Replaced HD with old windows HD and can't install OS

[CosmicBadBoy]

Hey All,

I'm totally new to macs but I recently got a Macbook without a hard drive. I have several old windows hard drives and thought I could use one of them. I orginally reformatted the HD to exFAT and when I booted up the mac it displayed an error.

I then had a friend use there mac and erase the HD which was suppose to format it to HFS+. When I boot it up I get the file folder with a ? I thought I was on the right track.

However when I try and use the CD to install the OS X, it just reboot loops.

Please Help,
Coz

 

[McBie]

What Mac hardware do you have and what CD are you using to install the OS ?

Cheers ... McBie

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

2008-9 Macbook and OS X 10.5.2

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

After messing with it a bit more when it boots up without pressing and keys it shows "Missing Operating System". However when I press "C" to install it constantly reboots still.

 

[McBie]

Are you sure you are using the disks that came with that specific machine ?
What is the colour of the disks ? Grey or black ?

Cheers ... McBie

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

I do not know if this was the disc that came with the machine or not. The disc is grey with white trim.

 

[McBie]

That version of the OS is machine specific, so you can not use a disk that came with type A to install that same OS on a mac of type B.
On the disk there is an indication of the Mac type that it is intended for ( ie. Macbook pro, iMac, etc .... )
You could also contact Apple and ask for a retail version of the OS , I believe the cost is 20$. Such a set of disks can be loaded on any Mac type.

Or it could still be that the disk is damaged or the ( CD/DVD ) disk drive is damaged.

Cheers ... McBie

 

[Exodist]

Hey All,

I'm totally new to macs but I recently got a Macbook without a hard drive. I have several old windows hard drives and thought I could use one of them. I orginally reformatted the HD to exFAT and when I booted up the mac it displayed an error.

I then had a friend use there mac and erase the HD which was suppose to format it to HFS+. When I boot it up I get the file folder with a ? I thought I was on the right track.

However when I try and use the CD to install the OS X, it just reboot loops.

Please Help,
Coz

Ok let me scratch my head here..

2008/9 as per Apple should still be able to boot into a recovery mode by pressing the OPTION key at start up right after the chime. Hold the OPTION key until you are given a screen to choose what disc to boot to.

Ok once you are there, format the newly installed HDD. You will see the options to go into DISC UTILITY mode, do that and you will get your familar application and find your drive, format it for Mac OS Extended.

Once that is complete, then try to install and boot from your install disc.

If you have been installing from the recovery CD/DVD media and instead of starting up, this is because the drive was not formatted correctly. Unlike Windows installer, the Mac installer will not format the drive for a true clean install or repair the boot sector. So you need format the drive in Disc Utility as Mac OS Extended to fix this.


Hope this helps..
Joe

 

[harryb2448]

No Recovery unless using OS X.7 Lion or later.

The gray Leopard DVD will not boot the computer ~ as stated is a model specific whereas you need the full retail install black DVD. When you get a Leopard or even better Snow Leopard DVD, pop it in, reboot, hold dowsn 'C', leave Installer, go to Utilities and erase and format the hard drive Mac OS Extended, back and install the operating system.

Snow Leopard OS X.6 is available for purchase for $20 including postage from Apple Online. Here is a link to Apple Online assuming you are in the USA:=


http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

McBie,

The disk is labeled for Macbook so I'm pretty sure it's what came with it.

Exodist,

When I hold down the Option key 2 things show on the screen:

1 An image of a HD with "Windows" under it

2 An image of a CD with "Mac OS X Install Disk 1" under it

When I double click on either of these nothing happens.

harryb2448,

Thanks I'll look into that if I can't get it operational shortly.

 

[dtravis7]

There should be a sort of Arrow under there Hard Drive and the OSX DVD. You click that and not the image I am pretty sure. That might be why it's not doing anything. Just a stab in the dark but figured I would mention it just in case.

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

dtravis7,

There is an arrow under the HD, but not one under the CD. Hmmm

 

[dtravis7]

Scratch what I said above. Just rebooted to be sure. With the OSX DVD selected there should be an arrow under it. Try hittlng RETURN and see if that does anything.

Just saw your post, you select the DVD by clicking on it and it should highlight and the arrow show under it.. If Clicking does not work try the cursor keys.

 

[CosmicBadBoy]

dtravis7,

I used the cursor key and hit return and it goes back to rebooting and back to "Missing operating system".

I'm nervous about spending $20 and having the same thing happen.

 

[alicepattinson]

Mc OS is way better than Windows but more expensive.

 

[harryb2448]

Lol Windows is often a little dearer than $20.00.

Lash out Bad Boy it is the only thing you can do. Second Hand Leopard DVDs, if you can find a black retail install DVD, will set you back anout $50.00.