Can't even boot from install disc

I appear to have a dead hard drive but was hoping to at least boot up from my Snow Leopard installation DVD to check the internal drive. However, this doesn't appear possible. I've held down the option key at startup to see the list of bootable drives but am presented with nothing. (although I can hear the DVD spin)
Curiously, I tried sticking in a hard drive that I know is ok and WAS able to boot from the DVD!
So why would I not be able to boot from DVD with the other faulty hard drive?

I've heard tell of hard drives that were so badly damaged that they prevented the machine from booting at all. I've never seen it myself and have only rarely heard mention of it, but I believe it can happen. Don't ask me why, though.

Similar Messages

Will Not Boot from Install Disc & 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D - Thermal Sensor?

*Will Not Boot from Install Disc*
I used the "option key" approach with the gray start up disk. At first it ejected the start up disk. Then I nudged the disk back in the machine and it showed on the screen as an option. I clicked on the start up disk image and it finally loaded.
But, it won't accept the start up disk when holding down the "C" key at restart.
*4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D*
I did an Apple Hardware Test and received the following diagnostic:
Version: 3A121
Test Suite: Extended Test
Loop Count: 2
Result: Failed
Failure code: 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D
*Thermal Sensor*
A search for the failure code 4SNS/1/40000000: TG0D brought up an Apple Discussion topic entry stating: That error code indicates a problem with a thermal sensor. It could be not working or possibly not connected. You will need to take it to Apple for repair.
Would a thermal sensor have anything to do with it not starting up when holding down the "C" key at restart? What are thermal sensor problem symptoms?
*User File Folder Opened Up*
The machine also starts up with my user file folder opened up rather than with a blank screen as it normally should
I completed a DiskWarrior rebuild on the disk and verify disk shows it is fine.
Any suggestions on what to do next with these issues?

The answer was in your post: "You will need to take it to Apple for repair."

Replaced hard drive, now can't boot from install disc to restore backup

Yesterday, my hard drive died (disk warrior informed me, that HD had irrecoverable errors, and my iMac would shut down unless it was booted from the Disk Warriorr disc).
Today, I have a new internal HD professionally installed. And when I brought it home, and installed Snow I got an error at the end of the installation "OS could not be installed, restart or choose start up disk" or something to that effect. However, on licking OK I got the snow music, and welcome movie nd eerything seemed to be working fine.
I can log in normally and have get to my desktop, but on trying to boot from the Snow Leopard disk (10.6), I get to the gray screen with the apple logo and hang. I have tried resetting Pram/firmware and also ran the fdisk command (twice).
It seems too much of a concidence that my hard drive and now my disc drive would die all in span of two days? I can hear the disc noise, but as I mentioned I cant get beyond the gray screen on trying to boot from the disc.
Suggestions?
Late Nov '07 intel iMac. And I did update the OS to 10.6.4. Install disc is 10.4.

Return it to the repair station.

Can't boot from Install Disc while trying to isntall a new hard drive...

So last week my macbook 4 froze. I powered it down and when restarting, got the grey screen and apple logo and spinning wheel underneath. After about 3 minutes the machine would just shut off.
I ran the AHT and got this error: 4hdd/11/40000004: SATA(0,0)
Searched around for a bit and the internet's consensus was that my hard drive has failed. I bought a new one today and can't seem to get up and running again.
With the new drive in and the Install Disc in, regular start up get's me the blinking folder.
Starting while pressing C, while pressing D, while doing any other combination just gets me the grey blinking folder with question mark.
When I start with OPTION key, I can see the boot from CD option but after selecting, I just get a plain grey screen. Not really sure where to go from here? Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks

Perhaps the setting on the replacement hard disk drive is not correct
for the computer configuration you are using it in. There are such items
as jumper-pin settings: Master, Slave, auto-detect; and so on.
If the hard disk drive and the optical drive have a similar setting, neither
one could be in a position to do much.
Since I am unfamiliar with the correct settings for your computer, perhaps
someone who has more information and/or experience will reply to this.
Good luck & happy computing!

