New to Macs...How do I do this?

I haven't been able to get through to the support people, so I figured I'd get some advice from the good folks here.
I've had my Intel iMac for about a year and a half now, but I'm not near as knowledgable as the majority of you here are. I just got Leopard and tried to install it. I got the big yellow sign that said "Installation Failed". Snooping around on this forum I saw there were others with this problem. It looks like I'll have to reformat everything and install Leopard from scratch. The problem-- I have no idea the best way to do this. I've never done this before on any kind of computer before. I have an Intel iMac with a 500 GB internal hard drive. Here's some info below from the system profiler:
Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac4,1
Processor Name: Intel Core Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 2 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM41.0055.B08
SMC Version: 1.1f5
At my disposal I have a USB connected 500GB external hard drive, which I want to use to copy my files onto before I go ahead with this.
What's the best way I should go about backing up, reformatting, and then installing? Keep in mind I am a complete novice.

Thanks for all the advice! I'll do as some have suggested and first scan my hard drive with system utility, but I have a feeling it will turn up nothing. My luck is bad with computers and strange mystery problems that baffle the tech support people. The scans ALWAYS turn up positive but the problem perists. On this computer my mystery problem was that everytime I tried to change parental controls in System Preferences for my son's user account, it would kill the program and give me an error message. I tried everything the tech support people suggested, each one passing me on to a higher level of computer nerd until the final nerd told me that the last option was to format the drive and reinstall Tiger! I stopped there...it wasn't worth it for me at the time. In that case...all scans we did turned up nothing. I have a feeling it might be related to this for some reason. Guess it's time to finally go through all the trouble of a hard drive wipe. Man...I feel like a Windows user right now!

Similar Messages

  • I recently purchased a MacBook Pro. I would like to transfer Aperture from my Mac Mini to my new MP. How can I do this?

    I recently purchased a MacBook Pro. I would like to transfer Aperture from my Mac Mini to my new MP. How can I do this?

    Thanks, Sig.  I think I should've been a little clearer.  I've attempted to do the updates on my Mac, but I get a warning that it will erase everything except calenders, email, etc from the iPad.  I've syned the iPad with the Mac with no problem, but get scary messages when I try to do the latest update.

  • I'm entitled to an upgrade as I have CS3 I want to buy a new mac and install the upgrade on the new computer. How do I do this?

    I'm entitled to an upgrade as I have CS3 I want to buy a new mac and install the upgrade on the new computer. How do I do this?

    Hi Ned,
    Thank you for your help. I want to join creative cloud and when it check my system I told i can join for the discount price.
    One Year, Paid Monthly plan — €36.89 per month, inclusive of VAT
    My mac is Version 10.6.8 so I need to purchase two new mac creative cloud to run properly. I want to install the aps on both macs one for work and one for home use.
    Will this work or cause me any problem?
    Chris

  • HT4550 I just installed Snow Leopard 10.6 on my 2007 Mac Probook. I need to upgrade my safari or install a newer version. How do I do this? I can't find any installation links.

    I just installed Snow Leopard 10.6 on my 2007 Mac Probook. I need to upgrade my safari or install a newer version. How do I do this? I can't find any installation links.

    Thank you for your response. I downloaded Safari 5.1.7. I don't know if I was successful because the system requirements called for 10.6.8, and I recently downloaded Snow Leopard 10.6.3

  • HT1386 When I connect my iPod Touch to a new laptop (Macbook Air) the "Info" tab won't appear and therefore I cannot sync it with my new iTunes. How can I sync this iPod with the iTunes on my new laptop?

    When I connect my iPod Touch to a new laptop (Macbook Air) the "Info" tab won't appear and therefore I cannot sync it with my new iTunes. How can I sync this iPod with the iTunes on my new laptop?

    There is no Info tab in Mavericks
    if you use OS X v.10.8.5 or earlier. If you use OS X Mavericks v.10.9 or later, your contacts, calendars, and other info are updated on your computers and iOS devices via iCloud. For more information, see iCloud Help at icloud.com.
    iTunes 11 for Mac: Sync contacts, calendars, and other info with iPod, iPhone, or iPad

  • I just bought a new IMac. I have photoshop elements installed on my old IMac and would like to move it to the new one. How can i do this?

    I just bought a new IMac. I have photoshop elements installed on my old IMac and would like to move it to the new one. How can i do this?

    Unfortunately, adobe doesn't have photoshop elements 6 available for download, as far as i know, so your best bet is to either get an usb dvd drive or use an computer with a dvd drive and copy the contents of the pse 6 dvd to somethiing like
    a flash drive and then copy the contents from that drive to your new computer.
    Do you still have your older mac and it has a dvd drive?
    You can share files between the two using airdrop or an ethernet cable.
    http://support.apple.com/en-is/HT203106
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH18722
    http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14409

  • I am trying to make a iphoto book but every time i click on a single photo or folder it opens up a new book. How can I avoid this? This is iphoto 10.

