Mac os x cannot be installed on this computer

[Matt1515]

Hi guys,
I have a 20" iMac 2007 and I wanted to sell it so I wiped the HD. Then when I put the grey install disc in it says it cannot be installed on this computer. I have tried everything, I rang apple and they couldn't help me, they also confirmed that I had the right orginal discs, I have tried erasing the HD and partitioning it as guid but no look, I really don't know what to do, any help would be really appreciated, thanks

 

[pigoo3]

Hi guys,
I have a 20" iMac 2007 and I wanted to sell it so I wiped the HD. Then when I put the grey install disc in it says it cannot be installed on this computer. I have tried everything, I rang apple and they couldn't help me, they also confirmed that I had the right orginal discs, I have tried erasing the HD and partitioning it as guid but no look, I really don't know what to do, any help would be really appreciated, thanks

I know that you said that "Apple said" the gray discs you have are for your computer. But:

- if you didn't buy this computer new
- and you don't know 100% where these gray disc's came from
- and you don't have any hardware issues with your computer

...I would say that the gray disks you have are not for your computer (regardless of what Apple said). Apple employees (or Apple databases) can make mistakes.

Otherwise (if these truly are the original gray disks for this computer)...there's no rational reason that these disks shouldn't work (other than a hard drive issue).

- Nick

 

[Matt1515]

Thanks nick, but I don't know how to find the right disc then, because apple asked me to give them the number of the disc and they said that's the correct one so, I'm not sure which one to get?

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks nick, but I don't know how to find the right disc then, because apple asked me to give them the number of the disc and they said that's the correct one so, I'm not sure which one to get?

It's very very difficult (if not impossible) to "source" original gray discs for a specific Mac model computer. Your best bet (since your iMac has an Intel cpu)...is just buy a 10.6 Snow Leopard OS install disk from the Apple Store for $29:

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.)

It would be possible to install the latest Mac OS (10.7 "Lion") for $29...but this would be a much more complex process if you don't have a computer that can access the "Mac App Store"...since 10.7 is download only (or $69 on a USB drive).

I know that this is an expense you didn't expect before selling your computer...but now that the hard drive has been erased...not much else you can do.

By the way...how did you erase your hard drive if you didn't have a CD/DVD to boot from?

HTH,

- Nick

 

[Matt1515]

I have a snow leopard disc but when I put it in it says that it needs to have os x 10.5 or above already installed? Thanks for the help nick

 

[pigoo3]

I have a snow leopard disc but when I put it in it says that it needs to have os x 10.5 or above already installed? Thanks for the help nick

Ahh...you must have some sort "upgrade" Snow Leopard disc...vs. the full retail install Snow Leopard disk (like the one I linked above).

- Nick

 

[Matt1515]

Ah great, that might be the solution,, because my SL disc says CPU drop-in DVD and that needs to have previous os on it but the retail disc can be installed straight on with no os already on, can you just confirm that for me before I spend money on it,, thanks a lot

 

[pigoo3]

Ah great, that might be the solution,, because my SL disc says CPU drop-in DVD and that needs to have previous os on it but the retail disc can be installed straight on with no os already on, can you just confirm that for me before I spend money on it,, thanks a lot

Most definitely! The "drop-in" discs are usually included when Apple releases a major upgrade to the Mac OS. So for example in this case...the 2007 iMac "sitting on the shelf" (in a store or a warehouse)...with OS 10.5 installed on it's hard drive when Apple first released OS 10.6...would then have had an OS 10.6 "drop-in" install disk (dropped into the box)...for the eventual buyer to do the install. This is what you have.

The OS 10.6 "Snow Leopard" disks sold at the Apple Store are "full install" discs...which mean that they do not need a previous version of the Apple OS on the hard drive (like the drop-in disks). So these disks will have no problem installing on a "blank" HD. As long as the HD is properly formatted for the Mac OS (which yours would be since you had an OS on it previously).

Good luck,

- Nick

 

[Matt1515]

Thanks a lot nick, you have been a great help, I am going to by a retail snow leopard disc from the apple store now,