Mac will not boot

drumminator · Dec 31, 2012, 04:09 PM

Ive created a bootable usb with mountain lion on it and when i hold down option and select the boot drive i get the prohibited symbol. any ideas ?
thanks again

OLDCODGER · Dec 31, 2012, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

Ive created a bootable usb with mountain lion on it and when i hold down option and select the boot drive i get the prohibited symbol. any ideas ?
thanks again

What model/year Mac?

drumminator · Dec 31, 2012, 05:02 PM

the model year is a 2008 mac pro 8 core 3.0 ghz 16 gig ram 2 hard drives,i also have a macbook 2008 running mountain lion.Ive been using the desktop in target disk mode to install osx using the laptop but even then when i go to turn it on i get the prohibited symbol ? would disk repair help ??
thanks !

OLDCODGER · Dec 31, 2012, 05:37 PM

Which Mac did you use to purchase Mountain Lion from the Mac App Store?

drumminator · Dec 31, 2012, 05:44 PM

used the laptop for the download an make the bootable usb but when i select the usb for the boot i get the prohibited symbol.

OLDCODGER · Dec 31, 2012, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

used the laptop for the download an make the bootable usb but when i select the usb for the boot i get the prohibited symbol.

Ok, taking a punt, i would guess at driver incompatibilities between the laptop and desktop.

drumminator · Dec 31, 2012, 08:58 PM

ill look further into that. thanks !

Yebubbleman · Dec 31, 2012, 09:17 PM

Look up your serial number on Apple's support site and see what model you have. If you have the Mac Pro (8-Core), Mountain Lion isn't supported on your Mac. If you have the Mac Pro (Early 2008), then you might've messed up somewhere in making your bootable USB drive as all versions of Mountain Lion are supported on that Mac.

ClassObject · Dec 31, 2012, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yebubbleman

Look up your serial number on Apple's support site and see what model you have. If you have the Mac Pro (8-Core), Mountain Lion isn't supported on your Mac. If you have the Mac Pro (Early 2008), then you might've messed up somewhere in making your bootable USB drive as all versions of Mountain Lion are supported on that Mac.

I'm confused??? 2008 mp should work no matter.

hfg · Dec 31, 2012, 11:57 PM

Sorry to ask this ... but you did format the thumb drive for GUID JHFS+ before you transferred the bootable OS to it?

The 2008 Mac Pro runs ML 10.8.2 just fine, and I have had no problems booting from thumb flash drives with mine.

Something is wrong with your USB drive configuration.

Good luck...

xcodeSyn · Jan 1, 2013, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

Ive created a bootable usb with mountain lion on it and when i hold down option and select the boot drive i get the prohibited symbol. any ideas ?

Have you tried the bootable usb with other computers? Try it with your laptop. If you get the same problem, then you know the problem is with the bootable usb. Follow the instructions here to remake one.

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 07:53 PM

i did not format the thumb drive i think that will be the next thing i try. if i cant get anything else to work im going to just bring it in to the IT guy at my school, hes all sorts of apple certified. Something else interesting to note.I ran the Mountain lion install from my macbook connected to my mac pro tower and selected the hard drive on the mac pro,ran through the install and everything and after i shut down the laptop and everything and go to boot back up i still get the prohibited sign.
thanks again for the help guys
much appreciated

monkeybagel · Jan 1, 2013, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

i did not format the thumb drive i think that will be the next thing i try. if i cant get anything else to work im going to just bring it in to the IT guy at my school, hes all sorts of apple certified. Something else interesting to note.I ran the Mountain lion install from my macbook connected to my mac pro tower and selected the hard drive on the mac pro,ran through the install and everything and after i shut down the laptop and everything and go to boot back up i still get the prohibited sign.
thanks again for the help guys
much appreciated

What does it read if you boot in Verbose mode ( Cmd+V at startup bong). The last few lines should shed light on the problem.

justperry · Jan 1, 2013, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

i did not format the thumb drive i think that will be the next thing i try. if i cant get anything else to work im going to just bring it in to the IT guy at my school, hes all sorts of apple certified. Something else interesting to note.I ran the Mountain lion install from my macbook connected to my mac pro tower and selected the hard drive on the mac pro,ran through the install and everything and after i shut down the laptop and everything and go to boot back up i still get the prohibited sign.
thanks again for the help guys
much appreciated

The probable problem here is that it downloads a OS X version compatible with the Macbook and not the Mac Pro, there are driver issues and that's why you get the sign at startup.
Do as the above poster (monkeybagel) says and boot up with Command-v and tell us what you see, on top of the screen you might see "Incompatible CPU"

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 08:28 PM

it said something about " this version of osx is not supported" ?? no sure what thats all about.and it said reason Mac-f4208da9

thanks !

