OS X 10.5 Leopard install disk won't mount

I'm running OS X 10.4.11 on an iMac G4 and want to upgrade to OS X 10.5. I bought a retail 10.5.1 installation DVD set but I can't get the disks to mount on my iMac G4. I've tried loading it in with OS 10.4 running and I've tried starting up from the 10.5 disk holding down the C key. I've also tried starting up holding down the option key. Nothing seems to work. The disk does not show up in disk utility. The disks are apparently ok because I can mount them on my intel iMac as a test.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Some Macs are not able to boot from USB drives.
These options come to mind:
1 - Make a bootable USB stick - very slow and painful - several tutorials on the web
2 - Make a reduced (single layer DVD) - not too difficult - I have done it several times - let me know if you decide to do this - I can give you a list of items to remove.
3 - Partition your G4 hard drive, boot into installer on one volume and install onto the other volume - very fast and easy - useful in the future - if G4 has important data this will need backing up to another disk first as partitioning normally erases the whole disk.
For 3:
1 - If necessary backup all data, and perhaps whole disk, to another disk with eg Carbon Copy Cloner
2 - Use Tiger install CD/DVD to partition G4 disk - can be equal volumes or perhaps make one about 10 GB for installer.
3 - Install Tiger onto one volume - the larger one if they are different
4 - Boot into Tiger volume
5 - Use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone Leopard installer onto the other volume
6 - Boot into installer and use it to replace Tiger with Leopard
In future you can use the installer volume in the same way that you would use an installer DVD for repair or reinstalls etc.
Good luck.

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MAC OS X Snow Leopard install disk won't install "with this version"

I am trying to get ready for the Snow Leopard install disk to migrate from Mobile Me to ICloud. However, the disk install I received to start the process won't allow me to install saying I have the incorrect version to do so. I am up to date in all my software installs. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks!

If you have an iMac running 10.7.4 as it says in your profile, why are you installing Snow Leopard? If this is a different computer then it would really, really help to know something about it.

Leopard Install Disk Won't Boot

I have Tiger installed on my PowerBook G4 right now, and just got it repaired so thought now's as good a time as any to upgrade to Leopard. Only problem is I can't get the install disk to boot. I've tried both methods. Inserting the disk and clicking install OS X, restarting from there and allowing the system to restart using the DVD as the destination volume. Also tried just holding down C during a restart with the DVD in there. Both result in the same incomplete boot. It stays on the grey Apple screen for an abnormally long time before going to a light blue screen, then to a black/dark grey screen where I get a beach ball that spins for all eternity. The disk sounds like its spinning and processing and wanting to do something in the drive, but alas, it does not. Now I tried to boot with the same Leopard install disk on my iMac, and didn't have a problem at all. So needless to say, a little confused. If anyone has any ideas on how to remedy the situation, please let me know. Thanks.

Is your Leopard installer a retail installer which looks like *, and it does not say:
DropIn, Update, or Upgrade on it?
If not, you must purchase Leopard retail.
If your Powerbook lacks 512 MB of RAM, that could also prevent it from installing.
- * Links to images hosted on my website may give me compensation.

Leopard Install Disc Won't Mount on PowerMac G4

I'm having problems installing Leopard and am looking for advice. My internal DVD reader won't mount the installation disc - this has been a long-standing issue with my DVD drive: it can read some DVDs but not others. This is only the second time I've had trouble reading an actual Apple-manufactured DVD, though. (The first time, it was iLife - I eventually got around the problem by using a third-party DVD drive to install iLife, and that worked fine.) This time, though, while trying to install Leopard from the external DVD drive, the installation failed halfway through. This happened twice in a row, and I had to go back to my original system discs that came with the computer and reinstall the original system (10.2) in order to get my computer working again.
Now, I have two questions that arise from this. One, is this DVD-reading problem on my internal drive something that can be fixed with a Firmware update or something? I've searched without success. Or does the drive have to be replaced completely?
Second, is the problem with trying to install from the external DVD drive likely to be an issue with the Leopard install disc being a dual layer disc (if it is - I have no idea), and maybe the reason it fails halfway through is because my external DVD drive is only able to read one layer of the DVD? Or am I completely barking up the wrong tree with this one? Is it just a bad idea to try and install from an external DVD drive, full stop?
Colour me baffled! Any advice gratefully received.

