05-26-2011, 09:30 PM

Why is it so difficult to reinstall OSX after replacing a failed HDD?

I have a 2 yr old 13.3' macbook with a 2 ghz core 2 and 2GB ddr3. In os-x 10.5 it froze constantly, and would stay frozen for minutes at a time. The hard drive failed last week, and all I was able to recover was an image of the efi partition, which I moved to the new HDD.
After 15 failed attempts to reinstall OSX from the restore disks I gave up. There's a scratch on one of them, and the d-bags at the apple store won't help unless you're willing to pay them to fix it. (how difficult is it to burn a copy of a restore disk?)
"Because of a problem, installing Mac OS X could not be completed"
Windows 7 installed in about an hour, and a bootleg copy of the bootcamp files made everything work flawlessly. (if that's somehow wrong or illegal, I don't care. I didn't pay nearly $1000 to have a machine I can't use)

It runs great in windows 7 (see attached screenshot), and scores higher than a lot of new windows based laptops with faster cpus and more memory. Go figure..

But I joined this forum because I want to learn how to fix macs. I can install windows 7 on a PC in less 1/2 hour. So how do I get OSX to install on this thing

05-30-2011, 09:21 AM

I've tried reviewing the forums to check for my answer, and I haven't located it so far. If I've missed it, and someone can point me to them, I'd really appreciate it (or just straight help if not answered before).

I'm on a MacBook Pro, utilizing Mac OS X Version 10.6.7. I ran the Boot Camp Assistant to partition my drive, and then installed Windows XP (SP2, I believe). I'm able to reboot into Windows, and get to the login screen. From there, it immediately asks me to register my version of Windows, either over the phone or over the Internet. I'd like to be able to do over the Internet, but it is never able to detect my network connections.

Boot Camp Assistant instructions say to install my Mac OS X disc and install the drivers, but I can't get to the Windows desktop to install those drivers.

Are there any instructions for installing those network drivers without getting past the login screen? Am I just forced to call and try and register over the phone, and then install my network drivers using the OS X disc once I get past the login screen?

Thank you for any and all help. These forums have been a HUGE help in the past as I learned to work my Mac laptop :-)

05-30-2011, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by jdellarocca

I've tried reviewing the forums to check for my answer, and I haven't located it so far. If I've missed it, and someone can point me to them, I'd really appreciate it (or just straight help if not answered before).

I'm on a MacBook Pro, utilizing Mac OS X Version 10.6.7. I ran the Boot Camp Assistant to partition my drive, and then installed Windows XP (SP2, I believe). I'm able to reboot into Windows, and get to the login screen. From there, it immediately asks me to register my version of Windows, either over the phone or over the Internet. I'd like to be able to do over the Internet, but it is never able to detect my network connections.

Boot Camp Assistant instructions say to install my Mac OS X disc and install the drivers, but I can't get to the Windows desktop to install those drivers.

Are there any instructions for installing those network drivers without getting past the login screen? Am I just forced to call and try and register over the phone, and then install my network drivers using the OS X disc once I get past the login screen?

Thank you for any and all help. These forums have been a HUGE help in the past as I learned to work my Mac laptop :-)

You should be able to skip registration and activation. Go ahead and do that. When you're all finished and get to the Windows desktop, install your drivers and get online. Then run product activation.

05-30-2011, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by cwa107

You should be able to skip registration and activation. Go ahead and do that. When you're all finished and get to the Windows desktop, install your drivers and get online. Then run product activation.

After I posted, I reloaded it to make sure all my terminology was correct. I was incorrect, it's asking me to "Activate" not "Register" over the phone or the Internet. If I choose, "Activate over the Phone" it gives me the phone number and the product key to read off to the telephone operator, and then spaces to enter the activation code. My only other choice (besides over the phone and the Internet) is "Register Later" which brings me back to the login screen, never allowing me to go further.

_____

Update: I just wanted to add my thanks, cwa for your quick response!

07-24-2011, 12:51 AM

Originally Posted by wayyytoobored

Why is it so difficult to reinstall OSX after replacing a failed HDD?

I have a 2 yr old 13.3' macbook with a 2 ghz core 2 and 2GB ddr3. In os-x 10.5 it froze constantly, and would stay frozen for minutes at a time. The hard drive failed last week, and all I was able to recover was an image of the efi partition, which I moved to the new HDD.
After 15 failed attempts to reinstall OSX from the restore disks I gave up. There's a scratch on one of them, and the d-bags at the apple store won't help unless you're willing to pay them to fix it. (how difficult is it to burn a copy of a restore disk?)
"Because of a problem, installing Mac OS X could not be completed"
Windows 7 installed in about an hour, and a bootleg copy of the bootcamp files made everything work flawlessly. (if that's somehow wrong or illegal, I don't care. I didn't pay nearly $1000 to have a machine I can't use)

It runs great in windows 7 (see attached screenshot), and scores higher than a lot of new windows based laptops with faster cpus and more memory. Go figure..

But I joined this forum because I want to learn how to fix macs. I can install windows 7 on a PC in less 1/2 hour. So how do I get OSX to install on this thing

can you help me then i have just come to apple and want to run my widows messenger live to chat to my kids and see them on the webcam how do i do this i have tried down loading it to my laptop but still cannot sighing in please help me driving me mad.

