Lion won't install 'this disk is used for time machine...'

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Hi there

I have searched the threads but haven't found this issue in there

I am trying to load Lion onto my iMac (2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo), but it won't select the disk - which remains faded in the window

The message reads 'this disk is used for time machine back ups' - in a bolder font, so that would be the issue I think, but any suggestions on how to disable time machine, or work around this?

Thanks

wired
 
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uh oh! 50 views and no replies - ominous silence clanging around this thread....

so - can I un-install time machine, load lion, then re-install time machine?

any one?



wired
 
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What "disk" are you using to load Lion? Why don't you just go into the Mac App Store from your iMac? If you've already purchase Lion on another Mac you own, then you don't have to pay for it again but would still need to get it through the Mac App Store.
 
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What "disk" are you using to load Lion? Why don't you just go into the Mac App Store from your iMac? If you've already purchase Lion on another Mac you own, then you don't have to pay for it again but would still need to get it through the Mac App Store.

yup, I did that, it was downloaded from the app store.... that's not the issue - the problem is that it won't install onto the iMac HD - apparently because it's used as a time machine back up
 
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Your iMac is used as a T.M. backup? You're not using an external drive for your backups?
 
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chscag

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yup, I did that, it was downloaded from the app store.... that's not the issue - the problem is that it won't install onto the iMac HD - apparently because it's used as a time machine back up

Known problem. Delete the sparsebundle file from your hard drive and Lion will install. There's an Apple KB article that explains all about that error.
 
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Your iMac is used as a T.M. backup? You're not using an external drive for your backups?

yup - we basically use the iMac as our laptops trash barge.... guess we're being a little tight for not forking out for an external, but we probably will after this

Known problem. Delete the sparsebundle file from your hard drive and Lion will install. There's an Apple KB article that explains all about that error.

'scuze me for being a little thick, but what's a sparsebundle file?

any links to the Apple KB article?



wired
 

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'scuze me for being a little thick, but what's a sparsebundle file?

It's the actual backup file. However, if you're using your iMac to do Time Machine backups instead of an external drive, the backup file will be created again. You really need to change your backup strategy especially if you want to install Lion. Lion is not going to install on any drive that it "sees" as a Time Machine backup.
 
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Lion Won't install on HD

This happened to me. Most likely you inadvertently did a Time Machine backup on the drive at one point. Go into the HD and move any backup file you see to trash, delete the trash and it should install with no problem.
 

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