Install disc confusion

hi, i've recently gotten my imac (white one, not silver) back from the apple store where they replaced its hard drive. Now i notice that when they gave it back to me, iPhoto, Photobooth, and other programs were not installed anymore. I've been told to put in the install discs again, but the only ones i can find are for my brothers macbook pro. Would there be any problems with using those install discs to reinstall these programs, or do i need to get discs that say iMac on them?

Well, if your iMac has a G5 and not an Intel processor, it's almost certain not to work. If your iMac has an Intel processor, the chances of it working are better. You might be able to just install what you need by browsing the install disc and looking for the bundled software installs. If you don't find what you seek there you'll have to use a utility like Pacifist to extract them from the install disc.
You do have your data backed up, right?

Similar Messages

Identifying install disc 2's from each other?

I have a 2007 mac mini with a set of restore discs... I also think I'm holding on to my parents imac restore discs or they are just an extra set Apple sent me a while back when I was having trouble with my 2007 imac.
so one of the disc 1s - says "For Mac Mini" the other disc 1 says, "For Mac Computers"
but the real confusion is which disc 2 goes with which?
both are 2007 Mac OS X Install Disc 2
only difference is in the set of numbers...
2Z691-6147-A
and
2Z691-6157-A
anyone have any idea how to pair them up without doing a an actual restore? thanks.

i'm trying to avoid a restore.
I wasn't suggesting a Restore I don't think, Just seeing which Mac booted from which install Disc... & maybe failed at some point before actually doing a Restore.
if they aren't in your "vast collection" why do you need to know?
So I might be able to help others that ask in the future... my only purpose hear is to try to help.

Old IMAC with 10.5.6 OSX. Forgot Administrator password. Started up from OSX install disc 1 and selected password reset from utilies in Installer. But HD icon doesn't show up. (Only install disc and admin root available:no good). What can I do?

Old IMAC with 10.5.6 OSX. Forgot Administrator password (which I had already changed.) Followed instructions as per http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1274
Started up from the original OSX install disc 1 and selected "Password reset" from "utilies" in Installer. But HD icon doesn't show up. (Only install disc and admin root available:no good as the support website underscores: Important: Do not select "System Administrator (root)". This is actually the root user. You should not confuse it with a normal administrator account.).
What can I do?
Thanks for your suggestions. Antonio

Not familiar with that version of OS X but try using Terminal and type in resetpassword. If that brings up a password reset screen is your original username shown?

Can I install Ilife 8 onto my macbook from my new iMac install discs?

I am confused!
I was in an Apple retails store yesterday checking out the new iMacs as I will shortly be buying one, a 24" 2.8Ghz model. As this will come loaded with Leopard and iLife 08 I was also planning on buying the DVD's of both ready to install on my Macbook so that both computers would be running the same versions of the OS and iLife. However, the salesperson I was discussing this with told me that I would be able to install iLife 08 onto my Macbook from the install disc that comes with my new iMac as the software is licenced to the user not the machine, thereby saving me from having to buy it.
Is this true? And what about Leopard?I always thought that the software discs only worked on one machine, i.e. the one it came with.

Here's a link to the Apple user agreement for iLife 08.
http://images.apple.com/legal/sla/docs/ilife08.pdf
Item 2 states that you may install iLife on ONE Apple Branded Computer. The family pack allows you to install on up to 5 in the same household.
The discs that come with your new iMac are specific to the iMac and should not be installed onto any other Mac. The retail version of Leopard can be installed on any Mac...but once again one license one machine.

HT201456 I have tried to install Windows 8.1 64 on my new Mac Book Pro from a full install disc.

I have tried to install Windows 8.1 64 on my new Mac Book Pro from a full install disc. When I get the the choice of partitions to install Windows 8.1 on the Windows installer says that the Bootcamp partition is not valid.
Has anyone encountered the same issue?

BCA creates the partition as FAT, which the installer needs to format.
Please see https://help.apple.com/bootcamp/mac/5.0/help/#/bcmp173b3bf2 for reference. Where does it break in your case?

