure if I get your question - forgive me if not... The Mac Installer installs driver files for the Mac model that is actually running - but not for the model that is acting as a dumb external drive (the one in Target mode).

You can use Mac #1 in target disk mode to install from Mac #2, even if Mac #1 and Mac #2 are different models. I do it all the time. Works fine. You can also install onto an external HD, and then boot different model Macs from that HD.

FWIW, I used such techniques to run Leopard on a G4 Cube, even though the installer wouldn't work if you tried running it on the cube itself. Of course, it ran pretty slowly (:

onceagain · 04-18-2012, 02:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ldrury


	+1 for this - good idea.... I would think you'd be able to install straight from the app store this way.....

You can download Lion from the app store, extract the installer, and then install it on whatever, independently of the app store. Seems like the better way to go.

agentx · 04-18-2012, 07:51 AM

If you are having issues with the DVD drive you can also "clone" or "Restore" the installer to an 8GB Flash drive and boot off that but Installing using Firewire Target Mode will do the job anyway.

mclbruce · 04-19-2012, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onceagain


	You can use Mac #1 in target disk mode to install from Mac #2, even if Mac #1 and Mac #2 are different models. I do it all the time. Works fine. You can also install onto an external HD, and then boot different model Macs from that HD. FWIW, I used such techniques to run Leopard on a G4 Cube, even though the installer wouldn't work if you tried running it on the cube itself. Of course, it ran pretty slowly (:

That has been my experience in the past. Any HD with retail OS X installed should run just fine on any older Mac. Once in a while there are brand new Macs that won't boot from the current retail installer, but clearly that doesn't apply here. Maybe Apple changed this policy in Lion, but that would surprise me.

04-17-2012, 03:38 PM	#3
GruvDOne Triple-A Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Hi Trevor, All three disks are retail (in the case Lion, it was an installer image burn from the App Store download). Yeah, I suppose I could go the other direction with the target mode, but if the installer doesn't know it's installing onto a laptop, is it still going to put all the laptop specific bits and bobs onto it? I'll have a go of it tonight. - Cheers! __________________ Will Frazier Motion Graphics Designer, Lynda.com www.lynda.com 12 Core 2.66 Mac Pro 16GB, OSX 10.7.3 12 Core 2.93 Mac Pro 32GB, OSX 10.6.8

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04-17-2012, 03:21 PM	#1
GruvDOne Triple-A Player Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 78	Unable to install OSX Hello all, I was recently helping a friend with her 2007 MBP when it stopped booting completely through. It would only go as far as the white screen with the Apple logo and spinning bit, where it would freeze. I was able to mount it in FW Target mode, and get the majority of her info off. I then reformatted it in disk utility (OSX Extended Journaled), and set about doing a nice fresh install. That's where things went off the rails. I've tried Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion (all of which are supported by her machine). Each time I insert a install disk - either when the ? folder appears, at boot up, evoking the option key, or even the c key - the disk just gets spit back out. I've reconnected via Target Mode again, double checked that the disk was good and that it had the required GUID partition table, and even formatted it again, yet nothing. What could it be? Thanks in advance, -Will __________________ Will Frazier Motion Graphics Designer, Lynda.com www.lynda.com 12 Core 2.66 Mac Pro 16GB, OSX 10.7.3 12 Core 2.93 Mac Pro 32GB, OSX 10.6.8

04-17-2012, 03:27 PM	#2
trevor Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Boulder, CO USA Posts: 19,549	Hi Will, Exactly what discs are you using to try to install Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Lion? Are they gray-colored discs that shipped with another machine, or retail full-install discs? Have you tried connecting another Mac to the 2007 MBP over FireWire, booting the other Mac in FireWire Target Disk Mode (hold down the T key while booting it until you get a dancing FireWire logo on-screen), and inserting the retail full-install disc into the other Mac? If you have a hardware problem with the DVD drive on the 2007 MBP, you can install it from the DVD drive in the other Mac. Trevor __________________ How to ask questions the smart way

04-17-2012, 06:50 PM	#4
onceagain All Star Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 662	Why not install OS X on it while it is in target disk mode? That's my standard install method in short. In detail - I keep a copy of OS X updated and maintained and "clean" on an external HD, and then when I need it on some machine, I just clone it over. Works every time, never had an issue with it. Optical drive on my machine hasn't worked in I dunno how long, but it's really not an issue.

04-18-2012, 07:51 AM	#9
agentx Hall of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Brighton, UK Posts: 3,807	If you are having issues with the DVD drive you can also "clone" or "Restore" the installer to an 8GB Flash drive and boot off that but Installing using Firewire Target Mode will do the job anyway.