I do not know for sure, but as the Leopard install DVD has a capacity of over 7GB it may well be a dual-layer DVD.
Assuming your G4 PowerMac otherwise meets the minimum requirements for Leopard (867 MHz or faster, 512 MB memory, 9GB free space on hard drive, etc.) it is possible there is a flaw in the DVD. When you attempted to install did the installer successfully verify the DVD? You could try using Disk Utility to verify the DVD.
You might consider a new internal DVD drive. I had to replace the optical drive in my G5 when it failed. They are quite reasonably priced here: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/optical-drives/superdrives/powermac/
Do you have an external FireWire hard drive? Did you attempt to install Leopard on that drive?

Leopard Install Disk Won't Boot on Mountain Lion

I am wanting to install a family pack copy of Leopard on an external disk that is connected to my Mountain Lion system. When I follow the instructions it says restart with the disk in the superdrive. That all goes well but then it never gives the installer screen but has a gray screen with an apple on it.
I need to run some s/w under Leopard that won't under Mountain Lion so that is why I am tryiing to put it on an external drive.
Thanks,
Randal

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities
You have a Mid 2010 MacBook Pro. This computer came with a special Mac OS X Snow Leopard version, so the Snow Leopard Family Pack you have bought contains a Mac OS X version which isn't compatible with your MacBook. That's why you can't start from the Leopard or Snow Leopard DVD.
Instead of using that DVD, you have to use the Mac OS X Install DVD that came with your Mac. Then, insert it, hold the C key while your Mac is starting, and install Mac OS X onto your external drive. After installing it, your Mac will start by default onto the external drive, so open System Preferences > Startup Disk, and choose the OS X Mountain Lion drive.
If you haven't got the DVDs that came with your computer, call Apple to get replacement DVDs > http://support.apple.com/kb/HE57

Macbook Leopard Install DVD won't mount

I want to perform an erase and install of OS X 10.5 on my late-2008 Aluminum Macbook. When I insert the "Mac OS X Install DVD" which came with my MacBook, it will not mount. The Macbook sounds like it's spinning up the DVD, but then ejects the install DVD within 20 or 30 seconds.
Any suggestions? To anticipate questions & suggestions:
1. Yes, this is the DVD which came with this MacBook.
2. Yes, this MacBook can read other DVDs.
3. No, I don't have an external firewire hard drive I can copy this disk to.
Can I remote install this DVD from a Mac Mini running OS X 10.4?
Any other ideas?
Model Name: MacBook
Model Identifier: MacBook5,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 3 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version: MB51.007D.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.32f8
System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.8 (9L31a)
Kernel Version: Darwin 9.8.0
Boot Volume: Macintosh HD
Boot Mode: Normal

Well, the instructions are given for use with the MBA, but it should work on any recent laptop Mac that has a wireless network.
There can be any number of reasons. The optical drive is out of alignment, there's a motherboard problem, the drive's mechanical side is not working correctly, you have a corrupted OS X installation system, bad or marginal RAM, etc.
If you have another Mac with a dual-layer DVD drive and a blank dual-layer DVD-R disc, then you might try duplicating the disc on the other computer, then try booting from the duplicate. See:
Duplicate a CD or DVD
1. Insert the DVD/CD;
2. Open Disk Utility, and select the DVD/CD from the left side list (select the DVD/CD icon on top);
3. from the DU File menu select New | Disk Image from Disk 1;
4. Choose to format the disk image as DVD/CD Master, name the disk image and click Save;
5. When the .cdr file is finished select it with mouse and press COMMAND-I to open the Get Info and check the box to lock the file;
6. Choose the .cdr file from the left side list, click Burn, and insert a new, blank DVD or CD.

Video Ram failed, won't boot from Leopard Install Disk

Hello,
Recently, I ran the techtools software, and got a report that my video ram had failed. It was suggested that I attempt to reinstall OSX. I put in the Leopard install disk, click the install or setup button or whatever it is, click to restart. When it restarts, a gray screen comes up, but the computer never actually boots up, from either the DVD or my hard disk.
Any suggestions?