Creating a bootable Lion install disc/disk and using it

Hi all,
Below is a copy of a method ds store posted for creating a bootable Lion install disc. Some questions:
1. Is this a polished final version of the process, or are there other steps which could/should be added?
2. Are there any disadvantages to going this route instead of installing directly onto a Mac?
3. After creating a Lion install disc/disk via this method and using this saved dmg to install Lion on a Mac, will it set up the Mac exactly the same way it would by downloading/installing directly from the Apple Store (sounds like a "duh" question, but nothing would surprise me with Lion)?
4. Exact size of this dmg (in case I want to use a flash drive instead)?
I have been avoiding Lion, hoping it would shape up. I'm still not satisfied and will not run it on my main machines. (Of course ymmv; I'm not looking to be talked into or out of using Lion.) However, I am ******* (hmmm, I guess l-u-s-t-i-n-g is a bad word!) over a new Mac Mini, which will have Lion installed, with no chance of running SL on it due to the new hardware revision. Thus, I'm either going to have to make peace with Lion or forget about a new Mini. I guess I'll have to give Lion a try, but I still don't want to actually run it on any of my machines; thus, I want to run it from an external drive, playing with it as I have time/desire, leading to more questions.
5. Using the install disc/disk created above, will it set up Lion on a DVD, flash drive, or external HD exactly as it would on a Mac (Recovery Disk, etc.)?
6. How much space is needed on a destination disc/disk to install Lion?
7. Is it possible to boot from a different volume, mount this dmg, and install Lion from it?
8. Any advantages/disadvantages doing it this way (#7) as opposed to booting from the Lion install disc/disk created above?
9. Another method I'm thinking of using is to (after cloning my SL installation) actually install Lion on my MBP over my current SL installation (shudders violently ), clone it to an external HD, then erase/zero the MBP's HD and clone my SL install back to my MBP. Has anyone done this? Again, I'm concerned that Lion will do something goofy and leave some kind of footprint behind, like maybe messing with firmware; cloning my SL installation back to my internal HD would not reverse a firmware change.
10. Any constructive suggestions on anything related to any of these steps is welcome!
Yes, I've searched and read a number of responses, but I'm hoping much of the "discovery" phase is over, and there are some "solid"/refined answers by now. My bottom line is to be able to play with Lion without having to depend on it.
Thanks!
Backup Lion Bootable 10.7 Disk
Purchase and download Lion from the Mac App Store on any Lion compatible Mac running Snow Leopard.
Right click on “Mac OS X     Lion”     installer and choose the option to     “Show Package Contents.”
Inside the Contents folder     that     appears you will find a SharedSupport     folder and inside the     SharedSupport folder     you will find the “InstallESD.dmg.” This is         the Lion boot disc image we have all been waiting for.
Copy “InstallESD.dmg” to         another folder like the Desktop.
Launch Disk Utility and click     the     burn button.
Select the copied “InstallESD.dmg” as the image to     burn,     insert a standard sized 4.7 GB DVD,     and wait for your new Lion Boot     Disc to come     out toasty hot.
With this disc you can boot any Lion compatible Mac, andinstall10.7 just like you installed previous version of Mac OS X. Youcan even use Disk Utility's Restore function to image your Lion bootdisc image onto a external drive suitable for performing a cleaninstall on a optical-drive-less MacBook Air, or Mac mini server.