Mac Pro 2008 won't boot from install disc - black screen

Hello,
I recently purchased a new hard drive to replace the original that came with my Mac Pro 2008. I was able to format the new drive using Disk Utility. I am now at the point where I need to install OS X onto the new drive, but the computer refuses to boot from the disc. The disc is recognized by the computer (I can access the disc and am able to use the BootCamp applications, etc.) but I just get a black screen when trying to boot directly from the disc. The computer boots fine otherwise.
I have tried the following:
I have tried using both the gray install disc that came with the computer and the Snow Leopard Install DVD disc.
I have tried booting using the "C" key and the "option" key but still receive a black screen following the chime (I've held these down for several minutes).
I have tried restarting from either install disc using the Bootcamp Assistant.
I have tried running the installation software to get it to restart from the disc.
I have tried a combination of the drives, i.e. trying to boot from the discs with just the new drive installed, just the original drive installed, and with both in bay1 and 2.
Everything results in the computer starting up, hearing the chime, and then nothing..just black screen. I have the original drive partitioned with BootCamp with OSX Snow Leopard and Windows 7 installed (I don't know that that matters).
I am at a loss as to what to try next. It doesn't seem like the superdrive because it is recognizing the disc, it just won't boot from it.
Any help is appreciated, thank you.

Clone should be a must and easy to do and learn (learn by doing! 2)
6800 would 'qualify' as 5x70 series flashed etc and same rule: 10.6.5
In the past there was 10.4.6, 10.5.6, but not 10.6.6 - even though strong need for such a DVD.
10.6.8 DVD would be excellent
Lion or ML - buy, download, make an installer flash card would be what I would do at this point.
Then keep both - dual boot as you learn and test and see what ML does and waht you had that required Rosetta to support PowerPC. See www.roaringapps.com about that.
With Carbon Coyp Cloner - was share, now commercial, great utility been around since 10.2.2 at least - this time 2003. 10 yrs.
You can clone the system folders, you can even selectively choose. You can skip copy of most of your home account and do that separately to another drive if you want.
Clone Windows with Paragon or WinClone and use Windows 7 or 8 DVD to do a system repair (automatic) or to edit the BCD file. It can and should - and all you do is boot Windows 7 DVD w/ only the one drive present and go at it. Piece of cake. But yes, Windows gets fussy if you change or remove or move. BCD to the rescue. A proper program for cloning like Paragon's "Clone OS" meant for going from disk drives to SSDs, knows that and how to do it.
Back to how to clone etc:
Clone
Disk utility has RESTORE which will also clone your system but not the Lion Recovery partition. Oddly Apple did not 'endorse' making bootable clone of the system which works too but most choose Carbon Copy Cloner - it works more consistently; it allows for smart update of the backup volume. Both can backup to a sparse disk image if desired.
Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
http://www.bombich.com/software/updates/ccc-3.5.html
OS X Lion Install to Different Drive
How to create an OS X Lion installation disc MacFixIt
Migration Assistant Update for Mac OS X Snow Leopard
http://www.apple.com/support/lion/installrecovery/
Create an OS X Lion Install disc
http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20080989-263/how-to-create-an-os-x-lion-ins tallation-disc
How to clone your system:
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html
http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner
http://www.macperformanceguide.com/blog/2012/20120711_2-MacPro-internal-clone-ba ckup.html
The DVD is dependent on your hardware. And your hardware changed. The drivers for the 5780 and 6xxx are bundled in the OS and lacking. Minimum build thing.
Put the new drive anywhere you want. Does not matter. Can move it later. Can be drive bay 0-3 or a Firewire external or under the DVD drive.
When you clone pull the old drive and boot from the newly cloned.
After that keep a backup clone around all the time. Takes less than 10 minutes to do a smart update to copy just the changes to keep it current. So you have working copy of the system. I keep Clone "A" that I keep "as was" the system as of last month or whatever (like 10.7.4 before upgrade to 7.5).
Comes easier after doing it once and have all your ducks in a row.

