OS 10.4 Disk error

Hey, so i've recently tried to update my OS using my 10.4 CD's.

The installation ALWAYS fails during disk 2. Yesterday, somehow, I managed to open disk utilities and cancel the and delete the installation before (stupidly) starting another installation using the same original set of disks.

Some help and advice on how to quit the installation so I can put my old OS back on would be much appreciated.

Disc 2? You must be using silver grey system restore discs and they will usually work only with the machine they were issued with. If so you need the full retail install DVD of Tiger.

To put the old, or original OS back on, you need those discs. Pop a disc in, reboot and hold down the 'C' button. Go to utilities in the menu bar, select Disk Utility and run Repair Disc and then do a clean install.

You will lose everything already on the drive alas.

I don't get the utilities bar when I do the boot and C method.

Just :

Installer - file - Edit - Window

hardcastle said:

Hey, so i've recently tried to update my OS using my 10.4 CD's.

Click to expand...

What CD's are you using to do the install?...and don't say OS 10.4!;D

What I mean is...Apple computers ship with a set of "model specific" install CD's (newer models ship with DVD's). If you are using install CD's that were meant for another model Mac...then that could be the reason why you're having installation troubles.

So what install CD's are you using...gray/silver colored disks which are model specific..which then the question would be are they for your model Mac...or are you using a set of Universal install Mac OS 10.4 CD's...which will not have a gray/silver label on them.

- Nick

Im using grey disks that came when I bought 2x usb 500mhz ibook. I only use it as a glorified hd.

I get an error everytime I even put the disk 2 in now, it doesnt even get to the language installation it stops at the BSD subsystem installation.

I've heard 3rd party ram can cause issues - I've got 3rd party ram but up until now it's never caused a single issue.

Is there any way of clearing the hard drive from the bios or whatever so I can just install my old, fully working os as whenever I put that disk in present it just barks at me telling to put in disk 2.

thanks for the help Nick,

Hardcastle

hardcastle said:

Im using grey disks that came when I bought 2x usb 500mhz ibook. I only use it as a glorified hd.

I get an error everytime I even put the disk 2 in now, it doesnt even get to the language installation it stops at the BSD subsystem installation.

I've heard 3rd party ram can cause issues - I've got 3rd party ram but up until now it's never caused a single issue.

Is there any way of clearing the hard drive from the bios or whatever so I can just install my old, fully working os as whenever I put that disk in present it just barks at me telling to put in disk 2.

thanks for the help Nick,

Hardcastle

Click to expand...

You never mentioned the specs of this computer you're having trouble with.

So is the computer you're working on a 500mhz iBook?

Because if it isn't...using the grey install disks meant for a 500mhz iBook could be the problem.

As far as the ram. Sure some ram may cause problems...especially if it's not ram specially for Macintosh's.

By the way...you mentioned that you are trying to "update the OS" with the 10.4 CD's. What OS version is the computer currently running, and did the computer boot up ok before you tried installing 10.4?

- Nick

It came with 10.1.5 which booted up fine and ran fine - I only want to upgrade to have compatibility with better software.

It's becoming a real pain now, I'd rather how my old os back on, which means I need to break the installation cycle im currently stuck on.

So, how do I do that? I've extensively googled the subject matter, tried a method of skipping installation of disk 2, however could not get that to work, I'm guessing there must be some way to format the drive from the bios ? and thus allow me to put in my old OS disk without getting an "insert disk 2" issue arrising.

Thanks for the help Nick,

Sorry for being a mac novice!

hardcastle said:

It came with 10.1.5 which booted up fine and ran fine - I only want to upgrade to have compatibility with better software.

It's becoming a real pain now, I'd rather how my old os back on, which means I need to break the installation cycle im currently stuck on.

So, how do I do that? I've extensively googled the subject matter, tried a method of skipping installation of disk 2, however could not get that to work, I'm guessing there must be some way to format the drive from the bios ? and thus allow me to put in my old OS disk without getting an "insert disk 2" issue arrising.

