Cannot install OS on new hard drive - late '09 MBP

I have a late '09 MBP. Hard drive died, so I replaced it. I've been trying to install 10.6 from the Install DVD but have had no luck. I've held the c-key down while it has booted several times only to see the flashing question mark folder every time. I've also tried holding down the option-key while it has booted, which gave just a white screen. Any ideas on what I'm doing wrong?

CFJC,
do you mean that you have a Mid 2009 MacBook Pro? (Apple didn’t make a Late 2009 model.) Is it a 13-inch, 15-inch, or 17-inch model?
Are you using your grey Mac OS X Install DVD, or are you using the white retail Snow Leopard DVD?
If you’re using your grey Mac OS X Install DVD, are you certain that that disc goes with your particular model MacBook Pro? The grey installation DVDs are model-specific, and one which was made for another model won’t work with your model. On the lower-left “corner” of your Mac OS X Install DVD will be an identifying code of the form
2Z691-something-A
What is the value of that something on your disc?
Are you able to run your Apple Hardware Test by booting from your grey Applications Install DVD? If that also doesn’t work, then either you have the wrong pair of grey installation DVDs for your model, or your SuperDrive isn’t working.

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Cannot install Tiger on new hard drive ???!!!

I bought a Samsung 250GB hard drive from MCE Technologies and had it installed by an authorized "Mac Repair Center". When I then tried to install Tiger from the OSX install discs that came with my MacBook Pro, I got the error when trying to select the hard drive: "Cannot install OSX on this volume. OSX cannot be booted from this volume."
I then booted the computer using my old hard drive connected via USB2 and used SuperDuper to copy all its content to the new internal hard drive and made it bootable. Now the computer is able to boot using the new hard drive. It seems rater slow though (not just booting but also working afterwards) and I cannot install Bootcamp. It gives me an error that I should reformat this hard drive and reinstall Osx, which is exactly what I can't do. Does anyone have an idea why my original MacBook Pro OSX Install Disc doesn't work anymore (I assume altered computer configuration...) and how I could do a fresh install of OSX onto the new hard drive anyway ?
Thanks a lot for your help!!

When I then tried to install
Tiger from the OSX install discs that came with my
MacBook Pro, I got the error when trying to select
the hard drive: "Cannot install OSX on this volume.
OSX cannot be booted from this volume."
At this point, I would have recommended that you run Disk Utility from the installation disk and reformat the drive as Mac Extended (Journaled).
Open Disk Utility, click on the name of your drive to the left and check the format at the bottom. What does it say?
Matt

I need to deactivate this copy of Acrobat X to install on a new hard drive.

I need to deactivate this copy of Acrobat X to install on a new hard drive. When I click on help, there os no Deactivate or Activate. Wjat do I do?

I do not know. I have a serial/key number for the software. Can I
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Mavericks will not install on brand new Hard Drive

Trying to install Mavericks to a brand new internal 2TB Samsung SATA 3.0 HD on a 3-yr old 12 Core Mac Pro system that was running Mnt Lion just fine. After multiple failures upgrading the Mnt Lion disk to Mavericks. Decided to just use a brand spankin' new hard drive and do a clean install of Mavericks. Now during the install to the NEW DRIVE, getting error message "Mavericks cannot be installed." Then I reboot and try to force the continuation of the install, doing this repeatedly, and I sometimes get a error log instead of a just an error message. Error log says: Thread 34 Crashed:: Dispatch queue: com.apple.root.high-priority. Then the 1st line listed under that is: 0 libsystem_platform.dylib 0x000000010fa5a06a _platform_memmove$VARIANT$Nehalem + 138. If anybody knows what any of that means?
Thanks.

