Mac os x cannot start up from this disk

I have a 2008 MacBook Air which runs Leopard. I want to upgrade to Snow Leopard and then Lion. I have the Snow Leopard family pack disk and try to do the install but it say 'Mac OS X cannot start up from this disk' and shows a yellow triangle with a !
I went to the genius bar and they told me to put the Snow Leopard disk in the superdrive and restart holding down C and it would then work - but it did not. I also saw on a forum about using disk utility and partion and resizing the partition then putting it back as it was originally and then re trying but I get the same message.
Anybody got any ideas?

Saw an article by Topher Kessler: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-10330520-263.html
The extract from that article below worked for me.
Note when I first resized the partion (comment above) I did not 'apply', this time I did and then resized back to the original full size and hit 'apply' again. Although when the install starts it shows the size of the partion to be the smaller (temporary) size, it is not and the install completes with no issues.
Boot from the Snow Leopard DVD and select your language. Then launch "Disk Utility" from the "Utilities" menu and perform the following steps:
Select your boot device (the device above the boot volume name), and select the "Partition" tab.
Resize the partition by selecting the volume name in the rectangular volume representation and drag the bottom-right corner of it to change its size.
Click "Apply" to change the partition's size.
Revert the change by dragging the same resizing corner back to the bottom, and click "apply."
After this is done, quit out of Disk Utility and try installing Snow Leopard again. Since you are booted from the Snow Leopard DVD you should be able to continue immediately without having to reboot your system.
Hope this helps others. Thanks Topher!

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Solution: mac os x cannot start up from this volume

I purchased a new WD 300GB SATA drive recently to replace a failing OEM 250GB drive in a G5 tower. I installed the new drive and ran the 10.4.3 Installer DVD. I opened Disk Utility, selected the new drive, clicked the Erase tab, etc., etc. Went back to the Installer, saw an error: "You cannot install OS X on this volume. Mac OS X cannot start up from this volume."
Long story short, it appears that sometimes Disk Utility doesn't actually correctly format the drive. The key thing to look for is that if you go to Disk Utility and select the physical drive volume, then hit Get Info, under Partition Type it will say "FDiskpartitionscheme," even though it claims to be formatted Mac OS Extended, Journaled. The Installer will reject any disks not listed as "Applepartitionscheme."
The solution is to go back into Disk Utility and try different methods of reformatting (select the physical drive, select the logical volume, Erase, Partition, etc.) until you get "Applepartitionscheme." Then it should work fine.

To install Panther, you need the retail install version CDs (black with silver X). I suspect you are trying to use a model specific version or upgrade version (gray), that won't work.
When you formatted the new drive, did you check to install the OS 9 drivers? The drivers need to be installed if you want to be able to boot OS 9.x. If you just want to be able to run in classic mode, the drivers are not necessary.
If OS X has never been installed on your Mac, you need to check if your Mac requires a firmware (Boot ROM version in System Profiler) update. Mac OS X: Available firmware updates
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117 If an update is required, the update must be installed (using OS 9) BEFORE you install OS X.
 Cheers, Tom

Upgrade "Mac os x cannot start up from this volume"

I'm trying to upgrade my tiger installation with leopard, but I get the message "Mac os x cannot start up from this volume". It is the internal disk and I have a Linux install too on that disk. Earlier I used Refit but I have removed it. Do I have to repartition? Partiontabel is GUID-partiontable in diskutil.

sigge44 wrote:
I'm trying to upgrade my tiger installation with leopard, but I get the message "Mac os x cannot start up from this volume". It is the internal disk and I have a Linux install too on that disk. Earlier I used Refit but I have removed it. Do I have to repartition? Partiontabel is GUID-partiontable in diskutil.
Removing an app or bootloader like rEFIt or OS such as Linux does not ensure that the drive is back to where it was before you installed these programs.
Even having a partition for TechTools eDrive will cause problems.
First I would run DU and check/repair your HD and then run a file permission verify/repair and zap the PRAM.
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"You Cannot Install OS X on This Disk. OS X cannot start up from this disk".