Thanks for the help Nick,

Sorry for being a mac novice!

Click to expand...

I'm trying to help you out here...but you're not clearly answering my questions.

First...just to confirm:

- Are your working with 500mhz iBook?
- You mentioned that the laptop had OS 10.1.5 when you got it, is this correct?
- Are the OS 10.4 disks you're using grey/silver colored?

Thanks

- Nick

Sorry but the pain is you are not reading our posts. The grey discs will install ONLY on the machine they came with and no other machine. If you want Tiger you will have to purchase the retail full install DVD version.

They worked before Harry. Disk 1 worked fine this time, it's just disk 2.

Pigoo - Yes to all three of those questions.

Thanks

It will fail if the discs are from a different machine.

hardcastle said:

They worked before Harry. Disk 1 worked fine this time, it's just disk 2.

Pigoo - Yes to all three of those questions.

Thanks

Click to expand...

Just like Harry said (and I repeated a number of times in this thread)...if your 10.4 disks are grey/silver colored...then they won't work in a 500mhz iBook for two reasons:

1. These disks are specific for a different model Macintosh (not a 500mhz iBook).
2. When the 500mhz iBook was released in 2001, the latest version of OS X at the time was probably 10.1.5...the same version you originally had on the computer. Thus there never were any "grey/silver" 10.4 install disks produced for this computer, since 10.4 wasn't released until sometime in 2005.

If you want to install OS 10.4 on this computer...you need to purchase a retail copy of OS 10.4.

- Nick

I know you've repeated it a number of times, alas each time I've said it's worked once before.

Anyway, I guess they've given up the ghost now.

So, how can I get out of the boot cycle?

Sorry for making the pair of you go through this rather strenuous process with me

Many thanks,

Hardcastle

hardcastle said:

I know you've repeated it a number of times, alas each time I've said it's worked once before.

So, how can I get out of the boot cycle?

Click to expand...

As far as those grey/silver disks. According to your posts...they never worked! If they worked you wouldn't have a problem currently. The problem you're having is due to using the wrong disks.

As far as the "boot cycle" I guess I'm not completely sure what you mean by a "boot cycle"...can you explain?

Thanks,

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

As far as those grey/silver disks. According to your posts...they never worked! If they worked you wouldn't have a problem currently. The problem you're having is due to using the wrong disks.

As far as the "boot cycle" I guess I'm not completely sure what you mean by a "boot cycle"...can you explain?

Thanks,

- Nick

Click to expand...

I ensure I used them about a month ago to install it, I have no other way of installing that os.

Onto the boot cycle issue. Everytime I start up the ibook now im faced with the 'Insert disk2 to continue installation' shtick. As I deleted the original partition during installation to save space, I now no OS for the ibook to load up, if no CD is inserted either.

If I put in the original OS to install that, it still just ask's me to insert disk 2 for 10.4 installation.

So.... Can I somehow format the hard drive or partition by booting into a bios or something ?

Thanks once again,

Hardcastle

you should be able to use Disk Utility to format ...

hardcastle said:

I ensure I used them about a month ago to install it, I have no other way of installing that os.

Click to expand...

Ok...I guess I'm getting confused.

If the installation of OS 10.4 was successful a month ago (from the grey disks that were never meant to be used in a 500mhz iBook from 2001)...why were you trying to install Mac OS 10.4 again??

- Nick

haha, I know it sounds barmy but I was getting proper bad slow down and needed it that day, so just god rid for a morning, got round to reinstalling it and it didnt work.

Plain and simple, as Im clearly being pretty incoherent, apologies -

IT DID WORK

IT NOW DOESN'T

and finally - I now need a way to format the hard drive, the hold down C and choose disk utility doesnt work as I don't get that as an option on the tool bar.

regards,


Hardcastle