Without the full listing of the trace I can't be sure, however it would look more like a bonafide logic board or memory error rather than the HD that's causing the problem. The low level drivers on Mavericks have obviously changed (otherwise it wouldn't be a different OS version) and possibly they're exposing a lack of performance in your memory. The actual Mavericks install may not be the problem, but rather being corrupted during installation. In the line you quoted, Nehalem is the Intel name for your CPU, the memmove operation failed (move blocks of memory contents from point A to point B) and they shared library containing this was in the system library....sort of critical stuff.
You could try the following:
Re-seat the RAM and try again.
Try an old OS installation and see if it succeeds (Snow Leopard, Lion, Mountain Lion, etc)
Try an install to an external enclosure
If re-seating the RAM does the trick, then you're set.
If it doesn't, then install an older OS to see if they work OK. If older OSes work OK using the internal drive and you have after market memory in the system, it would imply to me that the memory probably isn't quite up to snuff and Mavericks is exposing it. If it's original memory then it should be OK.
If the older OSes now don't install correctly and it's giving similar problems try doing the install in an external enclosure. The point here being to try to move your data path off the internal SATA cable. If these install OK, try it with Mavericks. If any of these work it could be the SATA cable or I/O controllers on the logic board (SATA cable most likely). A good reference for these sorts of problems is:
Bad Hard Drive Signs and Symptoms
Possibly a last option, which I would think (or hope) would be rare, would be that the binary for Mavericks install got corrupt during download. You could also try some of the resets they have in the linked document above. They might work and it doesn't take any effort.
Good Luck

Having trouble installing and configuring new hard drive

I bought a larger (320GB) Hitachi hard drive for my T61, to replace the 100GB that came with the computer. I had no touble making the physical installation, but can't boot up and use the new drive. I:
--used Acronis software (True Image 11 and Disk Director) to partition the new drive. The new partitions are proportionately larger than on the old drive.
--copied files from my original HD to the new one.
--tried, unsuccessfully, to boot up from the new drive.
--tried Thinkvantage software, but it wouldn't (1) recognize any external drives (USB HDD or my backup drive, also an external); (2) let me change the order of my boot devices (I get a synbtax-challenged message: "All items on this menu cannot be modified in user mode...[C]onsult your system supervisor." Well, *I'm* the "system supervisor," and I still can't get the program to let me edit the boot order).
I have tried to boot the new drive from original OS software (XP Pro), with no success. Same deal with Acronis's emergency book disk. At the moment, I'm letting Thinkvantage reformat and (maybe) reinstall everything that was originally on the factory computer. Whether it'll actually do this on a new and larger hard drive, I guess I'll eventually find out. If it works, I'll then try to restore my real files with Acronis.
Has anybody else had to deal with this exciting sequence of events?
--Fred Powledge

Lets start afresh. First do you want an XP or Vista system on your new hard drive? Do you know if the recovery disks you got with your system are for the operating system you want on the new drive?
If you bought a Vista machine with XP downgrade Vista will be preinstalled on the system and it gets delivered with XP recovery disks. The opposite can also be true the machine is delivered with XP installed and with Vista recovery disks. Iin both cases if you want to upgrade to a new hard disk on the preinstalled operating system you must first yourself burn recovery disks for the preinstalled system. Start -- All programs -- Thinkvantage -- Create Product Recovery Media, first disk must be CD the last two can be DVDs.
When you are sure you have the right set of recovery disks XP or Vista, boot from them and let them format the disk. They will automatically install the service partition and use all the remaining space of the new hard drive for the C partition. When I think about it even for Vista on the T61 there will be only two partitions C: and a hidden partition for the RnR service partition. The S and Q partitions only apply to the new T400/500 -- I should not have mentioned them.
If its the recovery disks that were delivered with the machine that are the right one for the op sys you want on the new hard drive and they dont produce a bootable system -- call Lenovo support and get new ones.
The details for Acronis I can't help you with -- I used my Windows home server backup when I restored my C: partitions on the new hard drives both on my T500 and my T42. Just be careful you dont mix up which is the old and new C: partition so you dont destroy the C. partition on the old hard disk by mistake. But as long as you don't point Acronis to the old hard disk the worst that can happen is you have to rerun the restore to factory settings on the new drive once more.
T500: Vista 32, 2.8GHz, 4GB RAM, 15.4" 1680x1050, 500GB 7200rpm, ATI Radeon HD3650 + Intel 4500MHD. T42: XP, 1.7GHz, 2GB RAM, 14.1" 1024x768, 250GB PATA, ATI Radeon 7500.

