Machine turns off every 29 minutes

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Hello everyone,

Ive owned PCs for well over a decade and I just converted over to Mac...hopefully!

I purchased a 2GHZ Mac Book Pro from a friend and it ran an OS okay when i purchased it.

I did a format (write zeros), and went to install the OS from disc.

It fails EVERY time at 29 minutes.. It will go on for 5-10 minutes and then the machine will turn off.

I have formatted fully, I have partitioned and booted from drive where the image was. I have tried to install from DVD.. Everytime it fails and shuts down abruptly!

What on earth is going on with this please help!:Oops:
 
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what were you doing a format for? If it ran the OS when you brought it, and you just wanted to upgrade the OS, you needed to do nothing more than insert the disc and follow directions
 
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I formatted because that Is what I do with an new computer that i recieve.

Write Zeros and go for a fresh install.

However, my Install each time stops at 29 minutes and then the machine shuts off.

Anyone have an answer?
 
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you dont need to format, you just insert the OS disc and do a "clean install,' that erases all the previous files etc.
You have a Mac, not a Windows PC
 

bobtomay

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Sorry, but the format has already been done and continuing to say it doesn't need to be done provides no help at this point. He/She is inserting the disc, attempting a clean install and the install is failing.


Might want to check it was formatted properly.
Format should be Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
Also click the Options button and make sure it is set to GUID partition scheme.

What disc are you using - version and came from where? That is 10.6 retail disc, 10.4 that came with the machine, etc.
 
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In reply to the full format question. I have over a decade in experience as an IT administrator, all of our machines have zeros written to them before we go forward with any sort of install.

Aside from that, It is the leopard 10.6 Install Retail. I have tried 10.5 retail and also 10.4 retail.

All installs result at 29 minutes failed.

My format is Mac Extended Journaled and Guid - yeap.

What is the problem :(
 
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idk, but i would take it to an Apple store.
 

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You're probably dealing with a hard drive that has problems which is why the format is failing. Boot the machine with your latest Snow Leopard DVD and instead of trying to do a secure format, run verify and repair from Disk Utilities. There may be some bad sectors on that drive. If there is, don't mess with it any further. Replace the drive.

Regards.
 

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I have formatted fully, I have partitioned and booted from drive where the image was. I have tried to install from DVD.
Just to clarify, what image are you booting from? Did you make an image of the drive before you formatted it?
 

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In reply to the full format question. I have over a decade in experience as an IT administrator, all of our machines have zeros written to them before we go forward with any sort of install.

This could be part of the problem!:) You're moving forward with your Mac in the same way you would with the Windows computers you're more familiar with.

I'm not saying writing zeros to the hard drive before doing an install is bad or anything..it's just not necessary.

What disc are you trying to install from:

- is it a grey disk or a black disk with a big X on it?
- if a grey disk, is it the disk that originally came with the computer?
- if not...these grey disks are model specific, and it may not work with your MacBook Pro.
- if you're using a grey disk, and it did not originally come with the computer...then you need to purchase a retail OS install "Black" disk.

Hope this helps,

- Nick
 

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This could be part of the problem!:) You're moving forward with your Mac in the same way you would with the Windows computers you're more familiar with.

I'm not saying writing zeros to the hard drive before doing an install is bad or anything..it's just not necessary.

What disc are you trying to install from:

- is it a grey disk or a black disk with a big X on it?
- if a grey disk, is it the disk that originally came with the computer?
- if not...these grey disks are model specific, and it may not work with your MacBook Pro.
- if you're using a grey disk, and it did not originally come with the computer...then you need to purchase a retail OS install "Black" disk.

Hope this helps,

- Nick


I don't think its really a "windows" thing. I do it any time I ever sell a computer. Windows or not. It would be risky not to.

To the OP, I would definitely look at the hard drive!
 

bobtomay

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After thinking about it for awhile, would agree with chscag. Can't think of anything besides bad area of the drive that would cause multiple installs to fail at basically the same point.
 

dtravis7


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Like has been asked, is this a image from the internet or actual factory OSX Retail DVD's?

The physical computer is actually POWERING OFF at the 29 minute point?
 

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Like has been asked, is this a image from the internet or actual factory OSX Retail DVD's?
Yes, I think we need an answer to this question. This could very well be the source of your problem.
 

pigoo3

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I don't think its really a "windows" thing. I do it any time I ever sell a computer. Windows or not. It would be risky not to.

My intention was not to say it was a "Windows Thing"...just that there may be reasons the OP is writing zeros to the hard drive which may have good rational due to their previous 10+ years of Windows computer experience.

What I'm saying is...writing zeros to a Macintosh hard drive before installing the OS is just not necessary...that's what my 23 years as a Macintosh user has taught me!;)

As far as the "zeros" you're writing to the hard drive when you sell a computer...of course I agree with this practice! You're writing zeros to your hard drive for a totally different reason than what the OP is talking about!

You're writing zeros to the computer's hard drive you're selling totally for security reasons (secure erase). The OP is writing zeros to a hard drive BEFORE installing the OS on a new computer...which I'm saying is not necessary.

- Nick
 

pigoo3

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Like has been asked, is this a image from the internet or actual factory OSX Retail DVD's?

The physical computer is actually POWERING OFF at the 29 minute point?

Yes...this definitely sounds like someone is trying to install the OS without the correct disks, or the OS was obtained from a "questionable" source...and the installer is hitting a "proverbial" wall at the exact same point in the process.

- Nick
 
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I would like to start off with saying you guys are great so far, with throwing out a bunch of possible solutions.

To answer some much needed questions.

1) This is a Retail version of Snow Leopard (Legally) purchased from the Apple store.

2) I have tried creating an image of the DVD from another computer and mount the apple with the DMG as part of a seperate partition (to narrow out the Apple DVD Drive) - This did not help

3) Full format - Write zeros - its been done, yet again as someone else posted it is very necessary when buying / selling a computer

4) It shutsdown EVERY TIME at 29 minutes. I have done the Verify / Repair disk multiple times with 0 errors.

5) I just brought it to the apple store, 45 minutes later... They have NO Idea whats wrong with it!!!

We swapped out ram, ran a log during the install.. It shutsdown at 29 minutes everytime it goes to extract the OSX .pkg file at the "begin install" section of the log.

I hope this information helps in figuring whats wrong with this :( :'( :\
 

bobtomay

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Now it sounds like it could possibly be a bad SL disc.

Did the Apple store try an install from the image file they keep on hand?
 

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I have had errors from the DVD, Can not complete installs, Kernel Panics but never seen a actually power off shut down.

It really sounds like an overheating issue if the machine when extracting from the package file shuts down. Just a guess.

He is saying Retail install DVD and Apple did look at it also. That shocks me Apple did not tell you more.
 
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Apple installed from their external drive.

Still no-go.

I have left the machine one for hours in a row showing the install screen but not begun and it doesn't turn off. So that to me narrowed out overheating.

:(
 

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