    I am trying to make a iphoto book but every time i click on an individual photo (or folder) it opens up a new book. How can i avoid this?

    Export the slideshow out of iPhoto as a QT movie file via the Export button in the lower toolbar.  Select Size = Medium or Large.
    Open iDVD, select a theme and drag the exported QT movie file into the open iDVD window being careful to avoid any drop zones.
    Follow this workflow to help assure the best quality video DVD:
    Once you have the project as you want it save it as a disk image via the File ➙ Save as Disk Image  menu option. This will separate the encoding process from the burn process. 
    To check the encoding mount the disk image, launch DVD Player and play it.  If it plays OK with DVD Player the encoding is good.
    Then burn to disk with Disk Utility or Toast at the slowest speed available (2x-4x) to assure the best burn quality.  Always use top quality media:  Verbatim, Maxell or Taiyo Yuden DVD-R are the most recommended in these forums.
    If iDVD was not preinstalled on your Mac you'll have to obtain it by purchasing a copy of the iLife 09 disk from a 3rd party retailer like Amazon.com: ilife 09: Software or eBay.com.  Why, because iDVD (and iWeb) was discontinued by Apple over a year ago. 
    Why iLife 09 instead of 11?
    If you have to purchase an iLife disc in order to obtain the iDVD application remember that the iLife 11 disc only provides  themes from iDVD 5-7.  The Software Update no longer installs the earlier themes when starting from the iLIfe 11 disk nor do any of the iDVD 7 updaters available from the Apple Downloads website contain them. 
    Currently the only sure fire way to get all themes is to start with the iLife 09 disc:
    This shows the iDVD contents in the iLife 09 disc via Pacifist:
    You then can upgrade from iDVD 7.0.3 to iDVD 7.1.2 via the updaters at the Apple Downloads webpage.
    NOTE:  If you're running iPhoto 9.5 the export options will be different.
    OT

  • I want to free up some GB on my mac how do I do this?

    I want to free up some GB on my Mac, how do I do this?

    Archive files, backup, buy a larger hard drive.... you have an iMac? this is not the forum so maybe a hard drive isn't as easy.
    It depends. Not that you can't but why.
    What does matter: keep at least 10% free, 20% better, and more like 40% free.
    move media files
    move the iPhoto Library to external but fast disk drive, esp. if you have new Thunderbolt storage interface.
    move the entire itunes media in same way.
    But whatever you do make sure to have one or more backups of what you delete.
    Even web browsers can create GBs of cache, temp, history and such. so can logs and printer temp files.

  • I just switched from a blackberry to a new iPhone 5 S - I would love to be able to add my address book to the new iPhone.  How do I do this easily without having to manually add each no.?

    I just switched from a blackberry to a new iPhone 5 S - I would love to be able to add my address book to the new iPhone.  How do I do this easily without having to manually add each no.

    Unless your carrier doesn't have the required SIM card size, you can get a new SIM card from your carrier. There is usually no charge for this.
    If you don't have an Apple iCloud account or if you do being accessed on the iPhone with contacts turned off for over the air syncing, you should be able to transfer contacts from the Address Book app on your Mac via the iTunes sync process. This is selected under the Info tab for your iPhone sync preferences with iTunes followed by a sync.
    If you have an iCloud account, you can sync contacts over the air with the Address Book on your Mac. After confirming your contacts are available with your iCloud online address book - checked by logging in with your iCloud account using a browser on your Mac, you can then turn Contacts on for over the air syncing with your iCloud account settings on your iPhone and your contacts will then be available there and kept synced automatically over the air between your iPhone address book, your iCloud online address book, and the Address Book on your Mac without having to sync with iTunes for this.

  • I got a new computer and I need to transfer my photographers membership (cc and lightroom) to the new computer. How do I do this?

    I got a new computer and I need to transfer my membership (cc and lightroom)  to the new computer. How do i do this?

    The same way you did the first time
    Cloud License allows 2 activations http://www.adobe.com/legal/licenses-terms.html
    -Install on a 2nd computer http://forums.adobe.com/thread/1452292?tstart=0
    -Windows or Mac does not matter... 2 on the same operating system, or 1 on each

  • HT1296 I already have an itunes account on my laptop but have been setup on a mac and have songs that have not been purchased from the itunes store, I cannot get the songs from my iPhone onto my itunes account on the mac. how can I do this?

