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Could really use some help. Macbook a paperweight.

M

MacbookFano

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 19, 2011
8
0
Hi Everyone,

I've looked on these forums for some time now and enjoy the conversations! I have decided to come to the boards in crisis! I have the late 2006 Macbook, white 13" core duo. At any rate, I formatted the hard drive (backed up everything, but nothing bootable), and then, found out I could not locate the original Tiger install disk that came with my system. I spent a better part of a day looking for it. Fortunately I have some friends who allowed me to try using their new osx disks that they had never used/installed, so it was legit to try them out. Each time I booted up from these disks, I got the same message "Mac OSX can't be installed on this machine." I believe this occurred with Snow Leopard, standard Leopard, and Tiger 10.4.8. Since my Macbook was bundled with Tiger 10.4.6, is my only option at this point to purchase that old OSX so my system is no longer a paperweight? Thanks so much.

-Live
 
You can buy a retail copy of snow leopard. I'm guessing you probably were trying to use the gray disks that came with your friends' computers, which won't work, as they are model-specific. You should still be able to find copies of SL, and it's only $30. If you were using a disk that wasn't just plain gray with text (had either a snow leopard or big x on it), then you need to boot from it, reformat your drive to HFS+ (Journaled), and try again.
 
Thanks for the fast reply! Even though I have the late 2006 macbook model, you're saying that a retail version of Snow Leopard would allow me to have an OS again? I'm concerned about spending the $30, having the same message pop up, then I'm out of a sizable chunk of change. So assuming the disks work, this should be full proof?
 
MacbookFano said:
Thanks for the fast reply! Even though I have the late 2006 macbook model, you're saying that a retail version of Snow Leopard would allow me to have an OS again? I'm concerned about spending the $30, having the same message pop up, then I'm out of a sizable chunk of change. So assuming the disks work, this should be full proof?
Click to expand...

Yep, any Intel Mac will run Snow Leopard (excluding the 2011 Air). Had you been using the gray disks?
 
I'm not sure, but I think they were. From what I remember, Snow Leopard requires that you have Leopard, which could be an issue, correct? Is the 10.6.3 retail version the one I want?
 
MacbookFano said:
I'm not sure, but I think they were. From what I remember, Snow Leopard requires that you have Leopard, which could be an issue, correct?
Click to expand...

If you want to do a direct upgrade without backups and all of that, yes, but since you have already cleared your hard drive, you will not need Leopard.
 
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alust2013 said:
That will do, although you could get it cheaper if you bought from best buy or ordered from apple online (if they still sell it, that is.)
Click to expand...

It looks like Apple, at least, still sells it. That won't last long.

OP, I've bought this exact version of SL and installed it to my MacBook with no OS on it. You'll be fine. Because Apple discontinues sale of discontinued version of OS X, their prices inflate like crazy. I've seen some sites selling Leopard for $300 or more, it's nuts.

Also, while SL is certainly a superior OS to Leopard, it is slightly more RAM hungry. How much RAM do you have? If you have less than 1 GB, SL won't install.
 
iThinkergoiMac said:
It looks like Apple, at least, still sells it. That won't last long.

OP, I've bought this exact version of SL and installed it to my MacBook with no OS on it. You'll be fine. Because Apple discontinues sale of discontinued version of OS X, their prices inflate like crazy. I've seen some sites selling Leopard for $300 or more, it's nuts.

Also, while SL is certainly a superior OS to Leopard, it is slightly more RAM hungry. How much RAM do you have? If you have less than 1 GB, SL won't install.
Click to expand...

I called an employee at the Apple store, and he said that the Snow Leopard disk doesn't provide a complete OS. He said that it is simply an "upgrade" and that I should buy the Leopard Pack. I asked specifically if the Snow Leopard disk would provide me with a "stand alone" OS, and he said no. I'm confused.
 
MacbookFano said:
I called an employee at the Apple store, and he said that the Snow Leopard disk doesn't provide a complete OS. He said that it is simply an "upgrade" and that I should buy the Leopard Pack. I asked specifically if the Snow Leopard disk would provide me with a "stand alone" OS, and he said no. I'm confused.
Click to expand...

He's the one confused. The license for that copy of SL is specifically for an upgrade, but there's nothing to stop you from installing the full version. If your Mac came with Leopard, you're not even violating the terms of use for SL because you own a license for Leopard, even if you don't have the disc.

Trust all of us, it WILL WORK.
 
MacbookFano said:
I called an employee at the Apple store, and he said that the Snow Leopard disk doesn't provide a complete OS. He said that it is simply an "upgrade" and that I should buy the Leopard Pack. I asked specifically if the Snow Leopard disk would provide me with a "stand alone" OS, and he said no. I'm confused.
Click to expand...
As others have said, he's 100% wrong. But for you to legally use the SL upgrade disc you must have had a legitimate install of Leopard on the machine. It won't stop you if you haven't, but there's an ethical issue there.

All we can tell you is that the SL upgrade disc will without a doubt work on your machine to install a full OS.
 
Last edited:
AdrianK said:
But for you to legally use the SL upgrade disc you must have had a legitimate install of Leopard on the machine. It won't stop you if you haven't, but there's an ethical issue there.
Click to expand...

I may be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you simply need to own a legitimate license for Leopard for that machine, but it doesn't necessarily need to be installed. Otherwise, doing any clean install of the $29 SL would always be illegal.

As you pointed out, there's still an ethical dilema because, as the OP stated, (s)he doesn't have a copy of Leopard. But, honestly, it doesn't matter much...
 
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