----------

reason Mac-f4208da9

justperry · Jan 1, 2013, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

it said something about " this version of osx is not supported" ?? no sure what thats all about.
thanks !

----------

reason Mac-f4208da9

MacPro 2,1 or macPro 3,1????

If it is the 2,1 the Maximum OS version is 10.7.4, the 3,1 is able to run the latest OS.

Go to the Apple Menu, select About this Mac, then click more Info, System Profiler Opens and look up the Model Identifier.

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 08:38 PM

its a mac pro 3.1 i cant even turn the computer on. wont boot into osx

all i get is the prohibited symbol

justperry · Jan 1, 2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

its a mac pro 3.1 i cant even turn the computer on. wont boot into osx

all i get is the prohibited symbol

Then I think what is going on is what I said in one of my former posts, the macbook is downloading a OS version compatible with the Macbook and not the MacPro, your MacPro can run 10.8.2 but it seems to be incompatible with the OS X version you installed.

hfg · Jan 1, 2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

its a mac pro 3.1 i cant even turn the computer on. wont boot into osx

all i get is the prohibited symbol

Can't you even boot to a DVD disk with the OS it came with?

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 08:45 PM

hmm do you know how i would go about getting the one for a mac pro ??

----------

didnt come with one.i bought the computer used so the disks were MIA

monkeybagel · Jan 1, 2013, 09:57 PM

Do you have a USB flash drive and computer (MacBook) that you can run the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant on and try booting the Mac Pro using that. That would pull down a fresh copy from Apple's servers if your machine will run it.

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 10:53 PM

just tried the recovery assistant and when i go to open the usb i get the same thing, that damn prohibited symbol

i feel like ive tried everything, ill probably just end up bringing it in to get looked at.
thanks for the suggestions !
more are welcome !

justperry · 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

just tried the recovery assistant and when i go to open the usb i get the same thing, that damn prohibited symbol

i feel like ive tried everything, ill probably just end up bringing it in to get looked at.
thanks for the suggestions !
more are welcome !

Bringing it in is the same as doing it yourself, as I said before you try to 'copy'/Install it from the Macbook which downloads an incompatible system, the only way you'll get Mountain Lion on it is the legal way, I think you have to buy Snow Leopard first and from there you can upgrade to Mountain Lion, Snow Leopard is needed as far as I know.
You are trying to install it the illegal way.

Edit: Look here for more information, you have to buy SL before you can Upgrade, it's in the Q&A. $ 19.99

To Quote one posters question:

Quote:

I am running 10.5.8 and want to upgrade to Lion in july but i need Snow leopard to download. Can i skip snow leopard and just get Lion?
Asked by Robert F Jun 11, 2011
3 Answers
Best Answer
No. You'll have to purchase OSX 10.6 snow leopard from the Apple store and upgrade your computer in order to download and install OSX Lion.

And another:

Quote:

If I buy 10.6.3 can I then upgrade to mountain lion
Asked by Ron P Dec 26, 2012
1 Answer
Answer
Yes, if your computer meets the requirements for Mountain Lion, you can get there by installing 10.6.3 then updating to 10.6.8 with Software Update. This gives you the Mac App Store where you can buy Mountain Lion

drumminator · Jan 1, 2013, 11:13 PM

yea i dont have a copy snow leopard on disk, thats one of the reasons for bringing it in (the IT guy can use his copy) plus if there is a deeper underlying issue it can be addressed by someone much more computer competent then myself.
thanks !

justperry · Jan 1, 2013, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drumminator

yea i dont have a copy snow leopard on disk, thats one of the reasons for bringing it in (the IT guy can use his copy) plus if there is a deeper underlying issue it can be addressed by someone much more computer competent then myself.
thanks !

