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This is going to be a long one (Problems reinstalling OS X)
- Thread starter dave5perth
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I thought maybe you didn't have the correct disk (gray ones are per machine) but looks like you got the retail one. Still, it's hard to tell whether it's your optical drive or your disk is at fault without further testing.
So at this time, either go to Apple Store (probably free), go to authorized reseller (probably going to cost you, but might be closer), or buy / borrow a USB optical drive.
Right lads here is the script.....Received the extra part this morning, switched on laptop then connected the external drive to laptop, this didn't register on my laptop screen which I thought it would do. I then put the snow leopard disc into the external drive, hoping that this would then show on my laptop screen, which again it didn't. I can here the snow leopard disc spinning in the external drive when its connected to laptop. Now I can't even eject the snow leopard disc from external drive, as the external drive has no eject button, so I am assuming I only need to press the eject button on laptop for to eject, but this isn't working either. The little instruction leaflet with external drive states....if the new usb drive does not show in "my computer" when normal steps are finished. Please check if there is "USB Universal Host Controller" in "My Computer/control panel/system/drive manager" if you can not find it, please restart the computer. I have switched laptop off with external drive still connected, when laptop turns back on, the screen stays grey till I unplug the external drive then laptop fires up as normal. When I plug external when laptop is on, everything is fine with laptop, but nothing to indicate that the external drive is connected, even though I can hear the disc spinning when connected. I will probably have to open external now to remove snow leopard from the drive. The bit on the instruction about universal host controller I have no idea how to get to this on laptop. All this hassle just to get my system upgraded to get the latest updates, why can't apple not just allow you to just download the latest updates suitable for your laptop just to access various sites without problems from the internet, nothing is ever straightforward.
Can't even log into my yahoo mail now, must be a slightly newer version which my upgrades won't allow as they are older versions, even this site is a struggle sometimes as it tends to want to put you to another page which doesn't load unless you press the back button to get back on site, it seems to be happening more often now, so I'm relying on my iphone to get into sites now which my laptop struggles with. Problem with that is the fact everything is much smaller and a nightmare to view when your eyesight is not the best 
Normally, you can easily install 10.6 on that Mac easily.
As others already said, what you are describing is not normal behavior. Make appointment with Apple Genius Bar and they'll help you out. It'll get sorted probably within an hour. I also posted info for Apple certified technician near you.
It seems that you are blaming Apple for your problems. But if you have low technology skills and refused to get in-person help, there's no one to blame but you. Although people like to help, over on an internet forum people can't test your machine / disk.
FYI, your computer is from 2006. Almost 8 years old. More recent Apple computers can be updated online through the Mac App Store.
What if you try this on a 8 year old PC? Surely it's a piece of cake to upgrade. First, figure out the multiple versions of Windows available. Do you want 32bit? 64bit? Pro, home, premium, etc.? Do you have EFI or BIOS? What if someone already generated and used the serial number for the windows install disk? (Mac OS X doesn't need serial) What if the PC laptop components need drivers to work?
As others already said, what you are describing is not normal behavior. Make appointment with Apple Genius Bar and they'll help you out. It'll get sorted probably within an hour. I also posted info for Apple certified technician near you.
It seems that you are blaming Apple for your problems. But if you have low technology skills and refused to get in-person help, there's no one to blame but you. Although people like to help, over on an internet forum people can't test your machine / disk.
FYI, your computer is from 2006. Almost 8 years old. More recent Apple computers can be updated online through the Mac App Store.
What if you try this on a 8 year old PC? Surely it's a piece of cake to upgrade. First, figure out the multiple versions of Windows available. Do you want 32bit? 64bit? Pro, home, premium, etc.? Do you have EFI or BIOS? What if someone already generated and used the serial number for the windows install disk? (Mac OS X doesn't need serial) What if the PC laptop components need drivers to work?
Can't even log into my yahoo mail now, must be a slightly newer version which my upgrades won't allow as they are older versions, even this site is a struggle sometimes as it tends to want to put you to another page which doesn't load unless you press the back button to get back on site, it seems to be happening more often now, so I'm relying on my iphone to get into sites now which my laptop struggles with. Problem with that is the fact everything is much smaller and a nightmare to view when your eyesight is not the best