Can't Install OS X.6 On iMac 27" Stuck at Apple Logo Screen

[Douglas123]

Hi, I hope i post this in the right forum. Here is the full story, two weeks ago i was trying to change the hard drive on iMac 27" because the original one was failing. The Hard drive successfully changed but I broke the internal display connector bad luck I couldn't fix it myself so i sent it to a computer repair service called DT&T they fixed it by replacing the logic board but they didn't install the OS for me. When i got my iMac back i tried to put OS X.6 but i can't, i have the original discs that came with iMac and an extra Mac OS X retail DVD. The Hard drive I installed is a WD 2 TB, i formatted it to Mac OS extended journal and yes the partition is GUID 10 times. Still when i boot using the disc that came with the iMac it said "Mac OSX can't be Installed on this computer" So I tried the install DVD I had, when i put that in and restarted I hold "C" and the computer just stuck at Apple Logo grey screen and doesn't go anywhere. I left it for 2 hour still nothing happened. I went and red a lot of threads before writing this, and i have found no solution. I did try the target boot mode since there is no OS installed i can't repair the disc permission. So what is the problem? What i am doing wrong? I tried to use Remote install but i have lion in my Mac pro and it is not available in lion grrrr.. or i can't find it. Please help me, Thanks in advance for any replies, I am very frustrated and have 23 video projects that needs to be done. I do have a time machine back up of the computer. The computer had X.6 installed in it before i sent for repair.

 

[jayhawk11]

Hi, I hope i post this in the right forum. Here is the full story, two weeks ago i was trying to change the hard drive on iMac 27" because the original one was failing. The Hard drive successfully changed but I broke the internal display connector bad luck I couldn't fix it myself so i sent it to a computer repair service called DT&T they fixed it by replacing the logic board but they didn't install the OS for me. When i got my iMac back i tried to put OS X.6 but i can't, i have the original discs that came with iMac and an extra Mac OS X retail DVD. The Hard drive I installed is a WD 2 TB, i formatted it to Mac OS extended journal and yes the partition is GUID 10 times. Still when i boot using the disc that came with the iMac it said "Mac OSX can't be Installed on this computer" So I tried the install DVD I had, when i put that in and restarted I hold "C" and the computer just stuck at Apple Logo grey screen and doesn't go anywhere. I left it for 2 hour still nothing happened. I went and red a lot of threads before writing this, and i have found no solution. I did try the target boot mode since there is no OS installed i can't repair the disc permission. So what is the problem? What i am doing wrong? I tried to use Remote install but i have lion in my Mac pro and it is not available in lion grrrr.. or i can't find it. Please help me, Thanks in advance for any replies, I am very frustrated and have 23 video projects that needs to be done. I do have a time machine back up of the computer. The computer had X.6 installed in it before i sent for repair.

Target Disk mode your iMac to your Mac Pro. Use the Disc that came with your iMac, insert in your Mac Pro and tell it to install to your iMac.

If that doesn't work...yikes.

 

[Douglas123]

Do i have to do when i logged in, or i have to start up the mac pro with iMac CD?

 

[basher]

Since the iMac has been just repaired I'd be suspicious of the new logic board. If it was my system I'd be asking the questions to the place that performed the repairs.

 

[Douglas123]

They Said they will put snow leopard for free, when i called them back as to why they didn't put it, they said their technician forgot. They also asked me to send iMac back to them so they can put it. I thought instead of paying $25 for shipping i will install it myself since i have done on so many other macs, but i didn't know it would be this problematic. So what would be a good thing to do? I am really sacred opening the iMac because it cost me almost $800 to fix it.

 

[basher]

They Said they will put snow leopard for free, when i called them back as to why they didn't put it, they said their technician forgot. They also asked me to send iMac back to them so they can put it. I thought instead of paying $25 for shipping i will install it myself since i have done on so many other macs, but i didn't know it would be this problematic. So what would be a good thing to do? I am really sacred opening the iMac because it cost me almost $800 to fix it.

I'd try to explain that since they're tech forgot to do an install that THEY should pick up the shipping cost. Worse case I'd pay the $25 and get the work done, knowing that I wouldn't use that company again.

As an aside, do they warranty the repairs for any period of time?

 

[Douglas123]

I am going to call them, they open at 9:00 AM, I am in Salt lake City so it is a different time zone. I will also ask about the warranty, i should of asked about it before. Thanks for your help, I also tried taking out the rams i bought from Crucial just to see if that made any difference, nope. I also inserted the leopard DVD and it didn't work. Have anyone seen a white screen with small gray folder and a question mark on it, that's what i am seeing if there is no DVD in DVD rom.

 

[Douglas123]

I'd try to explain that since they're tech forgot to do an install that THEY should pick up the shipping cost. Worse case I'd pay the $25 and get the work done, knowing that I wouldn't use that company again.

As an aside, do they warranty the repairs for any period of time?

I called them and asked for warranty first, they said six months warranty with the logic board. I also told them about the OS installing problem and they said WD hard drive might not be compatible with Apple computer. I tried seagate and still the same problem.

 

[panzer06]

I'd check the serial number of the new logic board. It might me a newer release than the original and therefore incompatible with the OEM DVD. Regardless, I'd send it back to be fixed.

Cheers,

 

[NikFinn]

I called them and asked for warranty first, they said six months warranty with the logic board. I also told them about the OS installing problem and they said WD hard drive might not be compatible with Apple computer. I tried seagate and still the same problem.

Seems like they're trying to pull a fast one. Any hard drive should work as long as it's formatted correctly.

 

[Douglas123]

Seems like they're trying to pull a fast one. Any hard drive should work as long as it's formatted correctly.

That's what i am told them, but i tried it anyway because I really needed the iMac to be fixed.

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I'd check the serial number of the new logic board. It might me a newer release than the original and therefore incompatible with the OEM DVD. Regardless, I'd send it back to be fixed.

Cheers,

Hi Panzer06,
I think the motherboard is problem because i put the retail DVD in mac pro that was purchased two months ago, and it got stuck at the apple logo. I am going to buy a Lion flash drive since i wanted to upgrade to lion anyway. I will be posting the results soon.

 

[The-Pro]

Boot up into safe mode. Press and hold the Shift key when bowering up until you get past the apple logo screen.
This worked when a macbook pro from a friend of mine had this problem

 

[And1ss]

The reason that you can't install SL is because the newer logic board that they replaced your old one with has newer kernel version (or whatever its called) so it can't accept SL versions 10.6.5 or lower. Since the repair was down within the last 1 month or so, I'd say you need at least 10.6.6 SL in order to install on your iMac. Bring it to the Apple store and let them install it as they will have the version you need.

 

[Douglas123]

The reason that you can't install SL is because the newer logic board that they replaced your old one with has newer kernel version (or whatever its called) so it can't accept SL versions 10.6.5 or lower. Since the repair was down within the last 1 month or so, I'd say you need at least 10.6.6 SL in order to install on your iMac. Bring it to the Apple store and let them install it as they will have the version you need.

You are right! It was a different kernal version I just installed lion on it, and it works great. Thanks for your advice. Thank you all for helping I really appreciate it, it wasn't possible without the help of you guys. You guys are always helpful, I wonder what would it be be without these help forums.

Cheers!