tjk wrote:
5. Using the install disc/disk created above, will it set up Lion on a DVD, flash drive, or external HD exactly as it would on a Mac (Recovery Disk, etc.)?
DVD: no, flash drive: if it's large enough, external hard drive: yes
6. How much space is needed on a destination disc/disk to install Lion?
Whatever Apple minimum requirements are.
7. Is it possible to boot from a different volume, mount this dmg, and install Lion from it?
possibly, never tried it, it is a dmg so it's a volume all to itself, except it can't install to the same media it's on and can only install to something formatted with GUID and a OS X extended format, like a flash drive or hard drive large enough.
DVD's can't be formatted with a GUID EFI partiton
8. Any advantages/disadvantages doing it this way (#7) as opposed to booting from the Lion install disc/disk created above?
Speed limitation of the media and bus your using, USB 1 is a slower than a hard drive with 7,200 RPM on a Firewire 800 port
9. Another method I'm thinking of using is to (after cloning my SL installation) actually install Lion on my MBP over my current SL installation (shudders violently ), clone it to an external HD, then erase/zero the MBP's HD and clone my SL install back to my MBP.
The problems come from installing Lion over a existing Snow Leopard setup that isn't quite pristine enough for Lions quirkyness, has tweaks or other software installed that breaks 10.7, requiring you to fix it.
You can try it, you've got the 10.6 clone to option boot off of and restore from.
Cloning back and forth is a performance enhancer, not a problem solver.
Ideally it's best to clone 10.6, disconnect, zero and install 10.6, same user name, then up to 10.6.8, then to 10.7, then install programs from fresh sources/copies and then files returned last from backup off the clone (no migration assistant or it brings trouble back)
This will ensure the best possible performance possible with the least trouble as everything is wiped and installed fresh. Only problem being your files it there is something wrong with them, which is easy to remedy to the cause as it's the only thing not pristine.
Once you've got a pristine system, then clone that twice, once for a immediate update other for falling back a week, two weeks or even a month back.
Has anyone done this? Again, I'm concerned that Lion will do something goofy and leave some kind of footprint behind, like maybe messing with firmware; cloning my SL installation back to my internal HD would not reverse a firmware change.
Firmware is hardware specific not OS specific, of course it's possible a old version of a OS won't work with newer firmware, like 10.5 for instance perhaps because Apple has dropped all work on PPC code.
10.6 and 10.7 are just fine with most all present firmware, however there will be a time where a new firmware update could disallow 10.6, likely when iOS X 10.8 Bobcat arrives.
10. Any constructive suggestions on anything related to any of these steps is welcome!
Yes, I've searched and read a number of responses, but I'm hoping much of the "discovery" phase is over, and there are some "solid"/refined answers by now. My bottom line is to be able to play with Lion without having to depend on it.
Cloning only clones the Lion OS X Partition, not the Lion Recovery Partition.
A comptuer that is Lion capable will boot off a media with no Lion Recovery Partition.
You need to create a Lion Disk Assistant USB which copies your Lion Recovery Partition.
It's in my post.
https://discussions.apple.com/message/16276201#16276201

How to install Lion OSX on new SSD without install disc

TL;DR
I need a way to install Lion on a new SSD without an install disc, and how to format it without a Mac.
Hello, just yesterday I opened up my MBP 13" Mid-2010 running 10.7.(4/5) (Not sure which it is, but I think it is 10.7.5) and the first thing I saw was Skype tring to sign in. It looked fine, untill I took a second look and I heard a strange clicking noise coming from my computer. The Sykpe signin page said "Disc I/O error" or something like that. I instantly knew there was something wrong with my hard drive. Tried rebooting, grey screen, strange clicking noise like most people with hard drive failure. I was devistated. It has worked minutes ago, then my brother gets off, I open it up,and the hard drive has failed. After I got over the initial shock, I googled "hard drive replacement" after searching for a while, I noticed most sites just showed how to UPGRADE your hard drive, cloning it and all. Well, heres my main problem. I had no time to clone. Luckily, I had started backup up a month ago, and all my data is safe on my external hard drive, but this is only a time machine backup. No OS. Now, most people can just put in their install disk and voila! But, I, sadly, do not have my install disk. No idea where it went, I just don't have it. So, I was wondering if there was any possible way to make a bootable USB or disk without having acsess to a Mac, or having to buy a disc. I bought Lion, and I'm hoping that there is a way to download this and put it on a USB, then boot my computer from it. Now, my second problem is formatting. I have no idea how to format my SSD, let alone without a Mac. If there is some way to format an SSD so that it will work with a MacBook Pro, that would be great.on a PC
IMPORTANT: No, I don't have ANY install discs, the only one I had, for Snow Leopard, is gone. And no, I don't have access to ANY Macs to format the SSD. Finally, I would really love to be able to do this all cost-free, as I have already purchased the Lion, and dont feel like buying a disc for it again.

