Error: "install failed mac os x could not be installed on your computer"

Wanted to post an error I repeatedly got in case anyone else out there has the same issue. Went to do a snowleopard (10.6) upgrade and clean install on a mac pro (coming from 10.5). After about the "26 minutes left" mark I repeatedly got the following error:
"install failed mac os x could not be installed on your computer
the installer could not copy the necessary support files
click restart to restart your computer and try installing again"
i searched a bunch for this and could not find any definitive answers or help.
the log file was very vague, referring to errors writing package(s).
at first i thought it was a bad DVD drive as it was making a bunch of noise and taking a long time to boot. So i went and purchased a new DVD drive and successfully installed it. nope, same issue. then i pulled out all of my 3rd party RAM. nope. then i tried swapping the RAM into different configurations, nope.
after many many hours of various methods and re-partitioning, etc, just for the heck of it i replaced the harddrive, and it worked!
So, for those of you out there who get this error, try troubleshooting your hardware, try swapping your harddrive.

You should be able to install Mac OS X 10.7 or later on your 2011 MacBook Pro without issue, if it came with 10.6.3 as your signature suggests.  Mind you, any 2011 MacBook Pro must use the original 10.6 installer disc labelled MacBook Pro if it desires to have 10.6 installed on it.   The retail installer disc will not work on that model, nor will one from another age MacBook Pro, or other model labelled installer.  Also
10.7 came both on USB Flash drive and Mac App Store installer versions.   Both required either 10.6.6 minimum be pre-installed, or no Mac OS X operating system on the drive or partition it was to be installed on.
10.7.1 through 10.7.5 combo could be installed only once 10.7 had been installed.  A combo update is available for installing on top of any version of 10.7.  Otherwise only the preceding version could be updated to the next.
10.8 came only on Mac App Store installer.  It is available only to 10.6.8 and later users.
10.8.1 to 10.8.5 combo could be installed only once 10.8 had been installed.  A combo update is available for installing on top of any version of 10.8.  Otherwise only the preceding version could be updated to the next.
10.9 came only on Mac App Store installer. It is available only to 10.6.8 and later users.
Both 10.9 and 10.9.1 had a serious security vulnerability, which only 10.9.2 addressed.
10.9.2 combo could be installed only once 10.9 had been installed. 
For all three Mac App Store releases, the partition to be installed on had to be GUID partition formatted according to Apple Disk Utility.

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    Message was edited by: punk100
    Message was edited by: punk100

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