    I already have an itunes account on my laptop but have been setup on a mac and have songs that have not been purchased from the itunes store, I cannot get the songs from my iPhone onto my itunes account on the mac. how can I do this?

    You copy them from your old computer or your backup copy of your old computer.
    The iphone is not a backup/storage device.

  • I got a new computer. How do I make this the primary pc for all of my apple devices?

    I purchased a new pc. How do I make this the primary pc for iTunes and all of my apple devices? I need to know how to take all Itunes files off old pc and put on new pc. Also, disable old pc.

    Backup your library using this User Tip.
    The same tool can be used to backup other important user data.
    Deauthorise the old computer
    Restore the library into the music folder of your new profile. (Use the same tool as for the backup)
    Install iTunes and sign in to your account.
    tt2

  • When I click on a web link and hold down ctrl the page will not open into a new tab, it is just opening in a new window. How do I correct this?

    When I use to hold down the ctrl key and left click on a web link, the page use to open into a new tab. For some reason this is not working anymore. Instead when I hold down the ctrl key and left click on a web link, the link will open into a new window. How do I fix this?

    I figured out how to correct it. Not sure what exactly was happening. But I started into private browsing and then turned it off. It's been working correctly ever since I did private browsing.

  • I have a sync key, and have a new computer terminal, but when I enter the account details I created, it syncs nothing with my new computer. How do I fix this?

    I have a sync key, and have a new computer terminal, but when I enter the account details I created, it syncs nothing with my new computer. How do I fix this? There is nothing showing up when I sync with the sync key from my old terminal.

    ''NexGenCN [[#question-1038230|said]]''
    <blockquote>
    I recently had to do a wipe on my laptop. I saved the sync key but there was no mention of a sync account prior to doing the wipe. I saved the key and when I did the wipe it asked me to make an account, which I had not done, but now I am seeing no where to put in a sync key code. did they make them unusable now or something?
    </blockquote>
    You are probably trying to use old Sync with Firefox newer than version 29,
    and they did make old Sync unusable on fresh installations of newer Firefox.
    You can uninstall that newer Firefox, then install Firefox 29 from here:
    https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/firefox/releases/29.0.1/
    Apply your sync key code, then update that installation to current Firefox,
    then migrate to new Sync:
    https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-to-update-to-the-new-firefox-sync

  • I have two separate iTunes libraries on two separate Computers. I need to consolidate them so I can play them on a brand new computer. How do I do this so I can play them off an External Hard Drive on my brand new computer?

    I have two separate iTunes libraries on two separate Computers. I need to consolidate them so I can play them on my brand new computer. How do I do this so I can play them off an External Hard Drive on my brand new computer?

    Why, if it told you you have insufficient space on your computer, would it suggest making more space available on your phone?
    At a guess, you have insufficient space on your phone. Installing software will typically require more space than the final size of the software, perhaps even twice or three times as much, for the installation process. You can easily dump some videos or music temporarily, and then synch them back in afterwards.

  • I have two different apple id's, one on my computer and one on my phone. i connected my phone to sync music and i lost most of my music. i realised that the music i lost is from the apple id on my mac. how do i undo this mess? help anyone?

    i have two different apple id's, one on my computer and one on my phone. i connected my phone to sync music and i lost most of my music. i realised that the music i lost is from the apple id on my mac. how do i undo this mess? help anyone?

    The iphone will mirror the selected content of your computer.
    Make sure everything is on your computer.  Select what you want on your iphone, sync

Maybe you are looking for

  • PROBLEM with iMessage (Messages) on iPod touch HELPPP

    We had a problem with iMessage. We're both using iPod touch with iOS5 version. but we can't send messages. It says our emails/apple ids are not registered on iMessage. I checked it on already on the Settings>iMessage> ON . but still we cant use it. H

  • When trying to format my internal hard drive, it's greyed out in Disk utility?

    I'm trying ot format my computer and wipe everything off before giving it away, but Disk Utility has everything greyed out and won't let me choose my hard drive. I have the original CD and everything that came with the computer. How do I fix this fas

  • Flash 8 - actionscript button problem

    Hi all, I created a button "place holder" (until I had time to design my own) on an object using the standard button component, this worked great. When I replaced it with my own user defined button it stopped working. The object has the same name and

  • The underlying connection was closed

    Support: We've been experiencing the following two errors for the past two days.  On the Azure Status page, there was reference to an issue affecting all services regarding connections but it has since been resolved.   Are there additional issues wit

  • BAPI returns PDF

    Hi all, Am trying to implement a BAPI that rerutrns a PDF to a webdynpro. I create the PDF from a smartform through FM 'CONVERT_OTF_2_PDF'. Now this FM returns a table of type TLINETAB, and when a try to put a parameter of the same type in my BAPI i