Yes. See below:
Drive Erase for Lion/Mountain Lion
1. Wait until the Main Menu appears. This could take quite some time because you are doing all of this over an Internet connection. You should use Ethernet if possible. It's much faster than wireless. Select Disk Utility from the Main Menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select the SSD main entry (mfgr.'s ID and size.) Click on the Partition tab in DU's main window. Select One partition from the dropdown menu under Partition Scheme.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
After the above has completed quit DU and return to the Main Menu. Click on the Install/Reinstall OS X option then click on the Continue button.
You should be all set if there are no glitches.

HELP! My iMac wont respond to install disc or any commands

I know I'm taking a trip in the "Way back" machine. But I'm pretty resourseful and haven't been able to find my problem. Either I need a Mac super genius or it’s something stupid simple that I’m overlooking.
Specs:
iMac G4 Serial# XXXXXXXX Sep. 2003 – July 2004
1.25GHZ/ 256MB/ 80GB 17” Screen
PowerPC 7445
History: I bought this used with the computer’s monitor backlight out. I could still barely see the sign-in page when I looked at a certain angle, so that was an indicator to me that the OS was working. So I replaced the monitor. At the same time because of owner exchange I had to replace the hard drive with a fully wiped blank one (Deskstar ATA/IDE). I purchased an install disc set 10.4.8, which according to Apple this computer is compatible with 10.2.3 thru10.5.8.
Problem: After reassembly, the replacement monitor works fine. But the system won’t respond to anything. All I get is the gray screen with the apple smiley face folder that alternates with a question mark. It won’t respond to the install disc, or any commands for that matter. Of course I double, triple, and quadruple checked my connections from reassmebling. Here’s what I’ve attempted, all ending up with the same screen display.
During power-up
C (…of     course to boot from the install disc. It just ejects the disc after about     30 seconds)
CMD-OPT-SHIFT-DEL
D (wont     respond to hardware test)
CMD-S     (won’t go into single user mode. It just goes to the same gray screen)
OPT (this     is the only way I get a different screen. It shows the recycle page symbol     and continue symbol. It will recycle the OPT process to stay on this     screen, but it won’t continue if I press that selection – nothing happens
I’ve reset the PRAM
I’ve tried different keyboards (all Apple)
I’ve tried plugging the keyboard into different USB slots
I’ve replaced the Hard Drive with yet another just in case. I’ve tried alternate jumper settings on the hard drive. The original wasset to “Cable”, so I set it to that. But I also tried “Master” jumper settings– no change in results. I can’t say for certain that I hear the DVD/CD drive spin up. But I figure even if I had a bad install disc or bad optical drive, I should still be able to get to the black screen single user mode, yes? So I’m at my wits end. Can any of you Mac geniuses out there please help me? Thanks
<edited by Host>

Install discs are specific to the machine they came with. You cannot use them on any other machine, so the ones you bought are useless. Buy a retail black faced copy of either Tiger or Leopard and you should be able to boot your machine, you need to format the drive as Mac OS extended (Journaled) when you first boot from the new retail disc.
I have also asked that your serial number be removed, it's not a good idea to post it.

