01-25-2009, 07:13 PM

Hi I would be really grateful for some thoughts on this. I've tried google, applecare etc. I fly tomorrow and need to try get this working before then: I was installing Tiger (long story see below). The system crashed. I keep getting this message "You cannot install Mac OS X on this volume. The target does not have enoigh free space for the install":

-I can only get system preferences and a minimal screen optionality
-I tried to safe boot - sme thing happens.
-I tried installing from leopard (bought it) same things happens.
-I tried running disk utility from both disks - same thing happens.
Does anyone have any thoughts. I cannot boot up in safe mode, I cannot run disk utility from either Tiger or Leopard

when i could run disck utility and Hardward test there were no errors found.

(1) I have a intel core 2 duo.

(2) I was running on leopard. Then i got a kernal panic error (I was downloading a bit torrent movie). Then it took a long time to boot up. When it did boot up it went to sleep mode and reduced the display settings to a black screen. I managed to get the display settings back to normal, but after a few clicks it went back to kernal panic.

(3) I spoke to Applcare - they thought I had run my hardrive to low (2.5 mb left). I ran it in safe boot mode and deleted date so I had 18 mb left on my sata 120 harddrive. I also tried to transfer stuff to my external harddrive via firewire, but it did not strt up (perhaps firewire does not work in safe boot)

(4) I ran disk utility from the mac and the cd. I also ran repair disk permissions (ive seen on other posts that this is not important)

(5) I rebooted normally - again I got a kernal panic error.
Applecare said to archive and reinstall, first with Tiger (lost my leapord disks) and if it was ok then buy leopard and reinstall and then use time machine (backed up on my external)

(6) I ran 10.4.8 install disk, I selectd the archive and install option (15 mb free), then after 45 mins of installing, the screen went black *though the keyboard was responsive). i could not wake the mac. I restarted it.

(7) the lap top booted normally upto the blue screen, the "mac OSX" sceen came up, then the installer screen came on and said "You cannot install Mac OS X on this volume. The target does not have enoigh free space for the install"

Please please help!

01-25-2009, 07:38 PM

18MB or 18GB? If it's 18MB you do not have enough room.

01-25-2009, 07:39 PM

Have you upgraded the memory since you bought it? If so, take one of the ram chips out and try the installer again. I've seen similar problems due to bad ram chips.

Can you explain the bit about the disk utility again? Will it let you see the hard disk and erase it?

01-26-2009, 04:42 AM

thanks for your thoughts.

Firstly apologies I meant 18GB, in any event I think I need to wipe the whole thing but can not do anything at the moment

Secondly, disk utility does not even load.

01-26-2009, 09:16 AM

Try the memory trick and do a clean installation to see if it still crashes. That's all I can think of.