08-19-2011, 07:01 AM

Hi,
I am thinking about transferring to an iMac and was wondering what the best solution would be to run some of my current Windows software, particularly Adobe CS4, MS Office Access DB and SPSS statistics software. Ideally I would like to run them in parallel, rather than via a separate boot, would that work OK, and is there a minimum memory configuration I should plan for to allow this, particularly for photoshop?
Also, if you run Win 7 in parallel, how to you install antivirus software? Does it just get installed through the virtual windows window as you would on a windows machine, or are there any specific considerations?
Finally, can programs running within windows access their internet help files through the virtual environment? Does that mean that the virtual windows needs its own browser too?
Many thanks, and apologies if these are obvious questions!!!
:-)

08-19-2011, 01:40 PM

Read both the stickies in their entirety - will answer most of your questions. Short answer is that your CS and photoshop applications may run better under boot camp than in a virtual machine; the other 2 should run fine in a VM. And yes, you need to install AV software in the VM like you would in any other Windows machine.

How much memory you allocate depends on which Win version you install, whether it's 32 or 64 bit and how much RAM you have to start with and how much you want to leave for OSX while your VM is running. You can change the allocation so I would experiement a bit and not stress about it so much for the install.

Cheers

08-27-2011, 09:01 AM

Hi everyone,

I've read through all of the recent links, but can't seem to find an answer to this one:

I've recently purchased an iMac with Snow Leopard, but have subsequently downloaded Lion as the OS. I'm now hoping to use Bootcamp to install a version of Windows (pref Windows 7) to give me both options. A couple of questions:

1. Can I install Windows 7 via Bootcamp? If not what's the next best option?
2. What version does it need to be; OEM or retail? What difference does it make?
3. Does Lion OS support all of the above or do I need to revert back to Snow Leopard?

Thanks for you time

08-27-2011, 09:14 AM

Originally Posted by 2rockfarmers

1. Can I install Windows 7 via Bootcamp? If not what's the next best option?

Yes.

2. What version does it need to be; OEM or retail?

Either a retail version or an "OEM for System Builders", like this one:

Amazon.com: Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64bit (Full) System Builder DVD 1 Pack: Software

What difference does it make?

The distinction is important because some people will attempt to use restore discs that were originally packaged with a PC they bought. Those will not work. Additionally, some people will try to use a disc that was used on another machine. Product Activation will prevent those from working as well.

3. Does Lion OS support all of the above or do I need to revert back to Snow Leopard?

Thanks for you time

Yes, Lion and Snow Leopard versions of Boot Camp both support Windows 7.

08-28-2011, 03:42 AM

Thanks cwa107,

Seeing as I don't have the Lion drivers DVD (I downloaded it to replace SL), am I right in thinking that I can download the Lion drivers on to a blank DVD when I go through the bootcamp partitioning process? As I understand, I will need to install the Lion drivers in windows for it to work. I assume I can then use this DVD as if it were a normal install DVD for Lion.

Appreciate your help

08-28-2011, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by 2rockfarmers

Thanks cwa107,

Seeing as I don't have the Lion drivers DVD (I downloaded it to replace SL), am I right in thinking that I can download the Lion drivers on to a blank DVD when I go through the bootcamp partitioning process? As I understand, I will need to install the Lion drivers in windows for it to work. I assume I can then use this DVD as if it were a normal install DVD for Lion.

Appreciate your help

That's right. With Lion (and later versions of Snow Leopard), the Boot Camp process has changed slightly. Now, you'll be prompted to burn a driver disc during the partitioning process.

The disc comes with all of the Apple hardware-specific drivers you need and a package of software that adds functionality into Windows to make your life easier with certain Apple-specific functions. This is installed following the Windows installation.

08-29-2011, 03:50 AM

Originally Posted by cwa107

That's right. With Lion (and later versions of Snow Leopard), the Boot Camp process has changed slightly. Now, you'll be prompted to burn a driver disc during the partitioning process.

The disc comes with all of the Apple hardware-specific drivers you need and a package of software that adds functionality into Windows to make your life easier with certain Apple-specific functions. This is installed following the Windows installation.

As there now seems to be a trend of Apple not fitting DVD drives to machines (the new Minis) how will this work if a disc is required for Bootcamp installation? I have to admit I haven't investigated this yet. I just saw this thread running.

08-29-2011, 04:00 AM

Originally Posted by neilf

As there now seems to be a trend of Apple not fitting DVD drives to machines (the new Minis) how will this work if a disc is required for Bootcamp installation? I have to admit I haven't investigated this yet. I just saw this thread running.

Only thing I can think of with that is an external USB Optical drive. There is one for the Air but It only works on the Air. Not the Mini I am told.

09-15-2011, 09:38 PM

Hi everybody,

I have a problem with installing Windows XP SP3 on my mac, when the bootcamp reboot my mac to installing Windows it say "there's no reboot able device"

It's from my installation CD or my bootcamp version?
My bootcamp version is 3.0.4, but i'm sure that CD is works

Please help me

09-25-2011, 10:27 PM

Hey guys, have a question about running windows 7. I need windows for school, and will purchase the student edition online, but have a foreseeable problem. I dont want to buy a new computer because i love mine right now, so i have decide to bootcamp windows. I cannot find any instructions on how to install windows from a downloaded file through boot camp! can anyone give me some suggestions?

thanks! (i have fullly updated OSX SL.)