Archive and Install/Disc Utility issues -

I'm currently spending a summer abroad in South America, and have had issues with my Macbook Pro (early 2011 version) no longer starting up after some virus experiences last week. The computer hangs itself during loading on the white screen w/ grey apple and the spinning dial. In contacts with Apple Care as well as some Mac-saavy friends, the following situations have been tried:
Opening in safe mode - The loading bar (added at the bottom of the grey apple screen) loads about 1/4 of the way, disappears, and the computer hangs itself.
Opening in single user mode - I run the recommended sbin/fsck -fy command to clean up the hard drive. It comes back after having checked 6-7 parts, saying that the MacHD is in good shape, with a message following saying that something had been "modified" (forgive me for not remembering the correct verbage at present). I then run the same command again, resulting in a message that the HD is clean and without error. I then "reboot" and remain hung on the white screen w/ grey apple.
Opening in verbose mode - I reach the following lines of text, and then there is no further progress:
enable
IONetworkController::enable
createMediumTables
enable end
MacAuthEvent en0   Auth result for: 00:23:cd:1e:f2:c4 No Ack
same line as above saying "Auth timed out" at the end
Command+option+r+p - shock two or three times, (three startup chimes) and computer continues to hang itself in the normal spot.
- So, at this point I took the advice of Apple Care and a few other friends, and tracked down a "retail copy" of Mac OSX (10.6.3) in order to try to do an Archive and Install or any sort of Disc Utility via the startup disc.
Inserting the disc and holding "c" at startup results in the cd drive whirring the disc for a few moments, and then remaining hung at the same white loading screen.
Holding "option" during the startup gives me the option of loading from the HD, or the disc. Selecting the disc proceeds to whirr the cd drive, take me to the white loading screen with the grey apple, and... you guessed it... leaves the CPU hung.
My question is then, is my Macbook Pro unable to read this disc and execute Archive and Install/Disc Utility for hardware reasons as per the virus attack, or is the disc not compatible with my version of OSX (which I have since confirmed through my wife to be 10.6.6)?
Different sources have told me different things. The local AASP in Uruguay sold me what they professed to be the "latest" version of OSX - the 10.6.3, what's more for $55 dollars instead of the lower cost as available in the states (between $15-$30), so I am reluctant to go back to them for advice when they seem more inclined to cash in on my inexperience (Mac owner of less than a month) than actually fixing my issue. Apple Care told me that a standard "retail disc" should work, but I am assuming now that they believe I can snag the same version as initially came with my Macbook Pro. Should I be looking to have my wife mail my original OSX install DVDs down here to resolve this problem? Should 10.6.3-retail be working and is not for reasons I haven't identified? I have since done some online research and found mentions that doing any sort of HD partitioning or OSX reinstalls can only be accomplished by utilizing a disc of an equal or more recent version of the OSX (examples that 10.4 can't work on a notebook preinstalled with 10.5, etc). Does this translate to 10.6.3 not being able to function for my 10.6.6 MBP?
Any insight or thoughts would be much appreciated, as essentially all of my schoolwork and assignments are now trapped on an inaccessible HD. Thank you for your time.
- Joseph

I tried adding in a bunch of information about what your troubleshooting steps meant, but the server went into maintenance while I did. So, here it is again:
"Opening in safe mode - The loading bar (added at the bottom of the grey apple screen) loads about 1/4 of the way, disappears, and the computer hangs itself."
     This is FSCK running, and gives you an indication of it's progress.
"MacAuthEvent en0   Auth result for: 00:23:cd:1e:f2:c4 No Ack"
     This is either a failed DHCP request or ARP request.
"Command+option+r+p"
     Command+Option+P+R - Resets PRAM. That's why p+r.
"Inserting the disc and holding "c" at startup results in the cd drive whirring the disc for a few moments, and then remaining hung at the same white loading screen."
     This problem indicates that the disc is too old to boot your system. The reason for why this disc cannot boot is because it doesn't contain the necessary drivers for your model MacBook Pro. My mom and brother have similar models, and my brother had similar issues while in Japan. He went and got an install disc as well, which failed, I ended up stepping him through so that it would boot in Safe Mode, and then got it working in Normal Mode remotely.
FYI: Sophos has a free Mac Antivirus program, that is very processing friendly, and will scan in the background. You may wish to consider it as an alternative to Avast! if it continues giving you problems. Though I suspect it may be coincidence that your computer had problems shortly after Avast! cleaned up files. Let me know how it goes. You may wish to open up Disk Utility and check your S.M.A.R.T. Status. You want to make sure it says "Verified" If it doesn't say "Verified" then you have a problem.
-Phill

Can't boot iBook with install disc

Hi All,
I've inherited an old clamshell iBook that freezes every time I try to boot from the install disc.
The iBook came with 0S9.2 installed and everything seemed to be working OK. I then tried to upgrade it using a retail Jaguar disc and it froze on booting up. Now it won't even load OS9 but instead gives me a blinking folder with a question mark.
When I try to install from the Jaguar boot disc, I get the Apple logo and then it freezes right there. I tried zapping the P-Ram a few times and that didn't fix it. I tried holding Option key when loading and got to the screen where it lists boot options. I chose OS X and it after the logo comes up, it freezes.
Have also tried re-seating and completely removing the RAM. No difference.
When I go into verbose mode I get some kind of kernel panic error freeze and the keyboard won't let me input anything.
I reached the open firmware screen and it says Powerbook2,1 4.1.7f4 so I think that means my firmware is fine for OS X.
I unfortunately don't have access to an OS 9.2 disc so can't boot into that from disc. I think my 9.2 system folder needs to be re-blessed or something like that but have no way to reach it.
Any suggestions?

