I killed my Mac...

... kind of!

I need help, please!


I was trying to do a clean install of ML on my MacBook 5,1 (late 2008) and when I boot it up from an external HDD it goes straight to the part where it tries to install the OS X (that big window with the big X and the progress bar on the bottom).

It stays there for a few seconds and then I get the following message:

"There was a problem installing "Mac OS X".

Try reinstalling."


I rebooted already a dozen times. Used the Disk Utility to verify both the HDD where ML will be installed (which as been correctly formatted and is now empty) and the attached external HDD which contains the installation dmg of ML.


I'm out of ideas now. What the hell is going on?

My MacBook 5,1 supports ML, right?

I checked the dmg installation file of ML before and it check out in Disk Utility.

Hope someone can help! Thanks a bunch!

So, now something is wrong for sure.

After trying many many times and after waiting for some hours for someone to answer me here on the forums (still nothing, unfortunately), I loaded into the external HDD the dmg from Lion and created a bootable disk like I did before when I first updated from SL to Lion.

The same exact problem occurs! The disk boots up and it tries to immediately start the installation process. Nothing is asked to me, it goes straight to that window with the big X and the progress bar under.



Can someone please help? Now I have a MacBook that doesn't work at all, neither with Lion or ML.

Thanks!

I don't have my SL DVD here with me. It's at my parents house in a different country that the one I'm living in at the moment.

The Leon copy is legit though, bought it through App Store when it came out.

But even Leon bootable stick won't install. Any idea why?


Thanks!

haha, Leon... Sorry about that.


How can I test out the Lion copy on another Mac? Do I really have to upgrade?

Now I'm getting worried!

I finally got a copy of Snow Leopard and made a bootable USB with it.

I get an error message saying:


"Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer."


Is my MacBook completely broken?


Should I try with Leopard? (that's what it came with when I bought it)

OK, after some desperation I managed to found the original Leopard DVD that came with my MacBook 5,1. It is here with me afterall...

Leopard is installing fine from the DVD. Why the hell can't I make a clean install with Snow Leopard or Lion or Mountain Lion?


When Leopard finishes the installation, can I upgrade straight away to Mountain Lion or will I need to go through the pain of installing Snow Leopard, Lion and only then Mountain Lion?

Also, should I update Leopard through the update app before upgrading or can I just move on to updating to the next version?

Thanks guys!

What a huge pain in the ass!

Is there any reason why I can't just format my hard drive and then simply install Mountain Lion on it straight away?

Thanks ZacNicholson!


Would you mind sharing one of those guides that show how to correctly do it? This leopard installation is eating away a lot of space already...

simsaladimbamba said:

The reason is you are not doing it correctly. You don't seem to have created a bootable ML installer, and even if you did, it does not seem to be working correctly. Even I could create a bootable ML installer from one of the DPs using one of the many guides out there on how to do it with the Lion InstallESD.dmg file and could boot from the ML installer on a separate partition on one of my external HDDs and thus install ML on my 2007 iMac. After having done that and having run ML for two weeks (DP4 I guess) I decided to go back to Snow Leopard, since ML does provide nothing for me I like, and Mission Control is still a clusterfrack, but then again, I love proper Exposé and Spaces.

Click to expand...

----------

ZacNicholson said:

yes, all you have to do is go into finder---> system---> library---> core services---> and open up "SystemVersion.plist"

once this is open look for text that says "<key>ProductVersion</key>" right below it should show what version of leopard you are running. change the number to 10.8 then you should be able to install ML over leopard.

i installed Lion over leopard a few days ago on my friends laptop and did it that way.

hope this helps

Click to expand...

I can't manage to save the file when I change it.

It tells me to press "Get info", which I do and change the access rules for the file, which I do, but still I can't save the changes.

What do to?


EDIT: Never mind, I used the Terminal.

I managed to change the version and the Installer would launch but immediately crash and ask me if I'd like to reset and try again. No matter how many times I'd try it wouldn't work.

This means the dmg I have is damaged?

I checked with DiskWarrior and it was fine...

I've been thinking now and it isn't just Mountain Lion that I can't make a clean install with.

Neither Snow Leopard or Lion allowed me to perform a clean install.

I had to go all the way back to Leopard (I have a later 2008 MacBook 5,1) and perform that install with DVD, which took so long that made me realize I haven't used a CD/DVD in years...

What's the problem here? Do I need to change something before installing Mountain Lion fresh on my MacBook?


Thanks for all the help guys!

Arctix said:

Are you doing the clean installation properly?

What I usually do is put the dvd in my Mac and boot it while holding the option key. Then, you can see all your partitions and your bootable dvd. Select the dvd and a menu gets loaded. Use disk utility to wipe your hard drive and then click to install your copy of OS X.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

Yes, I am doing it fine.

I can install Snow Leopard and Lion from a bootable USB if I have Leopard installed already and I just upgrade.

But if I want to do a clean install straight away with Lion (for example) I can't manage to get the installation going and I get an error saying I can't install Mac OS X on this computer.

Something must be wrong for sure on my MacBook since others can make clean installs straight away with Lion or even Mountain Lion for those who have it already.