Welcome to the Apple Discussions!
Since your MacBook is still very new, you shouldn't have an problem with the DVD. If I were you, I'd call AppleCare Support and have someone walk you through re-installing Mac OS X. However, I really doubt this will help resolve what seems to be a hardware failure on your MacBook. Hopefully the folks at AppleCare Support can help figure out if you need to send your MacBook in for repairs.
-Doug

Is it possible to use the snow leopard install disk for bootcamp setup?

I'm going to be installing a windows 7 partition through bootcamp on my macbook, but I can no longer find the two original install disks that it came with. So my question was whether or not its possible to go through the bootcamp process with the snow leopard install disk?

Do you mean a "Retail OSX Snow Leopard Install DVD for USD 29" ?
If so, then yes. use it.
Sounds to me like the Original Install Discs you refer to are OSX 10.5 Leopard ones, right ?
These won't work with Windows 7 since Windows 7 requires OSX Snow Leopard DVD at minimum for the Driver Installation and BootCamp Assistant version 3.x as well, which is also only avaiable in OSX Snow Leopard.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1899
Stefan

Can't get past language selection with Leopard Install disk

My 1 year old Intel Mac Mini, which had been running 10.5.4 without problems suddenly froze up. The mouse was still active but I couldn't click anything. I turned the system off with the power button. When I restarted it got as far as the login screen, but clicking the user didn't do anything. I was able to log in using safe mode (hold down shift when starting). I ran the disc utility, repaired permissions and verified the disc. Seemed OK, but still the same behavior (freeze at login screen) when I try to boot normally.
I tried booting from the Leopard install disk. When it reached the language selection page there were some strange-looking horizontal lines in the display. Clicking the "proceed" button caused a copy of the button's graphic to appear at the top of the page and nothing else happened. Very puzzling, since I had upgraded OS X using that same disc.
I have a Superduper backup from a couple of weeks ago. It won't boot up normally either. Any ideas? Unfortunately, I'm 2 weeks out of warranty!
Thanks,
jwstex

I would probably start looking at the ram to see if it's worked loose or a board has gone bad (rare, but it happens).
Make sure no external drives or other unnecessary connections.
If the ram doesn't fix the problem, then you could also Zap the PRAM by holding down the Command + Option + P + R keys during boot up. Hold down the keys until the Mac goes through 3 startup chimes, then just release the keys and continue to boot normally. Check your clock settings if it boots.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1379

I have a copy of Windows 7, and I am trying to bring up Boot Camp on my MacBook with Snow Leopard. But my Snow Leopard install disk is too old for Windows 7, so attempted Boot Camp install of drivers fails.

I have a copy of Windows 7, and I am trying to bring up Boot Camp on my MacBook with Snow Leopard. But my Snow Leopard install disk is too old for Windows 7, so attempted Boot Camp install of drivers fails.
I have hand-installed the NVidia graphics driver, and I have keyboard, minimal trackpad, and hardwire to internet all working. So the WIndows machine is usable. But I am hurting for wi-fi, better trackpad, and whatever else is delivered by Boot Camp. I can't use any of the Boot Camp upgrades because I do not have XP or Vista.

While we all have MacBooks in this forum not all of us use Boot Camp. There's a Boot Camp Support Community where everybody uses Boot Camp. You should also post this question there.
https://discussions.apple.com/community/windows_software/boot_camp

How do you make a back-up copy of the OSX Leopard Install Disk 1?

I'd like to make a back-up copy of +Leopard Install Disk #1+ but I only have one DVD read/write machine onboard the Mac Pro.
Can I insert the Leopard DVD, copy it to my desktop, remove it from the drive, insert a blank DVD and burn the contents to the blank DVD?
I'm trying to create a simple bootable Leopard DVD that will enable me to (a) boot up, then restore my System HD from a Time Machine Archive; and/or (b) run +Disk Utility+ from a source other than the main System HD if necessary.
I know I can do these things from the original Leopard Install DVD but I'm trying to preserve it and use it as little as possible in the event I need to reinstall Leopard.

In addition to Malcolm's instructions I want to point out that you need a Dual Layer
DVD+R (or -R) for this. Those are quite flaky and some might not work or not work well when you burn them. I was recommended Verbatim DL DVD+R as being reliable. try those.
also, instead of burning to a copy of the install Disk 1 to a DVD you can clone it to a partition on your hard drive. Just make a small partition, insert the DVD, select it in Disk Utility and click on "restore" tab. select the DVD as the source and the partition as the target and hit "restore". this will give you a very fast bootable installer right on your hard drive.