I updated my above Post.

----

He won't do that, you have to buy a copy of SL and then Upgrade to ML, you're going to spend more money on it by bringing it in.

Dec 31, 2012, 04:09 PM	#1
drumminator macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	Mac will not boot Ive created a bootable usb with mountain lion on it and when i hold down option and select the boot drive i get the prohibited symbol. any ideas ? thanks again
	0

Dec 31, 2012, 09:17 PM	#8
Yebubbleman macrumors 68000 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles, CA	Look up your serial number on Apple's support site and see what model you have. If you have the Mac Pro (8-Core), Mountain Lion isn't supported on your Mac. If you have the Mac Pro (Early 2008), then you might've messed up somewhere in making your bootable USB drive as all versions of Mountain Lion are supported on that Mac. __________________ MacBook Pro (15" Mid 2012); PC Tower (3.4GHz Phenom II x4; Radeon HD 6850); 5th Gen iPod touch Blue 64GB; 3rd Gen tv; 1st Gen iPad Wi-Fi 32GB; Galaxy Nexus LTE "Don't Cry, Eat Pie"
	0

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Dec 31, 2012, 05:02 PM	#3
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	the model year is a 2008 mac pro 8 core 3.0 ghz 16 gig ram 2 hard drives,i also have a macbook 2008 running mountain lion.Ive been using the desktop in target disk mode to install osx using the laptop but even then when i go to turn it on i get the prohibited symbol ? would disk repair help ?? thanks !
	0

Dec 31, 2012, 05:37 PM	#4
OLDCODGER macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Lucky Country	Which Mac did you use to purchase Mountain Lion from the Mac App Store?
	0

Dec 31, 2012, 05:44 PM	#5
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	used the laptop for the download an make the bootable usb but when i select the usb for the boot i get the prohibited symbol.
	0

Dec 31, 2012, 08:58 PM	#7
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	ill look further into that. thanks !
	0

Dec 31, 2012, 11:57 PM	#10
hfg macrumors 68000 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cedar Rapids, IA.	Sorry to ask this ... but you did format the thumb drive for GUID JHFS+ before you transferred the bootable OS to it? The 2008 Mac Pro runs ML 10.8.2 just fine, and I have had no problems booting from thumb flash drives with mine. Something is wrong with your USB drive configuration. Good luck...
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 07:53 PM	#12
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	i did not format the thumb drive i think that will be the next thing i try. if i cant get anything else to work im going to just bring it in to the IT guy at my school, hes all sorts of apple certified. Something else interesting to note.I ran the Mountain lion install from my macbook connected to my mac pro tower and selected the hard drive on the mac pro,ran through the install and everything and after i shut down the laptop and everything and go to boot back up i still get the prohibited sign. thanks again for the help guys much appreciated
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 08:28 PM	#15
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	it said something about " this version of osx is not supported" ?? no sure what thats all about.and it said reason Mac-f4208da9 thanks ! ---------- reason Mac-f4208da9
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 08:38 PM	#17
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	its a mac pro 3.1 i cant even turn the computer on. wont boot into osx all i get is the prohibited symbol
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 08:45 PM	#20
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	hmm do you know how i would go about getting the one for a mac pro ?? ---------- didnt come with one.i bought the computer used so the disks were MIA
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 09:57 PM	#21
monkeybagel macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: United States	Do you have a USB flash drive and computer (MacBook) that you can run the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant on and try booting the Mac Pro using that. That would pull down a fresh copy from Apple's servers if your machine will run it.
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 10:53 PM	#22
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	just tried the recovery assistant and when i go to open the usb i get the same thing, that damn prohibited symbol i feel like ive tried everything, ill probably just end up bringing it in to get looked at. thanks for the suggestions ! more are welcome !
	0

Jan 1, 2013, 11:13 PM	#24
drumminator Thread Starter macrumors newbie Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Maine	yea i dont have a copy snow leopard on disk, thats one of the reasons for bringing it in (the IT guy can use his copy) plus if there is a deeper underlying issue it can be addressed by someone much more computer competent then myself. thanks !
	0