Hey, I am running Lion on a Macbook Air 2010 model and i recently bought Mountain Lion through the MAC App Store. ive had problems installing it as i cant install it onto my Macintosh HD (startup Disk). Ive opened the ML installer and its rebooted my mac into the installer Menu, but when it goes to install, it stops and says You Cannot Install OS X on This Disk. OS X cannot start up from this disk." i want to be able to install ML overwriting Lion on my MacintoshHD (startup drive), are there any solutions that can fix this problem?

Glad to hear it!
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I bought a new "2.0 certified" cable and it worked fine. The first two attempts resulted in re-installs.
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sigge44 wrote:
I'm trying to upgrade my tiger installation with leopard, but I get the message "Mac os x cannot start up from this volume". It is the internal disk and I have a Linux install too on that disk. Earlier I used Refit but I have removed it. Do I have to repartition? Partiontabel is GUID-partiontable in diskutil.
Removing an app or bootloader like rEFIt or OS such as Linux does not ensure that the drive is back to where it was before you installed these programs.
Even having a partition for TechTools eDrive will cause problems.
First I would run DU and check/repair your HD and then run a file permission verify/repair and zap the PRAM.
I would then suggest backing up Tiger and Linux with clones and completely erasing the HD using the full (not quick) erase and then installing Leopard and migrating your Tiger material back.

Can't Install Leopard "Cannot Start up from this volume"

I have 10.4.10 currently installed on my MacBook (120GB aftermarket HD).
HD works fine and is properly partition/formatted and working just fine in 10.4 (GUID partition, journaled, etc). Ran repair permission/disk to be safe and it checked out ok.
10.5 installer loads up ok but when I get the list of drives to install to my HD has a red exclaimation on it and when I try and select it I get the message "You cannot install Mac OS X on this volume. Mac OS X cannot start up from this volume."
I have no problems running 10.4 on that volume and I don't want to reformat unless I am 100% sure it will fix the problem.

Since nobody replied after 26 views I assumed nobody wanted to help me.
So I ended up reformatting my HD to the same options it currently had and that fixed it. SO I am starting to do the install now.
Thanks to the 26 people who viewed it and didn't offer any help.

"Install Mac OS X" cannot be used from this volume

Hello,
I have a first generation MacBook, and the CD-R drive doesn't always function reliably anymore. So recently I've taken to putting my mom's iMac into Target Disk mode for installing software.
Normally this works just fine. However, this evening I tried to do this for installing Snow Leopard and cannot. What happens is:
1) I connect the 2 computers with FireWire and put the iMac in Target Disk mode.
2) I insert the Snow Leopard disc and double-click on the "Mac OS X Install DVD" icon on my desktop
3) I double-click on "Install Mac OS X"
It is at that point that I receive this message:
The application "Install Mac OS X" cannot be used from this volume.
I searched the forum here, but actually didn't find this exact question. Any help will be very appreciated!
Jim

Try following these steps instead:
1) Insert the Install DVD into the machine with a working disc drive.
2) Power off both machines, and connect them with a Firewire cable.
3) Start the machine with the DVD inside in Target Disk Mode.
4) When the Firewire symbol appears on that machine, boot the other with the Option key held down.
5) Choose the Install DVD from the list of options, then proceed with the install.
That should work for you.
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~Lyssa

The application "install mac os x" cannot be used from this volume

I have an older 2008 macbook, with leopard, I am trying to download snow leopard and when i try to install I keep getting the message, "the application "install mac os x" cannot be used from this volume". Can someone please help

There is no way to download the upgrade to Snow Leopard.
What you are downloading are updates.
In order for the update to work your Mac must have Snow Leopard installed first.
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That's the message I get on an iMac dual 2-GHz. Each partition has a yellow '!' with the message "MacOs X cannot start up from this [volume]" (I think it says volume) not 'cannot be installed on this..."
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TimDanaher wrote:
"MacOs X cannot start up from this [volume]" (I think it says volume) not 'cannot be installed on this..."
Trouble is, it says this about the current 10.4.11 start-up volume. Is this a GUID partition map thing?
That's easy to test. Launch Disk Utility, select that drive (not volume) in the column on the left, and look for "Partition Map Scheme" at the bottom of the window.
Any ways around it?
If it's not already GUID, you'll need to repartition the drive. That will erase everything on it.