Booting from Install disc Stalls at strange Mouse & Batteries Screen

Any thoughts/suggestions/answers would be greatly appreciated...
I have my hands on a friends iBook G4 purchased in April 2006. They were having problems with it and decided to wipe the drive and re-install the OS etc.
They got it wiped but could not get thru the installation process due to errors. They assumed it was a scratched install disc, and gave it to me to fix.
Upon receipt, I put in my Tiger (retail, not computer specific version) disc and booted via holding down the 'C' key. Got thru the first grey screen, then thru the grey screen with the grey Apple logo on it, and then up pops a screen I've never seen before; and the process stalls here.
This screen looks like two outline images of the Mighty Mouse from its underbelly. Image one is showing you where to install the batteries, and image two is showing you where to turn it on. And on image two, where the laser is, it's flashing red.
Here's a picture of it @ http://adairnet.com/ss-mac-install-stall-screen.jpg
I couldn't get past this screen so I booted it in Firewire Target Disk Mode into my other computer and used Disk Utility to fully wipe the drive (thinking there may have been some odd file on it causing this issue). That didn't help; when I booted from the Tiger disc again, I stalled at the same spot.
Then I discovered a way past it - it was only by plugging in an old single-button USB clear Apple mouse into the USB port, that caused that screen to go away and proceed to the Tiger installation screen.
I tried this several times, and consistenly, the screen would always come up if no mouse was plugged in, but as soon as I plugged the mouse in, immediately it went away and continued on as normal.
I was able to complete the installation process and everything seems to be working as it should now. I'm just dying to know what this screen was for and why it came up.
Other things to note - even after I have a successful/working OS on the iBook, if I try to boot from any disc containing an OS, I get this same screen/situation.
I did discover the reason the initial install failed was due to bad RAM, which I've replaced and checked and is working fine now.
I've also checked the system with TechTool Protege and found no errors.
Also note that the iBook owner never uses any external or wireless mouse - just the trackpad, and has never experienced any issues with it.
And lastly, to let you know, I did reset/zap the PRAM, did the Open-Firmware resettings, and reset the battery/power-management too without any affect.
Could it be a faulty (or soon to go out) trackpad, disc drive, or USB port? Or something else? Any thoughts?
After searching over 30 pages of search results here, I found a few more posts with similar issues, but as of today (1/2/07), none were resolved...
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3378317
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3298926
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3469463
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3394741
TIA!

i actually had this same issue and called and talked to tech support about it, they transferred me to a product specialist and told me the reason it would do this is the install disk is most likely not the original one that came with the computer
he said that if the install disk is different, it may not recognize the specific trackpad the unit is running since it could be a different build, and will than assume that the computer is using an external mouse. If it than doesnt register the external mouse, it will assume that the mouse just doesnt have any battery power.
it makes sense to me, i also was able to bypass the "error" by using an external USB mouse, and i know my install disks were just the family pack that came from the apple store, so i can only assume thats what could be going on.

Won't boot from install discs after deleting some system files

I've been looking through the forum and haven't found an answer to my problem - maybe someone can help me out.
I have an aluminum Powerbook G4, 1.67, 1.5 RAM, 10.4.11. I was experiencing the problem with FCE capturing video for about 5 minutes and then freezing, and I read some threads here about how this can be fixed by returning to Quicktime 7.2 and installing it with Pacifist. I did this, but first tried to delete my previous Quicktime version files, and obviously I deleted some system files in the process. That's how my new problem started.
Programs now that do not open - Preview, iTunes, iMovie, FCE, Yahoo, Mail, and Microsoft Messenger. I no longer have my date/time/battery level/airport/bluetooth indicators in my toolbar. The Spotlight icon flashes, but will not open. Also, when opening the System Preferences pane, it opens just for a second or two and then crashes and closes. Safari, airport, and Word all work, though, and I still can access internet.
I tried to re-install OS 10.4 from my black install disc. The computer reads the disc, but after I click the installer icon and then "restart," the computer fails to completely reboot. The disc spins in the drive, I get the Apple, the indicator, and then the screen goes to blue and the disc soon stops spinning. Nothing happens after that. I've tried rebooting by holding down the C key but the same happens. When I hold down the option key, I get to the point where I can choose to boot from the install disc, and then the same thing happens - the blue screen and nothing more. Booting with the shift key held down doesn't work either.
I did just have a repair by Apple - my adaptor plug sparked when inserting it into the outlet, and I had to have the logic board replaced. But the computer seemed to be working fine when I got it back, except for the FCE issue first mentioned. Looks like my good intentions have done me in.
The install disc is about three years old, and is in good condition. It's been in the garage, so could heat or cold affect the readability of the disc?
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can boot from my install disc and get a fresh install of my OS?

