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Macbook "Cannont Install OS X On This Computer"

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cmx1o1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 17, 2008
3
0
Hi everyone,

I am having a problem trying to reinstall OSX on my macbook. I lost my recovery dvd and tried using my friends and it doesnt work, a message comes up saying "Cannot Install OS X on this computer" right after i select the language. So i bought the retail copy Leopard and tried installing it, it still had the same message. Anyone know how i can fix this problem? or I'm better off bringing it to the Apple Store?

Thanks
 
xUKHCx

xUKHCx

Administrator emeritus
Jan 15, 2006
12,583
9
The Kop
What OS do you currently have on it? How are you trying to install it?

You should be able to erase and install, (obviously destroys user data so need a back of that)

Why are you trying to reinstall?
 
WildCowboy

WildCowboy

Administrator/Editor
Staff member
Jan 20, 2005
18,390
2,829
I believe that the most recent MacBooks can't install anything earlier than 10.5.2, and the retail version of Leopard is 10.5.1. But I could be wrong about that.

The retail version doesn't work on these machines because every one of these machines shipped with Leopard on their own restore discs. If you've lost yours, contact Apple and they can send you replacement ones for a nominal fee...much cheaper than buying a new retail version anyway.
 
C

cmx1o1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 17, 2008
3
0
I just bought one of the retail copy of Leopard at the Apple Store (picked a random one off the shelf).

I just finished my classes this term and decided to just format the whole thing and also because it was running sluggish. By the way, I had Tiger before with all the updates.

What i did first was just erased the partition since i couldn't find my recovery disks and just use my friends but after i popped it in after the language menu it shows that message saying i cannot install os x on this computer. I also asked one of the techs at our campus' comptuer store about that problem and he just told me the retail copy should work and was asking for $60 to install it for me. Could it be i messed something up by erasing the partition in Tiger?

So how would one install Leopard on a Santa-Rosa based Macbook?

Thanks again.
 
Nermal

Nermal

Moderator
Staff member
Dec 7, 2002
20,644
4,042
New Zealand
If you previously had Tiger then a retail copy of Leopard should work fine. It you're planning to wipe the hard drive then try opening Disk Utility (it's in one of the installer's menus) and erasing the drive. It should then allow you to install Leopard onto it.
 
xraydoc

xraydoc

Contributor
Oct 9, 2005
10,790
5,246
192.168.1.1
How did you reformat the drive? Make sure you've partitioned it to a GUID type partition (required to boot Intel-based Macs).

If you had Tiger on the machine before, you should be able to use any retail Leopard disc; no machine shipped with Tiger that requires a newer version of Leopard than is available on the retail discs. Your friend's recovery disc, however, likely wont work unless its from exactly the same model machine. The recovery discs are usually model-specific.
 
C

cmx1o1

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 17, 2008
3
0
i formatted the drive about 5times now and double checked, it is GUID partition but same message occurs when i boot up the Leopard DVD. I'm very puzzled right now. I think i will just swing by a Apple Store and hope they have a solution. But as of now, anything else i can try?

How does one check if a Macbook is a Santa Rosa?
 
Eidorian

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
WildCowboy said:
I believe that the most recent MacBooks can't install anything earlier than 10.5.2, and the retail version of Leopard is 10.5.1. But I could be wrong about that.

The retail version doesn't work on these machines because every one of these machines shipped with Leopard on their own restore discs. If you've lost yours, contact Apple and they can send you replacement ones for a nominal fee...much cheaper than buying a new retail version anyway.
Click to expand...
A small elaboration on this subject.

The Santa Rosa (Merom) Macbooks can have the original 10.5.0 version of Leopard installed on them. The original rumor for the new MacBooks was substantiated from GMA X3100 drivers found in 10.5. The retail Leopard discs right now can't be used to install Leopard on these laptops since they fall under the bad machine rules of the installer.

The MacBook Santa Rosa (Merom) will run just fine with 10.5.0 if you bypass the DVD installer in a long list of methods that are available.

I wouldn't be surprised if you'd be fine running 10.5.0 on a MacBook Santa Rosa (Penryn) but I don't have any experience to verify this claim.
 
Sun Baked

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
lostfan916 said:
When did you buy yours?


I have a SR and under System Profiler at Model Identifier I am Macbook 3,1
Click to expand...

