This Sucks... Broken Macbook

[Zianac]

My friend bought Leopard the other day but wanted me to install it because she wasn't confident doing it herself. Anyway, I tried an Archive and Install which failed. Anyway, it said to try again, so I rebooted and tried again, but it said I couldn't install leopard without doing an erase and install. That was unacceptable because we need some things on the hard drive, so we decided to just stop installing leopard until we could save everything. Now the macbook won't start up... It'll get up to the point where it shows the Apple, and the loading circle. When it finishes that, it just shuts down. At this point, I've tried to repair the disk using the installation cd. That ends up failing. fscd doesn't complete in single user mode. and I can't mount the disk onto my MBP by holding T when turning her computer on... So... now I'm completely lost on what I can try next... let me know if I can give any more info... I'll gladly supply it. Thanks!

[svndmvn]

have you tried connecting the two through firewire? using some recovery software from your Macbook pro, or look for an external case and use that for her HD..

[majorp]

This sounds painful, especially considering it's not your macbook. If you can't target disk mode then I would install osx on an external and boot from it. Then you may be able to see the internal.

[brop52]

You need to buy a compatible external enclosure to get the data. Back up the relevant documents and files you want to keep then erase the drive and reformat. Then do a clean Leopard install and put the documents back on there. Reinstall any apps because it might get flaky if you just transfer them.

You are learning why it is important to back up data. Think of it as a learning experience because at least this time it is possible to get the data back. It is just the system files that are shot. That's why it won't start up. In order to archive and install you need a functioning system first.

[Schtumple]

You need to buy a compatible external enclosure to get the data. Back up the relevant documents and files you want to keep then erase the drive and reformat. Then do a clean Leopard install and put the documents back on there. Reinstall any apps because it might get flaky if you just transfer them.

You are learning why it is important to back up data. Think of it as a learning experience because at least this time it is possible to get the data back. It is just the system files that are shot. That's why it won't start up. In order to archive and install you need a functioning system first.

That's not exactly very constructive tbh.... It's not like the OP could compensate for a software bug he/she didn't know about... Not everyone has the fortune of having a external HD lying around to back up too on a whim... Also I found transferring apps on archive and install on my imac went fine, no issues, no "flakey"ness...

To the OP: If i remember correctly, this happened to me during a archive install on one of my friends systems, it litterally puts everything (all old files) into a folder called "old system" or previous system, something along those lines, in the Macintosh HD directory. Hope that helps when it comes to transferring files over :)

[HLdan]

Sounds like the computer's hard drive is failing especially if he gets errors when attempting to repair the disk.

[brop52]

That's not exactly very constructive tbh.... It's not like the OP could compensate for a software bug he/she didn't know about... Not everyone has the fortune of having a external HD lying around to back up too on a whim... Also I found transferring apps on archive and install on my imac went fine, no issues, no "flakey"ness...

To the OP: If i remember correctly, this happened to me during a archive install on one of my friends systems, it litterally puts everything (all old files) into a folder called "old system" or previous system, something along those lines, in the Macintosh HD directory. Hope that helps when it comes to transferring files over :)

Well it's irrelevant now. Can't do any archive and installs. Usually archive and installs don't create any problems, but it can. I remember when Leopard first came out I did an archive and install on my Aluminum iMac. It had some glitches at first, but now it is fine. (Was probably more related to the first glitchy versions of Leopard).

Back to this situation, since the install didn't finish some of the files are probably in old systems and some in the normal folders. It's probably just best to reinstall the apps and transfer the documents.

I'm just saying now is a good time to buy an external enclosure. I know the OP doesn't have one and it could prevent this from reoccurring. Since he has the MBP around he can transfer the needed files from the original HDD that was put in the external enclosure (probably safest to transfer the whole HDD just in case you forget a file), reformat it, reinstall the OS as a clean install, put the documents back in there, and then put it back into the MB. Last would be to put all the apps back on.

As for external enclosures, I would recommend OWC www.macsales.com. However, if you want something that is very inexpensive hop on Newegg and buy one.

For a good list of SATA connector 2.5" USB only enclosures (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000090092%201053807124%201054107131%201054007129%201054207132&name=USB%202.0). If you want something higher end with firewire it will be more.

[Schtumple]

Well it's irrelevant now. Can't do any archive and installs. Usually archive and installs don't create any problems, but it can. I remember when Leopard first came out I did an archive and install on my Aluminum iMac. It had some glitches at first, but now it is fine. (Was probably more related to the first glitchy versions of Leopard).

Back to this situation, since the install didn't finish some of the files are probably in old systems and some in the normal folders. It's probably just best to reinstall the apps and transfer the documents.

I'm just saying now is a good time to buy an external enclosure. I know the OP doesn't have one and it could prevent this from reoccurring. Since he has the MBP around he can transfer the needed files from the original HDD that was put in the external enclosure (probably safest to transfer the whole HDD just in case you forget a file), reformat it, reinstall the OS as a clean install, put the documents back in there, and then put it back into the MB. Last would be to put all the apps back on.

I think it might be a case of early leopard thats being installed here too tbh... fair enough about the external HD suggestion, just seemed like you were bieng a bit elitist about it :confused: must'ave just read it wrong....

My friends install crashed during install, not during transfer, it spends a LONG time transferring, something like hour and a half if i remember for his 200gb's worth, compared to a 30-45 min straight install

[brop52]

I think it might be a case of early leopard thats being installed here too tbh... fair enough about the external HD suggestion, just seemed like you were bieng a bit elitist about it :confused: must'ave just read it wrong....

My friends install crashed during install, not during transfer, it spends a LONG time transferring, something like hour and a half if i remember for his 200gb's worth, compared to a 30-45 min straight install

I wasn't being elitist. It is just something that prevents future problems. Plus, Time Machine is probably the best feature of Leopard. Why use Leopard if you don't have a backup HDD?

[Zianac]

I personally backup all of my important data on an external HD. However, my friend does not. She isn't too big on computers to begin with... All I really need is to get her pictures and music off before I do an erase and install. I just tried using Diskwarrior to fix it, somehow it sees the drive across the firewire that I'm not able to see. However, that failed as well... I'm thinking her harddrive is shot, but I'm not exactly sure. I originally thought that her system files were already placed into the old system folder, but I have no way to verify that right now since I can't get finder to see her HD. I suppose I could find a harddrive enclosure and see if that'll work... I'd like to fix it before tomorrow though, because I live 3 hours away and I'm just visiting her for the weekend... oh well, I suppose if I can't fix it she could try the Genius Bar...

[brop52]

Ouch well I don't know what to say if you can't access it while it is the startup drive. I'm not sure how much they will charge her to do the transfer at the Apple Store. Good luck to you and her. (Though you can be a good friend and get her an enclosure and backup HDD for an early Christmas present with her new Leopard) ;)