Ok, well, I believe that in order to re-bless the OS 9 system folder, you need the OS 9 CD. (I'm not an OS 9 expert, but that's what I've seen online).
However, if you install 10.2 (or 10.3) on the computer, it should boot right into it and you don't even "need" OS 9 any more.
I'm starting to think you have a hardware problem of some kind, and the first place to check is the RAM. OS X is more finicky than OS 9 was with RAM, so do you have another memory module you could install to check? Or perhaps another clamshell (like was suggested) to try your RAM in?
Do you have an Apple Hardware test disk? My next suggestion would be to get one and to run the test and see what (if any) hardware is having problems.
And one more thought: if you can boot using the 10.3 disk, try running Disk Utility and repairing your disk a couple of times. Maybe there's a problem in your hard drive.
Rich

How to restore from Time Machine WITHOUT install discs using a second Mac

It's a question that is asked repeatedly all over the web by Mac users like me that bought in to Time Machine (TM) on the assumption that if their computer died one day it would be a piece of cake to restore from it, only for that day to come and then to be told "ahh, okay the first thing is to get your computers install discs..." (loud crashing sound of world falling around ears).
I've never been able to afford a new Mac and both of my machines were bought second-hand. Neither came with Leopard (both have Tiger and have been upgraded to Leopard via the net). This was never supposed to be a problem as I've been backing up with TM. However it appears that Tiger discs are as much use as an inflatable dart board when it comes to using TM. So I've been faced with the possibility of having to spend £130 (about two hundred Pres Sheets, Yankees) on the Leopard install discs just so that I can have the option of restoring from TM. Bonkers.
However after much nashing of teeth, a very long weekend learning all sorts of things about 'Target Mode', 'Single User Mode', 'Verbose Mode', 'Open Source 9' etc the following solution has worked without the need to go out and buy those over-priced discs...
What you will need:
1 broken Mac requiring restoration
1 second donor Mac running Leopard (or Snow Leopard so long as the broken Mac can run it)
1 firewire cable with the correct fitting at either end to attach both Macs together
1 Time Machine backup
Note: The following is for when you have given up trying to boot from your hard drive. In my case I couldn't boot in to Safe Mode etc. so was forced to format my drive and re-import everything. If you've read this far I'm assuming your at the same point as well and have tried everything else that's out there first.
Also - both my Macs are Power PC's so can't run Snow Leopard, so I can't say 100% this will work with SL (Intel) machines. From what I've read Snow Leopard will work with this procedure too, but if you've found differently please feel free to add your experiences below...
STEP ONE: Format the corrupt Hard Drive or replace with a fresh HDD
*Link the two computers with a firewire.
*If you're replacing your HDD, remove your corrupted hard drive from the 'broken' machine and insert a new one.
*Power up the broken Mac whilst holding down the 'T' key. This will start it up in Target Mode and you'll get a nice firewire symbol floating around that machine's screen.
*Power up the second 'healthy' Mac. This will be our 'donor' machine. When it starts up after a few seconds you will see the hard drive of the broken Mac appear on the donor Mac's desktop.
*Using your donor Mac's 'Disc Utility', format the broken Mac's hard drive (now's the time to partition it etc. if you want to).
STEP TWO: Clone your donor Mac
Your broken Mac is no longer broken and now needs a new OS. But you don't have the discs, right? Well get this... you can clone your donor mac on to your machine, even if they are totally different i.e. a laptop on to a tower.
*Again using Disc Utility, click on your donor Mac's hard drive. The restore tab appears as an option.
*Click on restore and drag the donor Mac's hard drive that contains the operating system in to the Source box.
*Drag the newly formatted hard drive on the broken Mac in to the Destination box.
*Click restore. Your donor Mac's hard drive will now be 'cloned' on to your no-longer-broken Mac. Once this is done, eject the first Mac's hard drive from your donor Mac's desktop. You no longer need the donor Mac.
Ta daa! Your machine now starts up happy and smily again. Time to restore all that stuff that's been sat on your Time Machine drive...
STEP 3: Restore from Time Machine using Migration Assistant
This is the really clever part that prompted me to write this piece in the first place. Time Machine IS accessible without those Leopard install discs you don't have. You need to use something called 'Migration Assistant'.
*Start up your machine as normal and you'll see it is an exact clone of the donor machine. Weird huh?
*Attach your Time Machine hard drive. It will show up as an icon on the desktop and because of it's size, you'll be asked if you want to use it as a Time Machine backup. Err, NO YOU DON'T! Click 'cancel'.
*Open Migration Assistant (if you can't find it just type it in to Finder and click). There are three options, the middle one being to restore from TM or another disc. Yup, you want that one.
*Migration Assistant will now ask you what you want to restore in stages, firstly User Accounts, then folders, Apps etc. It will even import internet settings
And that's you done. Let Migration Assistant do it's thang... altogether I had about 140gb to restore, so it wasn't exactly speedy. This wasn't helped by the fact that my TM hard drive is connected via USB (yes, I know). Just leave it alone and it'll whirr happily away...
Before I go - you don't have an option of when to restore from, and will restore from the last Time Machine save. At least then you should be able to access TM and go 'backwards' if you need to.
Also - for a Mac expert, the above will be up there with 'Spot Goes To The Farm' in terms of complexity. However, for the rest of us the above is only available in fragments all over the net. By far the most common response to 'how do I restore from Time Machine without install discs' is 'you can't'. If I'd found the above information in one place I could have saved a lot of hair pulling and swearing over the last couple of days, so forgive me for sharing this workaround with the rest of the world. Meanwhile your expertise will come in very handy for the inevitable questions that will get posted below, so please feel free to help those people that won't be sure if this solution is the right one for them. I'm no expert, I just want to help people that were stuck in the same situation (and looking at the web, there's a LOT of them).
Hope this is of use to someone, thanks and *good luck*!