Installing Software on new hard drive

I have a mac book pro mid 2009.Its hard drive died .I replaced it with a new Seagate Momentus hard drive. I have a installation CD that came with the laptop.
I installed new drive. Started laptop with installation CD. It is asking me where to install the programe, in this window it is not seeing my hard drive. But when I go to Disk Utility, it is showing me new hard drive. At the bottom in this window it is saying unfomatted hard drive . I tried formating with single Partion. It is saying " cannot allocate memory. I am stuck here any help will me appreciated

Try powering up, pushing in the dic holding the C key, this will make the machine boot from the disc.
Then select your language, click contine to the next screen, in the menubar click on utilities/disk utility. Hight light the Seagate drivr in the left column, click the erase tab, format it Mac OS Extended (Journaled) Name it (Macintosh HD is the usual default name and click erase. When it finishes, quit disk utilities, eject the disk, shut down.
Power back up put in the disc and follow the prompts for an install.
Hope this helps

Install to brand new Hard Drive

13" MacBook Pro would no longer boot (2010 model). Took into the Apple store and they tell me the hard drive is fried.
I bought a new hard drive, replaced it and held 'c' down during boot to load from the install DVD that came with the system when I bought it.
I'm now forever stuck at the gray Apple logo with the gray swirly circle below it. Can hear the DVD spin up and down over and over - doesn't go anywhere.
Can anyone tell me what's going on here and why I can't boot off this DVD to install the OS to this brand new hard drive?

I have done both. When I hold down the "C" key it pauses for a few seconds while the cd spins and then the flashing folder icon appears.
Could be you have the wrong cd/dvd. The mac will only boot a supported cd/dvd for your machine. The flashing question mark indicdates your machine could not find a valid os.
When I hold down the "option" key for the startup manager the cursor comes up and moves but the actually manager doesn't come up no matter how long I leave the laptop on.
Not sure. Could be your machine does not support the startup manager. You would think the machine would ignore the key.
Where did you get the dvd? What is the number on the DVD?
What machine do you have anyway?
This site provides more information, but lacks security.
"A serial number is a unique, identifying number or group of numbers and letters assigned to an individual piece of hardware or software. It's used for various things depending on the product / brand but what is your Mac's serial number for and more importantly... what is it hiding and what can it do for you ?"
http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php
or
This site provides more information, but lacks security too.
"A serial number is a unique, identifying number or group of numbers and letters assigned to an individual piece of hardware or software. It's used for various things depending on the product / brand but what is your Mac's serial number for and more importantly... what is it hiding and what can it do for you ?"
http://www.appleserialnumberinfo.com/Desktop/index.php
http://www.chipmunk.nl/klantenservice/applemodel.html
( hint by K Shaffer )

Can't Install OS on new Hard Drive

I just got a brand new iMac G5 with a bad Hard Drive. Apple sent a new hard drive but after I installed it I can't install the OS 10.4. I ran Disk First Aid and it says Invalid extent entry, Volume check failed, ERROR: The underlying task reported failure on exit, 1 HFS volume checked, 1 volume could not be repaired because of an error. I also can not run the Apple Care disc because I have a wireless mouse. I have installed no hardware upgrades.

Like Mike said, erase fixes that type of error a lot of times. I have also had a lot of success using a program called DiskWarrior. It rebuilds the directory files and usually fixes errors like that without data loss.

Why won't my edited RAW images show after a LR re-install onto a new Hard Drive?

Hi there. Recently my hard drive took a (hike) and crashed - data may or may not be recoverable (Geeks are working on that), and I needed to reinstall my CS5 and Lightroom software to a new hard drive (I had to buy a new one). All of my RAW photos are stored on an external drive and were not harmed, thankfully. Here is my dilemma. Most of the presets I used also went crashing with that hard drive, (yes I believe they were backed up but also on that hard drive...stupid I know-trust me I know!!) but most of them were the free ones from the adobe recommended users on this site. I actually found many of my favorites still posted on the Adobe site and re-downloaded and installed the presets I'd been using the past year and a half, and imade sure those presets were housed properly in their folder via Preferences in Lightroom. Great. I can continue on with my work. WRONG! When I went to go import a recent shoot that I had already edited, it imported the RAW files but none of the previous edits I had worked on for these photos were showing up...it was as if I didn't even touch them and they came right from my camera. What in the world is going on? I'm baffled...and freaking out as I have thousands upon thousands of edited shoots in RAW, and I fear that none of the edits and enhancements made to those photos are going to be present and I'll have to start over. Please tell me that all of my last 2 years of editing photos are still with the RAW files?!!!
I found a deal on a an HP Intell Core i7 processor) 2 TB hard drive tower, so I ended up needing to install the 64 bit versions of CS5 and Lightroom 3.6.
I did test out the RAW (.NEF) file in Photoshop CS5 and my edited RAW image came up "correctly" - so I know that the information is still with the RAW image...I just need it to work and show in lightroom, as it is easier to export the files to the sizes I need them to be.
Please be kind in your replies...I appreciate any help/guidance I can get on this. Plus the photos I need are for Seniors graduating in a few months here so you can imagine the panic mode is just a bit higher than normal. Many thanks.

