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Dead Optical Drive/OS Install Options?

M

Mojo1

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jul 26, 2011
1,248
23
I have a 2006 24" iMac that I intend to sell on CraigsList. The optical drive is kaput... I have erased the internal drive using Firewire Disk Mode. But the Snow Leopard DVD will not work because it is PPC and my 2011 MBP will not run the installer.

I figure that I will have better luck selling it with Snow Leopard installed. Can I use an external USB 2.0 optical drive without having to install drivers? Currently there is no operating system installed... The drive I have in mind is an LG GP40NB40: http://www.lg.com/us/data-storage/lg-GP40NB40/reviews?bvrrp=7676/reviews/product/4/MD00460351.jsp
 
It's an Intel Mac: http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-2.16-24-inch-specs.html. I have been running Snow Leopard on it for a couple of years.

Perhaps I should be more specific: I attempted to run a retail box Snow Leopard DVD installer on my 2011 MBP/10.8.2 in order to install the OS on the iMac via Firewire Disk Mode. When I clicked the install icon I got a message telling me that I could not run a PPC program. Unfortunately, I don't recall the exact wording... I then assumed that the installer on the DVD was PPC-only, but now that I think about it, that doesn't make sense... :rolleyes:

So the question is: Why can't I install SL on the iMac via this method? :confused:
 
Mojo1 said:
It's an Intel Mac: http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-2.16-24-inch-specs.html. I have been running Snow Leopard on it for a couple of years.

Perhaps I should be more specific: I attempted to run a retail box Snow Leopard DVD installer on my 2011 MBP/10.8.2 in order to install the OS on the iMac via Firewire Disk Mode. When I clicked the install icon I got a message telling me that I could not run a PPC program. Unfortunately, I don't recall the exact wording... I then assumed that the installer on the DVD was PPC-only, but now that I think about it, that doesn't make sense... :rolleyes:

So the question is: Why can't I install SL on the iMac via this method? :confused:
Click to expand...
You cannot install and earlier version of the OS than what the Mac originally shipped with the The Installer is not working because the retail Snow leopard is an older version that what your MBP shipped with. booting the iMac in Target disk mode makes the MBP see it as a hard drive and not a computer. if you could get the installer to run it would install the components for the MBP and not the iMac as it would see it as just an external firewire HDD…

As I said before I bought the cheapest DVD drive when the internal in my MBP failed… it boots and burns just fine with no drivers…. the brand of mine is a "Lite-On"… you could try and make a bootable USB stick from the DVD and use that to boot the iMac… or try putting the MBP in target disc mode… and booting the iMac with the option key…
 
seanm9 said:
You cannot install and earlier version of the OS than what the Mac originally shipped with the The Installer is not working because the retail Snow leopard is an older version that what your MBP shipped with...
Click to expand...

Sean, your batting zero so far... You should get your facts straight before posting a reply. :rolleyes:

If you check the link that I posted you will discover that it is an Intel Mac. You will also learn that the iMac shipped with 10.4. When I purchased the iMac it was eligible for a free upgrade to 10.5 Leopard so I never used 10.4. I purchased the retail Snow Leopard DVD and installed it on the iMac 2+ years ago... It can run up to OS 10.7.5 Lion but with RAM maxed-out at 3GB it wouldn't be a speed-demon...
 
Easiest Way I think

Mojo1 said:
Sean, your batting zero so far... You should get your facts straight before posting a reply. :rolleyes:

If you check the link that I posted you will discover that it is an Intel Mac. You will also learn that the iMac shipped with 10.4. When I purchased the iMac it was eligible for a free upgrade to 10.5 Leopard so I never used 10.4. I purchased the retail Snow Leopard DVD and installed it on the iMac 2+ years ago... It can run up to OS 10.7.5 Lion but with RAM maxed-out at 3GB it wouldn't be a speed-demon...
Click to expand...

So you have a intell based imac from 2006 which supports the max of OS X7.5
You can do one of two things. Since you have a MBP take the OS X.7 disk image using the Disk Utilities Make a Bootable USB Flash Drive with the X.7 installer - in your MBP and opening Disk Utilities and create a disk image of your DVD and install on a USB Flash Drive. YOu will need to plug into the USB port and hold down the option key while booting the USB Disk Image should show up on the screen - did you have OS X.7 on the imac before if so unless u completly zeroed the drive the there might be a X.7 recovery disk u can just install the OS as a fresh install that way as well. You can also make a bootable hard drive and CCC the Hard drive to the imac hard drive as well.
you might be stuck on using X.7 as your MBP can not read X.6. At this point if you are just trying to sell the computer wth the least amount of hassel just use X.7 and forget about 10.6.
 
The iMac was running 10.6.8 before I zeroed-out the internal drive. I'd prefer to use Snow Leopard instead of 10.7. So can I make a USB installer using the SL DVD in my MBP? A link to the exact steps would be helpful and appreciated...
 
Mojo1 said:
Sean, your batting zero so far... You should get your facts straight before posting a reply. :rolleyes:

If you check the link that I posted you will discover that it is an Intel Mac. You will also learn that the iMac shipped with 10.4. When I purchased the iMac it was eligible for a free upgrade to 10.5 Leopard so I never used 10.4. I purchased the retail Snow Leopard DVD and installed it on the iMac 2+ years ago... It can run up to OS 10.7.5 Lion but with RAM maxed-out at 3GB it wouldn't be a speed-demon...
Click to expand...

I checked the link... The problem is likely your MBP... That probably came with a version of OSX newer than the version on the retail DVD... As I said if you boot the Mac in target disk mode the MBP will see it as a external disc so it is bound by what the MBP can install as an internal...

But the instructions for cloning the x.6 DVD are the same as posted above for x.7 disc utility is your friend
 
Last edited:
seanm9 said:
I checked the link... The problem is likely your MBP... That probably came with a version of OSX newer than the version on the retail DVD... As I said if you boot the Mac in target disk mode the MBP will see it as a external disc so it is bound by what the MBP can install as an internal...

But the instructions for cloning the x.6 DVD are the same as posted above for x.7 disc utility is your friend
Click to expand...

My apologies... I misread your previous post. I think that I will try to create a bootable USB drive using the 10.6 DVD.

Thanks for your patience!
 
Update...

The USB flash drive option worked like a charm... Thanks again for the help. I just posted the iMac on CraigsList.
 
Sold!

To the second person who contacted me. The buyer was very happy with paying $250 for an iMac in excellent shape; I think that it went to someone who is struggling financially so I'm glad it found a good home.

Of course, the first response to my ad was a sight-unseen lowball offer of $180... Typical for CraigsList! Sometimes I wonder if those people expect me to pay them... :rolleyes:
 
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