Most maintenance and repair, restore and install procedures require the use
of the correct OS X install DVD; be it an original machine-specific restore/install
disc set or a later retail non-specific general install disc set.
By having an unsupported system, perhaps installed via an illegal download or
other file-sharing scheme, where no retail official discs are involved and the
initial upgrade was done by other means outside of the License Agreements,
you are asking us to discuss a matter of illegal installation and use of a product.
There are no legal complete OS X system download upgrades online; only bits
that are update segments to a retail or as-shipped machine's original OS X install.
+{Or an installation where a previous owner had correct retail upgrade discs, &+
+chose to not include them with the re-sale of the computer it was installed in.}+
However, to answer the initial question. To get and use an externally enclosed
hard drive in suitable boot-capable housing, and get a free-running Clone
Utility (download online; often a donation-ware product, runs free) you can
make a bootable backup of everything in your computer to an external HDD.
This is the way to make a complete backup to restore all functions to the computer.
The Time Machine has some limits, in that it can restore only that which it saves.
It does not make a bootable clone of your entire computer system with apps and
your files, to an external drive device. A clone can. And some of the clone utility's
settings can also backup changes to an external drive's system; if that other drive
is attached to the computer correctly.
Carbon Copy Cloner, from Bombich Software; and also SuperDuper, another of
the most known software names you can download and use to clone boot-capable
system backups of your computer's hard disk drive contents, are often cited.
However you resolve the matter of the running OS X system in your computer,
derived from what appears to be questionable means, is part of the initial issue.
Since you do need to be able to fix an existing installation by unmounting the
computer's hard disk drive and run the computer from the other (install disc or
system clone) while it is Unmounted; and use the correct Disk Utility version to
help diagnose and perhaps be able to fix it. You can't use a Tiger version Disk
Utility to fix a Leopard installation, and so on.
So, the situation and replies as far as they can go (since the matter does
constitute an illegal system, if it was arrived at without correct discs) is a
limited one. And file sharing of copied Mac OS X (and other) software is
also considered illegal.
And, one way to get odd malware and unusual stuff, is to get an unauthorized
system upgrade from an illegal source online. You never know what's inside it.
The other reply was not a personal attack; the matter is of legal status and as
you have a product with a questionable system, the answer is to correct it.
And if you want to save everything in your computer, make a clone to a suitable
externally enclosed self-powered boot capable hard disk drive. With older PPC
Macs, that would best be to one with FireWire and the Oxford-type control chips.
However that works out...
Good luck & happy computing!