Hi bboross,
Tough without a Tiger Disk, but try fsck...
To use fsck, you must run it from the command line. Unlike using your mouse to open an application to do something, you'll need to type a text command at the prompt (#) to tell fsck what to do. The Terminal application (/Applications/Utilities) and single-user mode are two examples of command-line interfaces in which you can type such commands. To use fsck:
1. Start up your computer in single-user mode to reach the command line. Hold CMD+s keys down at bootup. Note: If necessary, perform a forced restart as described in the Emergency Troubleshooting Handbook that came with your computer. On desktop computers, you can do this by pressing the reset/interrupt button (if there is one) or holding down the power button for several seconds. On portable computers, simultaneously press the Command-Control-power keys. If your portable computer doesn't restart with this method, you may need to reset the Power Manager.
2. At the command-line prompt, type /sbin/fsck -fy
(space between fsck and -fy important)
3. Press Return. fsck will go through five "phases" and then return information about your disk's use and fragmentation. Once it finishes, it'll display this message if no issue is found: ** The volume (nameofvolume) appears to be OK  If fsck found issues and has altered, repaired, or fixed anything, it will display this message: *** FILE SYSTEM WAS MODIFIED ***   Important: If this message appears, repeat the fsck command you typed in step 2 until fsck tells you that your volume appears to be OK (first-pass repairs may uncover additional issues, so this is a normal thing to do).
4. When fsck reports that your volume is OK, type reboot at the prompt and then press Return.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106214
Then Safe Boot , (holding Shift key down at bootup), & use Disk Utility from there to Repair Permissions, reboot once more.

IMac won't boot from install disc

My iMac has been running a little slow the past two days and so I ran Disk Utility. DU reported that I had the incorrect number of thread records and an invalid volume count. It instructed me to repair the disk by booting from the install disc. The problem is that when I try to boot from the install disc (after I choose the disc from the options), I just get a gray screen with the apple logo on it. Nothing else happens, no disc activity, nothing.
Anyone have any ideas as to how to get my iMac to boot from the disc and, ultimately, to get Repair Disc running from DU?
Thanks,
Rich

It should only take a minute or so at most to boot from the DVD.
If your sure you have the correct Install Disk for that iMac, I'd start over. Then if it still doesn't work then perhaps a trip to your Local Apple Service Provider with the Disk or Disk and iMac is in order.
http://www.apple.com/buy/locator/service/
Alternately using the correct Disk as per the following article, see if you can run the Apple Hardware Test? > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509

Will Not Boot From Install Disc

Upon a Verify Disk check I received a "Volume Header needs minor repair" notice.
Because it is necessary to boot from another disc to repair the header, I attempted to boot from the install disc. I tried restarts holding down the "C" or by selecting the start up disc in System Preferences/Startup Disk. I've tried each of the these several times to no avail. The machine will not start from the install disc. It keeps starting from the machine hard drive.
Are there any other suggestions how to force it to start from a startup disk?

The installer disc problem is still a concern but in the meantime you can try booting to Safe Mode. Run Disk Utility again from Safe Mode and see if it still reports problems. Boot normally afterward.
[Mac OS X: Starting up in Safe Mode|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107393]
[What is Safe Boot, Safe Mode? (Mac OS X)|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107392]
[Safe Boot takes longer than normal startup|http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107394]
[Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5- Computer shuts down during Safe Boot|http://support.apple.com/kb/TA24054]
Safe boot mode runs a directory check command similar to that used by Disk Utility's repair. In Tiger it ignores some stored information (cache) that is normally read that speeds up the boot process, and it moves some other caches to the trash. It also uses only System fonts and disables all Startup Items, third party items, and any Login Items.