The default location for the backups created by Lightroom on exit is in the same folder as the catalog itself (i.e. that would be on the same faulty drive). It is, however, possible to redirect those backups to a different destination, such as a different hard drive.....but only you know if you did that or not. Do you have any other backups, e.g. drive level backups?
Just to be clear, if you are importing afresh into a new catalog from Raw files that do have XMP sidecar files, you should see the final edited state from the previous catalog, but you won't see the individual history steps that got you there (as that's one of the things that are not included when you write XMP data from within Lightroom). If there is no XMP sidecar, you'll just get the original OOC image.

Can't install(format?) new hard drive

I recently purchased a Wetern Digital Scorpio 250GB PATA HD for my Toshiba M35X-S114. This was the drive recommened on the Toshiba Laptop Accessories page. I physically instaled the new drive but can't figure out how to get it started. I used the System Recovery DVD for my computer thinking I could install the original software on the new hard drive. The guy on the tech support phoneline said I could. When I tried to use the recovery disc I got all the wall to the message where it prompts me to "press C for continue or A to abort". When I press C, the cursor moves right below the prompt and just blinks. The tech support line said the process may take several hours but I let it do this for for 3.5 hours and the cursor was still just blinking below the continue/abort message. Is this normal? Do I just need to be patient? When I used the recovery disk on the old, original hard drive my computer was completely recovered in 45 minutes. Oh, BIOS reads "none" next to hard disk. I hope this helps.

I emailed Hitachi support and got this response.
It works. Just a pain!!
Hard drives of SATA type interface does not have jumpers to configure. You
can still use a SATA 3.0Gb/s drive (set to 3.0Gb/s) in your system, but it
will only work at 1.5Gb/s.
If your have a PC system, you can temporarily install the drive internally
and use our utility called Feature Tool that'll allow you to change various
ATA settings. This utility has the diskette and CD version. If you do not
have a floppy drive and are unable to create a Feature Tool diskette, you
can select the Feature Tool CD image. The fourth download link is for the
image file. This file will allow you to create a bootable CD version of
Feature Tool when a floppy diskette drive is unavailable. For instructions
on how to properly use this file, please refer to the documentation
included with your CD burning software.
If you have any questions regarding the usage of Feature Tool, please refer
to the User's Guide (see page 17 on how to change the drive capacity). The
Feature Tool and User's Guide can be downloaded from the following URL:
http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/support/download.htm#FeatureTool
Before running Feature Tool, ensure that your system boot sequence (in your
system BIOS) is set to boot to your CD ROM drive as the first device.
Insert the bootable Feature Tool diskette or CD that you created and let
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Installing Tiger on new Hard drive

Archaic as it is, I would like to get Tiger to install on my Macbook.
It originally came with Tiger, and then the hard drive recently crashed. (Don't ask about back-ups, it's a sore subject). I've replaced AND formatted the hard drive already. However, when I boot from the Installer disc (10.4.9) which came with my computer and try to install, iit does not recognize the hard drive (I couldn't even use the disk utility to reformat it-- had to go a different route).
So, the installer doesn't recognize the hard drive (at the "choose location" or whatever screen, it's blank)
and
the disk utility shows a partition, which exists and is formatted it to Mac Extended Journaled plus), but with the wrong name, and incorrect size. The full drive is listed at 2.3 TB instead of 320GB.
I have done a lot of reading on the internet about Tiger not being able to format a "large" drive. But now that it's formatted, I don't quite understand why it wouldn't be able to see it.
Thoughts?
Thanks!