My MacBook Pro has 10.5.8 but came with 10.5.7 install disc and won't boot up and can't reinstall

My MacBook Pro has 10.5.8 but came with 10.5.7 install disc and won't boot up and can't reinstall.
the disc is spinning and I see the apple on the screen with the spinning gear and after a while it just turns off OR the few times it does get past that point when I go into disc utility it tells me that it can not install on this machine!
It's driving me crazy, please help!!!

Welcome to the Apple community.
I'm not entirely sure I follow you here, home sharing comes with iTunes 10.2, so far as I am aware even iTunes 10.6.1 only requires OS X 10.5.8 or better. On that basis I'm not sure why you think you have a problem.

Using a Mac Mini install disc (10.4.6) to upgrade a Power PC G4 (10.3.9)

Hello everyone,
I would appreciate a little advice if possible...
I am wondering if I can use the "system install discs"
(intel-based system 10.4.6) that came with my new Mac Mini,
to upgrade my older Power PC G4 currently running system 10.3.9?
I wish to have both computers running the same system.
I tried inserting the first (Mac mini system 10.4.6) install disc into my G4, and had a kernel panic...
couldn't reboot, and after many tries I had to manually eject the DVD.
Any advice and tips to lead me through this??????
THANKS!!!!!!!!
Power PC and Mac Mini Mac OS X (10.4.6)
Power PC (10.3.9) and Mac Mini (10.4.6) Mac OS X (10.4.6)

nipnkep,
No, you can't do it that way.
The install disks are system-specific, and Intel system disks don't work on PPC Macs.
Your software license also doesn't permit installation on multiple Macs.
You could buy the retail version of Tiger, or you could wait a few months and buy a "Family Pack" retail version of Leopard, which will allow you to install OS X on up to five Macs in the same household.
-Wayne

I have an SL install disc; how many machines can I install it on?

I have an SL install disc; how many machines can I install it on?

frederickmitch wrote:
I have an SL install disc; how many machines can I install it on?
If it's a white disk with 10.6.3, technically as many Mac's that came with 10.6.3 or below that can run 10.6.
Legally, only one.
If it's a grey disk, then only the same model of Mac, as there are no hardware drivers for other Mac models on the grey disks.

Is iLife '08 Included On The Install Disc?

I got this new iMac about two weeks ago. It came with iLife '08 included. For a couple of reasons, I did an erase and install and discovered I no longer had iLife '08, I called Apple support and was told that iLife '08 was on the install disc and when I called back and said that I could not find it (I installed all the software that was checked), I was told that a separate iLife '08 disc should have been included in the box. Apple is sending me another iLife '08 disc through the mail, but I really am curious if I missed something and that iLife '08 was on the install disc and which Apple support member was correct. The install disc came with 10.5.2. When I bought my first iMac G5 back in 2005, a separate iLife '05 disc was included.

I would also look at your installer discs for signs of iPhoto, and Garageband using the software called Pacifist from http://www.charlessoft.com/
If they are not visible, it may be you misplaced a disc, or the company you bought it from had it missing from the box they sold the machine to you from.
Note, the retail version of Mac OS X does NOT include iLife. Various retail versions of Mac OS X have included iPhoto 2, iMovie 3, and iTunes, which are outlined here, but iLife itself as bundled with Mac OS X has only come on Mac model specific discs:
http://discussions.apple.com/click.jspa?searchID=-1&messageID=6493795

Install disc confusion

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