My Mac Mini Will Not Boot From Install Disc For Re-Installation

I've tried all (at least the ones I've found) workarounds to get my Snow Leopard Install Disc to boot, but it will not. When the computer boots normally (without the DVD), I can insert the DVD and access it from there. However, when I try to use the utilities on the disc, it requires a reboot that ends up telling me to turn off my computer. I have a Late 2010 Mac Mini and I have yet to try booting from a disc, so I don't know if this is a new problem or an old one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Unplug everything from your computer except a wired keyboard/mouse and the monitor. If your Mini still won't boot from the install DVD try resetting the PRAM and SMC.
Intel-based Macs: Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM
If that doesn't fix the problem remove any RAM (if you upgraded) and replace with the Mini's original RAM. There is also this document you might want to read, Mac OS X: Gray screen appears during startup.
If that all fails I would take the Mini to the Apple store. It should still be under warranty if you bought it late last year.

Booting from Install Disc

This seems like such a simple question, but for the life of me I couldn't get it to work. I was helping a friend with her new MacBook Pro and tried doing a CD boot from the Install disc. The computer booted fine, but immediately went into the installer, and I could find no way to exit the installer without shutting down. How can I do a straight CD boot from the discs that come with Leopard and not run the installer (or at least how do I boot and then exit the installer) so that I can access other programs, run disc utilities, etc?
Thanks!

lowbarprods wrote:
I should have been clearer. Running disc utility was only an example. There are other programs I need to run from the hard drive, but only after a CD boot. How do I exit the installer and access the hard drive?
you can't, not easily. That's not what the install DVD is for. It provides a very limited version of the OS and all the apps you can run are in the Utilities menu.
according to this[macosx hint|http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20071105135450731&query=insta ller%2Bapplications] you can run some apps from your hard drive while booted into the installer but I haven't tried that and I'm quite sure that most things won't run because of the absence of required frameworks.

Can't boot from install disc after new RAM & SSD install

I decided to breathe some new life in to my 2007 2.2GHz MacBook by:
-upgrading the RAM to 4gb w/Centon memoryPOWER 2GB DDR2-667 PC2-5300 CL5 SO-DIMM Laptop Memory Module
-replace the HDD with a SSD (Samsung 840 Pro-Series MZ-7PD128BW 128GB SATA 6.0Gb/s 2.5" Internal Solid State Hard Drive).
-Also going from Leopard to Snow Leopard after the hardware upgrade, then possibly Lion/Mountain Lion...
What I've already done:
1. Backed up my hard drive using time machine, did not clone
2. Using the install disc/Disc Utility, I erased my old hard drive completely (Hope that wasn't a huge mistake!)
3. Replaced the previous 2gb (1x1gb) with the new 2x2gb RAM sticks
4. Swapped out the HDD with the SSD
When I went to boot the machine, all I get is a black screen. I can hear the optical drive spin for a while, then stop. Screen remains completely black. I have tried using C while starting as well as Control - same result. So, I put the old (erased) HDD back in and again got the same result. I didn't have time to put the old RAM back in and try again before work this morning and intend to tonight. Based on that, maybe my RAM isn't compatible even though the specs look to be...? But, does anyone know if the components I am using are not compatible? or did I totally screw up by erasing the old Drive prior to confirming this would work? Am I missing something else?
Any help would be MUCH appreciated!

I was finally able to get it done using my old RAM, so that must be the weak link. I'm going to try to return the RAM I bought and try a different brand. Thanks For the response!

Can't Boot From Install Disc 1 ?

Holding down "C" at Start Up isn't working.
Most of the time I can't get Preferences > Start-Up to even "see" my Disc 1.
When I can get it to show up in Start-Up, and Select it, and Lock it ... it Still Won't Start Up from the Install Disc 1 ... and in fact usually ejects the disc.
Sometimes when I re-push in the disc, I get the message that a Blank Disc has been detected, "what do you want to do with it."
But, it shows up in Disc Utility, and when I run Verify Disc, it all looks good?!
The Disc has Mac OS version 10.4.8 on it. I'm running 10.5.7. I'm all up to date with my software.
Yesterday I ran the latest version of Disc Warrior. When I run TechTools 4.0 it seems to get stuck running Files. When I run Repair Permissions from Disc Utilities, it shows a fairly massive amount of issues. Running it over and over again doesn't seem to make any difference.
I WANT to run my Install Disc so I can run Repair Disc from Disc Utility ... because I'm having a number of issues ... and I seem to get the spinning rainbow a lot.
SUGGESTIONS ?! ... thanks ...