Making a copy of Leopard Install Disk

Hi there,
A while back I copied the contents of my Leopard install disk by simply dragging the files from the Disk into a new folder on my Desktop with the idea of making a back up copy in case I lost my original DVD. So recently my G4 started to slow up a little so I decided to de-clog it by doing a clean erase and install. However when I double click the "Install Mac OS X.app" icon and a dialogue appears saying:
"The application "Install Mac OS X" cannot be used from this volume. To install Mac OS X, please use the application provided on the Mac OS X installation disc."
So I went to find my original disk and it has simply disappeared.
So my question is If I make a disk image of the copied Leopard disk files that are on my desktop then burn it, can I install then from that Disk.
All and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

Unfortunately, your drag & drop backup copy of the OS X install disc is no good. An install disc, like all bootable Mac OS X volumes, contains a bunch of hidden files and directories that are essential for booting, and a Finder drag & drop copy misses all of those. So the backup you thought you made is incomplete, and there's nothing you can do to fix it.
You'll have to get your hands on a replacement set of install discs. If it was a retail Leopard DVD your only option (if it is truly lost) will to be to buy another one, I'm afraid to say.
In the future, a good way to make a backup copy of the Leopard install disc is to use Disk Utility to make a disk image of it. You can then burn a copy of the disk image to a DVD+R DL disc if you want, and boot from that.

Mac Pro gets kernel panic while trying to boot from Leopard install disk

Hi all,
I'm finally getting around to installing leopard on my 2006 Mac Pro. It has the x1900 video card from Apple and all firmware is up to date. The install disk upgraded my Macbook with no problems.
When booting I get the wipe to grey, kernel panic, "You must restart your Mac" screen. Any suggestions?
BTW the Leopard install disk installs OSX 10.5.0
Thanks
Pax

I finally found that the mac pro needs installer 10.5.2 or it will do the kernel panic thing. I did find a way around this though.
1) I took an external drive hooked to my macbook and installed 10.5 on it. Then booted from it and did all the updates, installed all my necessary software (ilife 08, parallels, and so on).
2) I then made sure my Mac pro's drive was currently backed up and then booted up from the backup and then used Carbon Copy Cloner to clone the new OS 10.5.4 Leopard disk onto my Mac Pro boot drive.
3) After that I used migration assistant to transfer all my user settings and such.
It all worked great and I now have Leopard on my Mac Pro.
Just thought I'd let everyone know how I got around it.
Pax

How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

Do a backup, preferable 2 separate ones on 2 drives. Boot to the Recovery Volume (command - R on a restart or hold down the option/alt key during a restart and select Recovery Volume). Run Disk Utility Verify/Repair and Repair Permissions until you get no errors. Reformat the drive using Disk Utility/Erase Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then click the Option button and select GUID. Then re-install the OS.
OS X Recovery
OS X Recovery (2)
When you reboot, use Setup Assistant to restore your data.

Why does imac G5 eject leopard install disk

Why does imac G5 eject leopard install disk? I'm trying to help my father get online to read the newspaper using an iMac G5 1.8 GHz 17". I've installed a new hard drive and reinstalled software and rus software updates until I've reached 10.4.11 and the lovely "your software is up to date" message. When I put in the Leopard 10.5.1 Install DVD, it auto ejects within 15 seconds and never gets mounted and never shows on desktop. When I place the same DVD in my Intel MacBook Pro running 10.6.8, the disk mounts and the install window opens as usual. Any suggestions on what i'm missing here? thanks

If you doing the internet, you can get by with Tiger. Get TenFourFox.
Safari 4.1.3 for Tiger
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1069
iCab - The Taxi for the Internet
http://www.icab.de/
for PPC -- works for me on 10.4. Supports 10.5
tenfourfox -- It's a port of the latest FireFox to run on older hardware and software.
"World's most advanced web browser. Finely tuned for the Power PC."
http://www.floodgap.com/software/tenfourfox/
alternative download site:
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/37761/tenfourfox

OS X 10.5 Leopard install disk won't mount

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