iMac mid 2007 A1224 Wont Install An OS.

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hi guys I have the above 20" iMac

and for some reason I can't get it to install ANY OSX version no matter what I try.


ive tried osx 10.4
osx 10.6
osx 10.7
osx 10.8

and so far none of them will install all I get is the apple logo spinning cog under it and then a prohibited sign.


ive done SMC/PRAM resets to no avail.

I was giving the iMac to add to my collection of vintage mac's its as if its brand new the box is mind the keyboard and mouse and everything the only thing its missing is the restore DVD's and I can't seem to get a set anywhere.

is there anyway I can download a set and make them on DVD/USB ??


thanks for any help.


Jason
 
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I was able to find this, https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=2007+imac+install+discs&_sacat=0.

Where did you get the Mac OS X versions you are attempting to boot from? And how are they being used? DVD? USB?

One thing I would try, is to use your 2011 iMac and install Snow Leopard onto an external drive, to see if the 2007 will boot from the external.

Edit: One thing I forgot to mention is you can try Target Disk Mode (TDM), Using Target Disk Mode to install an oper… - Apple Community, if you have the proper FireWire cord?
 
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What kind of OS X installer discs are you using??? Are they model specific or retail versions???

Do you not have an external clone of a similar model among your collection that you can try booting from???

That iMac can run:
Pre-Installed MacOS: X 10.4.10 (8R4031) Maximum MacOS: X 10.11.x*



- Patrick
======
 

dtravis7


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I own and still use for basic things that very 20" iMac. In fact typing on it right now. Runs El Captain fine but could use a bit more RAM but 6GB is all it can take.

Like others have asked, where did you get the OSX versions you are trying to install? Machine specific DVD's will not install except on the machine they were made for.

If you downloaded from apple and made an installer Flash drive and you get the Prohibited symbol, the HDD might need to be formatted in DU. Otherwise maybe the hard drive has issues. Many of those machines used a 320 GB WD drive and those tended to die.
 
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I have a 2007 20" iMac. I think it shipped with Tiger. I was able to install snow leopard over tiger, then from there I upgraded to El Capitan. I seem to recall I could not go from Tiger to El Capitan, had to install Snow Lep first. I have the original iMac install dvds for Tiger and the retail upgrade DVD to snow leopard. Apple still sells snow leopard for $20.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple
 

IWT


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I have a 2007 20" iMac. I think it shipped with Tiger. I was able to install snow leopard over tiger, then from there I upgraded to El Capitan. I seem to recall I could not go from Tiger to El Capitan, had to install Snow Lep first. I have the original iMac install dvds for Tiger and the retail upgrade DVD to snow leopard. Apple still sells snow leopard for $20.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple

I am 99% certain that what macgig says is correct. You need the retail version of Snow Leopard, as stated, install that and go from there to El Capitan.

Ian
 

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Agree with both Macgig and Ian, to install El Captain you have to start with Snow Leopard. I am also 99% sure about it.

Just to be sure we are talking about the same machine, is yours the Aluminum 2007 iMac or the white plastic cased iMac? I am quite sure you mean the Aluminum one.
 

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As others have mentioned...when having an issue like this on an older Intel Mac...the starting point is mainly having a working Snow Leopard (OS 10.6) method of installing. I know it was mentioned above that an attempt to install 10.6 was tried...I guess we would need to know what method was used. A genuine Apple Snow Leopard DVD is best.:)

- Nick
 
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hi guys sorry im late replying

I have tried with snow leopard retail DVD but I think the optical drive is dead (can I use a usb one)


ive also copied the disk to USB it goes to boot and then gets the prohibited symbol on the screen and the cog still spins.

any recommendations ?


thanks
 

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hi guys sorry im late replying

I have tried with snow leopard retail DVD but I think the optical drive is dead (can I use a usb one)


ive also copied the disk to USB it goes to boot and then gets the prohibited symbol on the screen and the cog still spins.

any recommendations ?


thanks

Do try an External USB drive and see if that will work. You might have to hold down Option at startup and see if that drive with the SL Factory DVD shows up. If so select that and click the arrow.

If that does not do it here is something I ran into on a 24" White iMac. It had your issue. It was my friends iMac and he would not listen to me and ran it with no surge protection at all. A Poll Transformer on his block exploded and put a large surge down the lines. His PC's all had expensive protection but the iMac was plugged directly in. Well he brought the machine to me and it would not boot. I tried everything. Then I took it apart and took out the Hard Drive and Bang, came to life. Turns out the controller board on the bottom of the drive got damaged by the surge. New hard drive and everything installed and the machine still works.

Keep us posted on if the external DVD lets you boot from SL.
 
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hi guys sorry im late replying

I have tried with snow leopard retail DVD but I think the optical drive is dead (can I use a usb one)
ive also copied the disk to USB it goes to boot and then gets the prohibited symbol on the screen and the cog still spins.

any recommendations ?
thanks


Just another suggestion to try:
How-To: Image Snow Leopard to a Hard Drive for Quick Install
How-To: Image Snow Leopard to a Hard Drive for Quick Install – Gigaom


BTW: Do you have another Mac available to connect to and see if that non-booting Mac will even boot up using Target Disk Mode.
(Press and Hold the T key when booting it and connected to the working Mac via Firewire.)

PS: I'm not sure if some other connection methods work or not.

Also, with two Macs, you may be able to connect the two and enable the DVD/CD sharing, and use the working Mac's optic drive to use the Install Disc. It should be available from your System Preferences > Sharing pane.



- Patrick
======
 
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thanks guys ive just got in and I have got a 2011 iMac as well as a 2006 iMac and an emac all working perfectly including my MacBook Pro so Im sure I can connect one of them to it to get the install going,
 
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Hi guys I’ve tried booting in verbose mode to start setup and I’m getting stuck at
Still waiting for root device

Any ideas ??
 
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Hi guys I’ve tried booting in verbose mode to start setup and I’m getting stuck at
Still waiting for root device

Any ideas ??


You might want to consider providing a few more details as to what you are actually doing and using in your particular situation in order to get an accurate response or suggestion for what to do or try.


- Patrick
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dtravis7


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Hi guys I’ve tried booting in verbose mode to start setup and I’m getting stuck at
Still waiting for root device

Any ideas ??

You are getting that message on your Mid 2007 20" iMac?
 
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jasongoldworthy
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Hi guys yeah that’s the message I get on the 2007 iMac

And that’s trying to get an install going I’ve not got a FireWire cable

So I can’t try that just yet

That’s how far I get with an external optical drive


Does anyone have a .DMG of the original software disk’s ?


I’m guessing that’s not allowed here but would help massively if it’s at all possible


Thanks
 

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Hi guys yeah that’s the message I get on the 2007 iMac

And that’s trying to get an install going I’ve not got a FireWire cable

So I can’t try that just yet

That’s how far I get with an external optical drive


Does anyone have a .DMG of the original software disk’s ?


I’m guessing that’s not allowed here but would help massively if it’s at all possible


Thanks

The reason I asked is when I google search for that message all the results are for installing OSX on a Hackintosh. Strange.

So you got the external to read the OSX Factory DVD and it pops up that message when you try and boot? Will do some more searching as I have never had that message before.
 
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Mmmm now see I was also thinking that could it be my DVD is damaged ?


I’ve also sourced a replacement drive to go with beside the iMac

Thanks so far for all the help

Jason
 

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Also is the OSX DVD a Machine specific DVD or one bought from apple? The Machine specific will only install on the machine it was shipped with.
 

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