Disk Utility that can repair a 10.5.7 permissions is only found on the Leopard installer disc. Tiger can't repair Leopard when it comes to permissions, and may also have difficulty with the directory.
Secondly, if your MacBook Pro was purchased after October 26, 2007, it can't boot from any Tiger disc.
If your MacBook Pro was purchased prior, you can use the disk, but you'll want to follow these directions for hardware diagnostics:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303081
Only if your MacBook Pro has Tiger installed, should you use Tiger for the directory or permissions*:
http://www.macmaps.com/directoryfaq.html
Macs can only boot from the operating system that shipped with them, and newer retail operating systems. This means:
1. pre-October 1st, 2007 MacBook Pros can boot off:
- - the discs that shipped with them
- - retail 10.5 discs which look like * that do not say Upgrade, DropIn, or OEM.
2. October 1st through October 25, 2007 can do #1, and also use Upgrade and DropIn discs. Those disks were offered as a limited time mail order Up to date program, some were dropped in the box that came with them.
3. October 26th through November 14, 2007 can boot off the discs that came with them, and retail 10.5.1, 10.5.4, and 10.5.6 discs that do not say Upgrade, DropIn, or OEM, and have a label like the image above.
4. November 15, 2007 through June 29, 2008 can boot off the discs that came with them, and the retail 10.5.4, and 10.5.6 discs that do not say Upgrade, DropIn, or OEM, and have a label like the image above.
5. June 30, 2008 through December 14, 2008 can boot off the discs that came with them, and the retail 10.5.6 discs that do not say Upgrade, DropIn, or OEM, and have a label like the image above.
6. December 15, 2008 and later MacBook Pros can only boot off the discs that came with them.
Presumably when Snow Leopard comes out in September, all of the above will be able to use Snow Leopard because of the specs on http://www.apple.com/macosx/specs.html
- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.
Message was edited by: a brody

Just replaced my hard drive. Can't boot from install disc.

Hello all. I just bought a powerbook (1ghz) from a person I work with. The hard drive was not working and she did not want it anymore. I paid her for the computer and bought a new hard drive. With the new hard drive installed, I can not get it to read from the combo drive. I kept trying to boot to the install disc and it kept ejecting the dvd. Then I tried to boot to the hardware test.....still no luck. Then the combo drive started making a very loud noise and now it is not spinning and will not eject my disc. Any thoughts?
thanks in advance.
PowerBook G4 12" 1ghz

As a first step, I would have triple checked all the connections from the optical drive inside the powerbook.. but it's not unheard of for the drives to just die.
You can install MacOS X onto the system via an external firewire DVD drive (Firewire only, not USB2.0), or you can put the system into Firewire Target Disk Mode (hold down T as soon as you hear the startup sound), plug it into another Mac, and run the installer on that system, or you can buy a new DVD drive (such as the Pioneer K06 for around $100, or have a look in the drive compatibility database at xlr8yourmac.com).
I hope you got the Powerbook for a good price...

Computer doesn't boot. can't boot from install discs

my quicksilver g4 running on os 10.3.9 has been booting up very, very slowly and once booted running slowly as well. so i was able to verify & repair permissions. however then the computer wouldn't boot up from the boot drive at all. i tried booting up from the install discs but when i tell it to boot up from the install disc it keeps returning to the installation menu. none of my installation discs (3) actually say on the label that they can booted from so i'm wondering if they're bootable. i try to run disk utility but it says it reading configuration for a very long time and never goes anywhere. i was able to run the hardware tests and it tells the video ram test failed with error code disp/13/2. can anyone shed some light on this mess? thanks.

Hi! The video card failed test could be the result of the machine having a different card than the stock one that came in it or it could mean it's actually bad. The install discs are bootable by definition "IF" they are the correct ones for that machine. Retail OSX install discs are bootable but machine specific discs are only bootable on specific machines. The slow boot could be a bad hard drive. I would unhook the hard drive and try booting from the install disc to see if it will boot that way. Hold the "c" key down at startup with the disc inserted. Tom

Can't even boot from install disc

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