Step by step:
1. Turn on ur Macbook.
2. Load the CD. Your macbook should automatically use it to boot since there is no OS on ur new hard drive.
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to install tiger.
It's a very easy installation process. Don't be scared.:)

Re-installing nano with new hard drive.

My hard drive unfortuantely had to be replaced. All my data was lost including my mp3 and m4a files. I have re-installed my ipod nano, but is there anyway I can move the songs on my ipod back to my new hard drive?... I know ipods arent designed to transfer songs, I was wondering if there is a work around.

You can't sync or drag your music back directly from an iPod to iTunes, however there are a number of third party utilities that you can use to retrieve the music files and playlists from your iPod, this is just a selection. Have a look at the web pages and documentation for these, they are generally quite straightforward. I use Senuti but check the others out and choose whichever you are happy with.
Senuti Mac Only
iPodRip Mac Only
PodWorks Mac Only
iPod.iTunes Mac Only
iPod Access Mac and Windows Versions
YamiPod Mac and Windows Versions
PodUtil Mac and Windows Versions
iPodCopy Mac and Windows Versions

OS X install on a new hard drive

I'm trying to use the Install Disk on a new hard drive. I have gotten the disk to spin up, it sounds as if it is working, but after a minute or so, a gray screen comes down from the top of the screen and a box appears with the following message:
You need to restart your computer. hold down the Power button for several seconds or press the Restart button.
There is no Restart button, so I opt for the Power button option. I have tried restarting with the disk in using various key press and hold options- C, Command R, Option. It just repeats the above results and ends up back at the " you need to Restart" screen. I've tried ejecting the disk and restarting, that leads to the grey screen with the blinking folder icon with a ?.
I have also completed the Apple Hardware Test. No problems were found.
Any suggestions of what to try next?

That gray sceen is a kernel panic
Try http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/kernelpanics.html
Allan

Installing a new hard drive in my MBP

I have outgrown my hard drive and want to upgrade. When I put in the new hard drive, what is the best way to transfer my data/settings from the old one? I keep everything backed up using Time Machine, and I've seen some posts that say it should be no problem restoring the system from the TM backup. I ask, though, because I have also read a few posts that seem to indicate that Migration Assistant might be easier, or at least better at transferring settings from user accounts. I've never done this before and want as little hassle as possible in doing it, so I'm hoping someone with more knowledge on the subject can clue me in as to which will be better/easier...

If you have a TM backup then that would be more reliable than Migration Assistant.

Imac g5- can't install os on new hard drive

Hello,
I have an iMac G5 that I haven't used in a while. When trying to turn it on today, I got the "question mark" folder. I tried to do some troubleshooting- tried to reinstall os x, but the hard drive didn't show up in the os x installer OR in disk utility. I went to my local Apple store and I was told that I needed a new hd. So, I bought a new hd and installed it. I still have problems, though! When I try to install os x, it says, "This software cannot be installed on this computer". I am using the install disc that originally came with the computer. The hd doesn't show up in the os x installer, but it does show up in disc utility. I have no idea what to do at this point. Please help!
Also, the new hd I bought is a Maxtor SATA II/300.

I am using the os x 10.4.2 install disk. The computer originally came with 10.4.0 install disks, but I misplaced them. The 10.4.2 install disk says it's for an iMac, though, so it should be working.. right?
Maybe, maybe not, Chuck. THis is almost certainly the cause of your problem, in fact.
If yours came with 10.4.0 originally it would have been a "Rev A" model (which probably had a version of Panther on it subsequently upgraded to Tiger) . 10.4.2 first arrived with the slightly different ALS model, though.
If you have access to the computer that came the with the 10.4.2 discs, you may be able to workaround the issue by connecting the one you are trying to instal on to the later one with a firewire cable, booting the one you want to install on in "Target Disk" mode (so it appears on the later computer's desktop), and then installing , using the DVD drive on the later computer.
This won't work in all circumstances (because of variations in the machine specific OS discs) , but in your case I think it would probably work. Note, though, that I am assuming you really do have a Tiger disc for the older iMac, as legally it is the one that provides you with a licence to install Tiger.
The best solution would be to find the original discs. If you can't then you should try to obtain a replacement set from Apple.
Rod

Cannot install OS on new hard drive - late '09 MBP

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