01-16-2010, 05:28 PM

Hi - I've looked for solutions in the forums here and googled too, but nothing seems to fit my question:

My Macbook stopped working and through reading posts, it seemed like the hard drive had failed and needed to be replaced.

So, I've taken out the old hard drive and put the new one in.

But now, when I fire up with the Install Disc for OS X tiger, I get a message that 'this software cannot be installed on this computer'.

Yes, I am using the original installation disc.

I can't find the hard drive in disk utility, or in the system profiler.

I haven't formatted the new hard drive. Is this the reason for all of this?

And if yes, how do I resolve this issue?

Thanks in advance

01-16-2010, 05:34 PM

What kind of HDD did you buy? Are you sure that you installed the HDD correctly? Specs on your machine would also be useful.

01-16-2010, 05:38 PM

Its a 250GB 7200 Western Digital - confident that the install went ok

Is this useful?

Macbook 1,1
Intel Core Duo

01-16-2010, 05:40 PM

If you can boot from the disc and Disk Utility does not show your new drive, then it's either not connected properly or there is something else wrong.

Have you run the Apple Hardware Test from the disc?

01-16-2010, 05:44 PM

bobtomay - I can't see Apple hardware test showing anywhere.

01-16-2010, 05:49 PM

reboot while holding down the 'D' key
Let up on it when you see the AHT loading

Read here to see which disc to use.

01-16-2010, 05:51 PM

Using disc 1 for Tiger:

I get to choose the language but then 'Apple Hardware Test does not support this machine'

which, looking around, might be because it's a different speed HDD to the original.

What now then?

01-16-2010, 06:43 PM

Would I be able to boot the MB in target disk mode (CMD-T on boot)?

01-16-2010, 10:07 PM

i just had this problem when i changed the hard drive in my macbook unibody. i put the seagate 500gb 7200 and used the restore discs that came with my mac. as i was going thru the steps the drive wouldn't appear. i went to disc utility, found it there then i think i renamed it then it was recognized. hope this helps.

01-16-2010, 10:17 PM

A different hard drive speed would have nothing to do with it.

Sounds to me like you're using "some" original install discs, but they're not the ones that were originally shipped with that machine.

That's the only reason I 'm aware of you'd get that error trying to launch AHT. If that's the case, they're not going to work even. Even if you get into Disk Utility and it recognizes, partitions and formats the drive, it's still not going to install.

I've never heard of the error "this software cannot be installed on this computer" related to an OS X install either, except in connection with using the wrong discs.

I'd suggest calling Apple and request a set of replacement discs for your model. Folks have reported extremely reasonable pricing.

01-17-2010, 04:13 AM

joey1
- unfortunately the drive isn't showing up in disk utility

bobtomay
- the installation disks are the ones I originally used to install OS X tiger to the hard drive that is now failed

I'm going to check the physical installation of the new hard drive first to see if that helps, and then call Apple if not

01-17-2010, 06:08 AM

Yeah, if those are the discs you received, then that'd be the next call I'd make since the AHT will not even run.

Only other thing I can suggest is to clean the discs, whether they look like they need it or not.

02-19-2010, 09:38 AM

So, I checked how the hard drive was seated and on of the rubber mounts had prevented a proper connection.

Now when I try to boot up with the installation disc in, the laptop gets as far as a blue screen after a minute or so (dureing which I can hear the CD being read), but immediately get a grey on white diagram. The diagram shows Step-1. what seem to be batteries being inserted into a compartment, folloowed by Step-2. the suggestion of a need to lock closed the battery compartment.

It has been a month and a half since trying to originally fix the hard drive, and the batteries were low on charge before trying to boot up today.

So, I've charged the batteries (all the little charge lights now show), and tried booting up with & without the powercable in, always getting the same battery diagram.

Holding down 'alt' during the boot up doesn't help, nor 'D', nor 'shift'

I've tried resetting the pram, but fail to get a second beep, so unsure if it's been reset or not

Also tried resetting the pmu - still reach the same grey on white battery window

Any ideas for solutions much appreciated, as are suggestions for explanations to the error symbol being shown

05-12-2010, 05:40 PM

Well, just to let anybody interested know - I ended up taking the laptop to a certified Apple repair place and they sorted it out