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If you still cannot boot to your install disk, try resetting your SMC by turning the computer off, disconnecting it from AC, removing its battery, pressing and holding the power button for 5 - 7 seconds, then letting go. Reconnect battery and AC, try booting to the disk again.
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Repairing disk problems - cannot start up from Install Disk!

Tiger version 10.4.10
I need to repair the startup disk. I have gone through the usual routines (holding down 'c', changing startup disk in system + attempting to change the startup disk using Utilities on the Install disk). On startup the Install Disk is by passed and the disk I want to repair effects the start up instead.
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Regards - Pete S

Hi There
To repair the hard drive without the install disk you can do the following. Hold down the command + S keys at startup until you see a black screen with white text. Once the screen has fully loaded type fsck -f. Note the space between the k and -.
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I am trying to upgrade from Tiger to Snow Leopard. When I insert the disk and install starts, it states "This disk is used for Time Machine backups" and Mac OSX can't be installed. Does anyone know how to correct this (since Tiger doesn't have Time Mach

I am trying to upgrade from Tiger to Snow Leopard. When I insert the disk and install starts, it states "This disk is used for Time Machine backups" and Mac OSX can't be installed. Does anyone know how to correct this (since Tiger doesn't have Time Machine)?

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2986

Adobe Bridge CC cannot obtain files from this device.

I am getting this error message when I attempt to upload videos to my Mac from my Canon 7D:
Adobe Bridge CC cannot obtain files from this device. Please be sure the device is properly plugged in and the battery is full charged.
Battery is full charged and camera is connected properly. I have restarted the camera, Bridge, and the computer as well. I tried reinstalling Bridge and it allowed me to upload 3 of the video files. Then the error message came back. There were a few RAW images on the camera that I was able to upload, but when I tried the video again I got the error message. I read a post about renaming the folder that you are saving to as a fix. I tried that as well, but it did not work.
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This excerpt is from a long-gone post by author Bruce Fraser:
Bruce Fraser - 4:17pm Jun 14, 04 PST (#5 of 21) Opening files directly from the camera is a bad idea for a variety of reasons*, and it most certainly isn't faster than using a FireWire or USB2 card reader.
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• runs the risk of wearing out the camera's connector,
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"Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer." New Hard Drive.

I have just bought a new Seagate Hard Drive and I want to install Mac OS X 10.5 on it. My MacBook is from the days of Tiger, but I have since upgraded to Leopard using the upgrade discs that Apple gave out.
My next door neighbor has a brand new MacBook, so I borrowed her "Mac OS X Install Disc 1" which has a lovely copy of 10.5.2 on it. I put the drive into my computer and partitioned a Mac OS X Volume (Journaled).
THE PROBLEM:
When I then try to boot from the Install Disc 1 and install Leopard, the computer says "Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer."
Need a solution. Thanks in advance.
PS - I would use my install discs but they are at home in another part of the country.

Well, Apple would probably point out that what you are trying to do violates the EULA.
Technically speaking, however, the issue is that the install/restore DVDs that ship with Macs do not carry all the drivers, or even all of the various versions of libraries that support all of the various models of Macs. The come-with-your-Mac disks are different than the retail versions of the OS (also, the come-with-your-Mac ones bundle iLife, which the retail ones don't).
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Your friend has a different model of Mac, with different hardware, so her install/restore disk won't work in yours. Solution: go get the retail boxed version of Leopard.

Trying to install Leopard on my 2005 Mac Mini. It keeps telling me "Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer." Thoughts?

So I happened to receive a 2005 Mac Mini from my father that was running Ubuntu. Now I'd like to switch it back over to OS X. However, I boot up on the Leopard install disk to install it and it tells me that Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer. I've erased the hard drive as a Mac OS (Journaled). Any ideas?

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Mac os x cannot start up from this disk

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