Replacing new HDD

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Hi guys .. New to this forum but trust someone can help.
Working on friends old macbook running 10.4.11. The 120 HDD failed so replaced with similar but 500gb. This showed up as the wrong size with disk utilities similar to other posts I have now read. Was able to FireWire from a similar macbook. HDD recognised correctly, partitioned the disc and loaded Mac OS X. All applications show up. However removing FireWire the original macbook will not boot up. Using the disk utility from the install disk again shows the incorrect HDD drive etc. It still seems OK via the FireWire from another MacBook. Any help advice appreciated.
 

chscag

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2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Please provide the model number and year of the MacBook. Without that info, it's difficult to try to diagnose what the problem may be.

Also, did you boot the machine with the original disk (OS X Tiger 10.4.11) and run Disk Utility from there? A problem with older MacBooks and Apple notebooks is that the SATA cable which connects the hard drive to the logic board wears out and becomes unreliable. That cable may be bad.
 
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The computer is one of 16 bought as a batch for a charity education group. They were Macbook2,1.
Processor 2.16 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo.
I used one of the packs of original disks with the batch of computers. So yes the original install DVD,
I don't think it is the cable as I swapped the HDDs over between two macs as a test The failed HDD was still failed in the second macbook and the good HDD from the second macbook was still good in the original failed macbook (if that makes sense).
 
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Just some further info on startup it goes to the Apple screen with revolving timer, then a circle with a slash through it.
 
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Silver M1 iMac 512/16/8/8 macOS 11.6
The original specs available from Mactracker advise it will handle up to 160GB 5400rpm drive, or a 200GB 4200rpm drive. 500GB may be simply too big on a seven year old machine.
 
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Your Mac's Specs
Various Mac's
The original specs available from Mactracker advise it will handle up to 160GB 5400rpm drive, or a 200GB 4200rpm drive. 500GB may be simply too big on a seven year old machine.

I'm typing this on a black MacBook 7,1 2.16GHz 4GB (3GB recognised) running 10.7.5 on a 500GB 7200rpm drive, with a 50GB Win 7 Boot Camp partition. At work I've replaced many hard drives in early MacBook's, 250GB, 320GB and 500GB, with the full capacity recognised. For the OP, your drive should be recognised with it's full capacity, why you have a problem I don't know.
 
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I have again tried with a FireWire and erased the 500gb disk, loaded Mac OS X, and applications. The software loads. I confirm all applications are loaded on the new drive. I can run the 500 gb in target mode and run the OS off that drive from a second macbook. However no success runningbthe MacBook with the 500gb disk .. Mystery to me.
 
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Does any portion of the drive show up in Disk Utility as you mentioned in your original thread?
 
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Hi Harryb2448. With the FireWire it shows correctly. I can also see the correctly named volume and then using finder all the applications etc.
Disk Utility direct to the internal HDD shows the disk as a 3.6tb with a volume with incorrect name, just called disk 02.
 

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Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
It for sure is not the size. The only issue when you get it working with Some larger hard drives that are SATA 2 and the old Macbook is slowness and jerks due to the drive and the older SATA 1 controller not negotiating properly. What brand and model is the new Hard Drive? I put a WD 320GB Blue in my 3.1 Macbook and got the jerks and pauses. WD removed the SATA 1 jumper so I could not force it into that mode. So I bought a 320 GB Seagate which had the SATA 1 jumper and it's fast and smooth.

The above is NOT your issue though.

Your issue there I am not sure, the circle with diag line usually means the OS DVD you used it not compatible with the machine you are installing it on.
 
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Hi Dennis thanks for the reply. The new HDD is an Hitachi 500gb. Sata 3.0Gb/s.
 
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Thanks everyone for your replies. Finally solved my problem. Firstly confirmed no hardware issues, computer passed hardware test and I swapped disks between MacBooks. I was able to start a computer from the 500gb drive via FireWire using command/option and selecting new HDD. Software confirmed as 10.4.10. As the MacBooks had been updated to 10.4.11 Previously I connected to the Internet and updated software, still through FireWire. After disconnecting and a restart the PC with the new drive works as new only faster....sorted.
 

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