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Dejawi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
9
0
I want to upgrade from 10.5 to 10.6. My optical drive does not work on my mini Mac. I have tried to remote install off of the PC. That is not working, both computers have DVD sharing on. I bought an external optical drive to install that way and about half way through it comes up missing firmware or something. I also tried using an USB flash drive but I cannot find disk utilities.
 

CrickettGrrrl

macrumors 6502a
Feb 10, 2012
985
274
B'more or Less
Regarding finding Disk Utility:

Press your Command key & Spacebar simultaneously, type in Disk Utility and press Return. Does it open?

Otherwise, look in your Applications folder, then Utilities folder, it's in there.

:)
 

Dejawi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
9
0
The optical drive i bought is a lacie and i did not realize that is says it is for pc only. I am open to returning it if you have a better suggestion. I tried pushing the command and space bar and it opens the hard drive no place to type anything.

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i read on a different forum that you can us a usb drive to install snow leopard, but you need to use disk utilities to format the usb drive
 

Dejawi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
9
0
This is also my second snow leopard disk. I have called apple a few times on doing a remote install and no go. That is when I decided to buy and external optical drive. I was going to buy an apple superdrive but I read that someone else was trying to do the same thing and they called apple and found out that the superdrive is not supported until lion.
 

CrickettGrrrl

macrumors 6502a
Feb 10, 2012
985
274
B'more or Less
I tried pushing the command and space bar and it opens the hard drive no place to type anything.

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Pressing Command & the spacebar should open Spotlight Search for you. Alternatively, clicking the magnifying glass icon in the top right of your menu bar will activate Spotlight Search.

Have you found your Disk Utilites app? I understand you're not in a position to use it at the moment, but if it's not where it should be, within the Utilities folder of your Apps folder, it seems indicative that there may also be other problems or snags to your trying to upgrade.

FWIW, Apple told me in the past (trying to upgrade to SL from Leopard with an iMac with defective display & secondary monitor) that upgrading using a peripheral wasn't possible. That may have changed since they stopped including ODDs, but yes, making a USB bootloader sounds like your best bet. Best wishes.
 
Last edited:

Dejawi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
9
0
Thanks, I will see if I can make it over to my inlaws house and make a USB install drive. I will post and let you all know if it works.
 

Dejawi

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 27, 2011
9
0
Made the USB start up drive just like the link said. It worked perfectly thanks for all of your help. :):)
 
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