Snow Leopard won't install on MacBook Pro

mark1955 · May 22, 2010

You guys are my last resort to resolving this problem.
Okay here goes.
Have a MacBook Pro, intel chip, 2g ram, running OS X Tiger. Bought box set Snow Leopard.
Insert DVD only to have it spin 3 times and then eject.
Far as I know the optical drive works fine, even cleaned it.
Can load the new iWorks that came in the box set, but it won't install.
No I don't have the original start up disc, yes I have repaired permissions.
I think it is a software problem and not hardware but just cannot figure this one out.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mark

mark1955 · May 22, 2010

You guys are my last resort to resolving this problem.
Okay here goes.
Have a MacBook Pro, intel chip, 2g ram, running OS X Tiger. Bought box set Snow Leopard.
Insert DVD only to have it spin 3 times and then eject.
Far as I know the optical drive works fine, even cleaned it.
Can load the new iWorks that came in the box set, but it won't install.
No I don't have the original start up disc, yes I have repaired permissions.
I think it is a software problem and not hardware but just cannot figure this one out.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mark

scathe · May 22, 2010

Try different dvds you might have around to see if the optical drive reads those.

I had a similar problem, where my optical drive would just eject even system install disks ... took it to Apple service to have the drive replaced (hopefully under warranty)

Chris H. · May 22, 2010

mark1955 said:
You guys are my last resort to resolving this problem.
Okay here goes.
Have a MacBook Pro, intel chip, 2g ram, running OS X Tiger. Bought box set Snow Leopard.
Insert DVD only to have it spin 3 times and then eject.
Far as I know the optical drive works fine, even cleaned it.
Can load the new iWorks that came in the box set, but it won't install.
No I don't have the original start up disc, yes I have repaired permissions.
I think it is a software problem and not hardware but just cannot figure this one out.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Mark

The spitting out of the SL disc is probably the disc drive itself.

It sounds as if you might have a problem with the hardware actually, considering that even though you cannot install Snow Leopard, but you can load iWork '09 and it won't install- it very well may be the disc drive. The only fix there is is to take your MBP to the nearest Apple Retail Store and they'll have the drive replaced/repaired.

harryb2448 · May 22, 2010

If it is the full retail boxed set, then either the optical drive is shot or the discs are somewhat wonky.

mark1955 · May 22, 2010

external drive alternative

Starting to believe it is the optical drive.
So can I use an external drive to load and install the new OS?

scathe · May 23, 2010

yes, you can use an external drive or another Mac in target Disk mode

Collin Bl · May 23, 2010

Came across this the other day - it may help with your troubleshooting;

The first volume the EFI boot manager looks for is the internal hard drive, and since this internal hard drive was causing the bus to hang the boot manager wasn’t able to get past it to find the optical drive or the netboot server. Replacing the hard drive resolved all of the issues