Macbook

Hello all,

Got a slight altercation, maybe more depending on what you guys think, so here's the deal.

A While back, I went to turn on my Macbook, and I got a flashing icon, don't remember exactly but after research apparently the hard drive headers wont connect or cant read. I had a Vaio laptop from before with a broken screen. Assuming that since my Macbook was Intel (if it makes a difference) I swapped hard drives, and been running Windows XP for the time being. So I have this OSX CD, put it in, and proceeded to install Snow Leopard, in hopes of a clean install. The first time around I got an error screen, second time around It went through, but upon restarting, I was stuck on the grey screen for a long time, and maybe the apple would show up. After reading online about safe boots (which worked, but someone told me if it did to restart it right away), and resetting PRAM, I ended up with a progress bar which after 2 seconds when it didnt progress through would restart. So I did the clean install again, after it was done I got the same result as before, the grey screen, then I kept the CD in, came to the install menu, opened disk utility to verify, and it said that it was ok, I even pressed repair for the **** of it and got the same message. I restarted the Mac, and now I have this Flashing Folder with a question mark, i restarted the Mac got into disk utility and and verified, and now it saying it could be repaired.

Sorry for the essay, but I guess a detailed description is better then sentence or 2. So whats the verdict?, New Drive?, Stick with Windows, Linux?
If the answer is new drive, is there a select few, or do I have the whole board to work with, like there's no restrictions? As much as I want to have OSX running, this is a old laptop, and for me getting a new hard drive would be ideal then buying an new mac, worst case scenario, I have a nice mac body running XP. But would any hard drive do? I was thinking a Western Digital 250GB for $70 at Memory Express for those in Canada (Edmonton)

Thanks for reading this post by the way, hopefully this is in the right section.

Destrovi said:

Got a slight altercation, maybe more depending on what you guys think, so here's the deal.

A While back, I went to turn on my Macbook, and I got a flashing icon, don't remember exactly but after research apparently the hard drive headers wont connect or cant read. I had a Vaio laptop from before with a broken screen. Assuming that since my Macbook was Intel (if it makes a difference) I swapped hard drives, and been running Windows XP for the time being.

Click to expand...

Did you get into a fight with your Macbook? One meaning of the word "altercation" is..."a heated or angry dispute; noisy argument or controversy." Maybe you meant to use a different word.

As to your problem. I'm sort of confused (maybe others are as well). You mentioned two computers (Macbook & a Viao)...swapping hard drives, running XP, installing OS X...it's all sort of confusing.

If I was to take a guess...it sounds like the hard drive on your Macbook has problems that may be correctable by either:

- using Disk Utility to repair the hard drive
- fresh install of the OS
- if that doesn't work, reformat the hard drive & a fresh OS install
- if that doesn't work...maybe the hard drive needs to be replaced

HTH,

- Nick

I was running XP on the Vaio, when the Mac Drive failed, I swapped drives, ran a clean install of XP on the Mac for a short term. I did the fresh install of OSX with the swapped drive and now I have the flashing folder with the question mark. So maybe I need a new drive then?

Destrovi said:

I was running XP on the Vaio, when the Mac Drive failed, I swapped drives, ran a clean install of XP on the Mac for a short term. I did the fresh install of OSX with the swapped drive and now I have the flashing folder with the question mark. So maybe I need a new drive then?

Click to expand...

If all you did was swap the hard drive from the Vaio to your Macbook...did you ever reformat the Vaio's hard drive (which you installed in your Macbook) before installing OS X? If not...reformat the "old" Vaio's hard drive (now in the Macbook) to "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)"...then install OS X.

HTH,

- Nick

Ya thats what I did, but I think its good now, I just reinstalled it one more time for the **** of it, and it running now, for now atleast, well see in over time, thanks for replying anyway.

I would recommend, in the future, if you are posting a problem that you need assistance with, to be more specific in your thread title. Your title of "Macbook" lacks any reference to your problem. As does the beginning of your post, so even when checking the quick look of your thread, a reader still has no idea of what you need help with. A lot of people would see that, and move on.

If you get into the details a little quicker in your posts, someone reading the quick look of your thread knows if he can help or not.

Just a word of advice.