Problem Installing OS X Snow Leopard from a USB

[dan_carroll]

Hi all

Attempting to install snow leopard on a 2007 iMac from an external HD. I have burned the bootable USB successfully.. after rebooting the Mac holding Alt key the external drive appears showing the Snow Leopard install DVD, after selecting this the below error screen appears telling me I have to restart the computer etc. the text in the top right reads 'Unable to find driver for this platform'

any ideas?

thanks

 

[chscag]

Welcome to our forums.

I think the problem you're running into is that your 2007 iMac contains an optical drive and is where the system expects to find the install DVD.

Copying the install DVD to a hard drive is not easy to do since the original Snow Leopard install DVD is a double layer disk. That could also be a reason it's not working.

As you can see, you're getting a kernel panic because there is no installer that can be found.

 

[harryb2448]

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[dan_carroll]

Welcome to our forums.

I think the problem you're running into is that your 2007 iMac contains an optical drive and is where the system expects to find the install DVD.

Copying the install DVD to a hard drive is not easy to do since the original Snow Leopard install DVD is a double layer disk. That could also be a reason it's not working.

As you can see, you're getting a kernel panic because there is no installer that can be found.

Is there a way to override this ? Seems like installing from a USB is a pretty common procedure.

Would it be easier if I tried to installl an earlier OSX? For the software I am trying to install, Snow Leopard is the last compatible OSX so earlier versions would work too. 10.3 maybe

thanks

 

[harryb2448]

As a 2007 iMac can run up to El Capitan OS X.11, why would you want to? Intel Macs are Intel and so a Tiger Intel OS X.4.10 which came with the machine would be as far back as you could go. The older the OS, the less secure it may be today.

 

[chscag]

Would it be easier if I tried to installl an earlier OSX? For the software I am trying to install, Snow Leopard is the last compatible OSX so earlier versions would work too. 10.3 maybe

I'm assuming the software (PPC) you're trying to install needs Rosetta to run. If that's the case, then an earlier version would also work, however, you will run into the same problem. All versions of macOS up to Snow Leopard are on DVD. After Snow Leopard, they're downloads.

I'm sure there must be a work around to install Snow Leopard from USB when the optical drive is non functional. You need to do some googling to try to find a way.

Here is one such discussion:

Install Snow Leopard w/broken DVD drive - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

 

[dan_carroll]

I'm assuming the software (PPC) you're trying to install needs Rosetta to run. If that's the case, then an earlier version would also work, however, you will run into the same problem. All versions of macOS up to Snow Leopard are on DVD. After Snow Leopard, they're downloads.

I'm sure there must be a work around to install Snow Leopard from USB when the optical drive is non functional. You need to do some googling to try to find a way.

Here is one such discussion:

Install Snow Leopard w/broken DVD drive - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

thanks. yeah I see the issue now. I think maybe the easiest way will be to buy an old copy of snow leopard and use the install DVD.. this should work using the startup manager boot method ??

 

[chscag]

thanks. yeah I see the issue now. I think maybe the easiest way will be to buy an old copy of snow leopard and use the install DVD.. this should work using the startup manager boot method ??

Yes, it should work okay provided the optical drive in that older machine is still functional. You can find genuine copies of Snow Leopard on eBay. Make sure you buy the retail version. The retail version is white and has a picture of the Snow Leopard on its cover face.

 

[dan_carroll]

Ok next step in this saga ..

I've got hold of the snow leopard dvd which shows up fine in startup manager.. click install, agree to terms etc, then met with this screen (image below):

MAC OSX cannot startup from this disk

Is this because the HD on the iMac needs to wiped before install? I bought the old iMac last year and it was wiped when it came to me as far as I am aware so should already be fresh

thanks

 

[MacInWin]

How is the disc formatted? It should be partitioned in one partition, GUID, then formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled). If it is MBR and not GUID, it won't be bootable.

 

[chscag]

I've got hold of the snow leopard dvd which shows up fine in startup manager.. click install, agree to terms etc, then met with this screen (image below):

It appears from the error message that you do not have the correct Snow Leopard DVD. We told you that you will need the "retail" version of the DVD not a hardware specific version.

 

[dan_carroll]

It appears from the error message that you do not have the correct Snow Leopard DVD. We told you that you will need the "retail" version of the DVD not a hardware specific version.

right yes.. made sure it had snow leopard cover etc etc looked every bit the real thing but guess I got duped

will try again

 

[chscag]

Yeah, it's too bad Apple is no longer offering the DVD for sale on their site. They discontinued selling it late in 2019.

Also check sellers on Amazon. I find that dealing with Amazon is much better than dealing with eBay.

 

[dan_carroll]

Yeah, it's too bad Apple is no longer offering the DVD for sale on their site. They discontinued selling it late in 2019.

Also check sellers on Amazon. I find that dealing with Amazon is much better than dealing with eBay.

ok will do thanks. and before I get one you're sure this is the problem? ie. that the one I have is partitioned wrong? all looks fine & like its going to work until you get to selecting the disk

 

[ferrarr]

Is this what the DVD looks like?



Also, did you go into Utilities first to erase the drive first?

 

[dan_carroll]

Is this what the DVD looks like?

View attachment 33627

Also, did you go into Utilities first to erase the drive first?

yes looks exactly like that, but on closer inspection its a home printed label

I didn't erase the drive but it's in the same state as when I purchased it second hand last year - empty

 

[dan_carroll]

I'm wondering will having the real Mac version of the disk make any difference or is the problem something else... the fake looks and behaves as it should up until selecting the startup disk

 

[chscag]

I'm wondering will having the real Mac version of the disk make any difference or is the problem something else... the fake looks and behaves as it should up until selecting the startup disk

I think you answered your own question. A "home printed label" is a clue that the disk is not genuine.

Whether or not a genuine Apple disk will make a difference is unknown until such a time that you obtain one and try it.

 

[dan_carroll]

probem solved

From the earlier screen where I couldn't select the HD after booting in startup manager, you open disk utility from that page, select the HD, then erase it and set to Mac OS extended. so the non genuine disc works just fine with this method.

thanks for your help anyway

 

[pm-r]

I think you answered your own question. A "home printed label" is a clue that the disk is not genuine.

Whether or not a genuine Apple disk will make a difference is unknown until such a time that you obtain one and try it.

A bit of a challenge to know if the CD is "genuine" or not, but even Apple allowed a user to burn a backup copy for their own use, but maybe the use of Pacifist.app would be able to show what's included or not and the various versions.

Does the Snow Leopard DVD say what version of Mac OS is included, and would it matter for the install to work???


- Patrick
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