Latest one, needs the System Restore DVDs.

You can try to see if the Apple Store has them on hand or call.

At worst it would be something like a $19.95 charge for a new set of DVDs if you call Apple direct.

People lose them or damage them all the time, so there is a method in place to get them replaced.

---

Though when I got a refurb with damaged CDs, they tried to charge me $19.95 -- until I switched to "I think the machine is DOA, it boots and flashes the question mark (told them I reformatted the drive accidentally, though it was a partition job to remove Apple's recovery partition), the CDs a severely damaged and don't work -- can I get a refund or a free set of CDs."
 
M

MacHappytjg

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2008
1,498
1
Winnipeg
im not sure if anyone has put this but if u have a firewire cable put your macbook into target mode and install the stuff off ur friends macbook onto your "firewire drive" (your macbook) which will probably work cause i put leopard on my macbook using my friends imac Al i had a macbook 1st gen that came with tiger but now i have retail discs and have leopard on all my computers :D
 
E

eman

macrumors 6502a
Nov 5, 2007
695
0
In the great white north
cmx1o1 said:
Hi everyone,

I am having a problem trying to reinstall OSX on my macbook. I lost my recovery dvd and tried using my friends and it doesnt work, a message comes up saying "Cannot Install OS X on this computer" right after i select the language. So i bought the retail copy Leopard and tried installing it, it still had the same message. Anyone know how i can fix this problem? or I'm better off bringing it to the Apple Store?

Thanks
Click to expand...

All macbook restore discs are not the same. If you are getting an error message you are most likely using the wrong restore discs. Use the correct restore discs and your problem will most likely go away.
 
Eidorian

Eidorian

macrumors Penryn
Mar 23, 2005
29,190
386
Indianapolis
BlackThunder said:
Wow, that's good to know... although I think wiping the drive would allow you to use the retail disk as somebody stated.
Click to expand...
The retail DVD's installer won't work. You can still use the disc to image, clone from another Mac, or Target Disk Mode with another Intel Mac.

Vanilla Leopard (10.5.0) works but you have to get around the installer. 10.5 (9A3110) is what shipped with the Late 2007 Macbooks. The only significant difference between the Late 2007 and Early 2008 MacBooks is the processor. It should run just fine with 10.5.
 
M

Matek

macrumors 6502a
Jun 6, 2007
535
1
Wait, is this official? Apple is actually saying their OS won't install to one of their machines from a regular retail copy?

I know problems can occur, but it seems unfair to me that they want to even charge extra when they know it's their problem...
 
Fuzzy14

Fuzzy14

macrumors 65816
Nov 19, 2006
1,357
1
Renfrew, Scotland
Matek said:
Wait, is this official? Apple is actually saying their OS won't install to one of their machines from a regular retail copy?

I know problems can occur, but it seems unfair to me that they want to even charge extra when they know it's their problem...
Click to expand...

SR MacBooks came out a couple of weeks after Leopard (Oct 2007), so the version of Leopard shipped with them is slightly different (they contain drivers specific to the processor which wasn't included in the 'earlier' full retail disc.) It's still called 10.5.0 but it's a different build number so it's more like 10.5.0 and a half.

SR MacBooks won't run Tiger either, you can't run earlier software on a new machine. Why should Apple have to future-proof a retail disc when the new computer already comes complete with a newer version of the OS?
 
P

plainsight

macrumors newbie
Jun 21, 2008
1
0
Did you find a solution?

my computer is doing the same thing--and so is my laptop--did you ever find a solution??

cmx1o1 said:
Hi everyone,

I am having a problem trying to reinstall OSX on my macbook. I lost my recovery dvd and tried using my friends and it doesnt work, a message comes up saying "Cannot Install OS X on this computer" right after i select the language. So i bought the retail copy Leopard and tried installing it, it still had the same message. Anyone know how i can fix this problem? or I'm better off bringing it to the Apple Store?

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
M

MacHappytjg

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2008
1,498
1
Winnipeg
retail will basically only work with the intels that came with tiger otherwise if it comes with leopard it cant yours came with tiger so i dont see why it wont install i install leopard off a erased drive, but i have a Rev a my friend has a santa rosa and installed leopard no problem with the retail, maybe yours is ******? :confused:
 
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