factory reset, have Leopard install DVD, then upgrade to Mavericks

[cherylzyx]

I apologize if this has been answered somewhere else. I have been searching for about 6 - 7 hours and can't find what I'm looking for.

I have a mid 2009 Macbook Pro 5,5 that I want to keep but share access with other people. I would like to do a complete wipe of my machine then install Mavericks for all of us to use. My laptop came with Leopard install DVD with Snow Leopard upgrade DVD. I am currently using Mavericks.

I've tried installing from Leopard DVD but it will only take me to a blank grey screen. I've not tried reformatting my hard drive. Before I do that I'd like to know a couple of things.

If I erase my hard drive will I be able to reinstall from my Leopard factory install disc?

Will I then be able to upgrade to Mavericks? I downloaded it from the App Store.

Thank you for any help you can give me.

 

[bunnspecial]

If it were mine, I'd use the current install of Mavericks to download Mavericks from the App store(it should be in your purchases tab). Once you've downloaded it, create a bootable flash drive(there are free utilities to do this using a blank 8gb drive). Granted I probably have mroe Macs than the average person and also get called on to repair them in my "day" job(I'm the only one who really knows anything other than how to used them) but I have a keychain with bootable copies of everything from 10.4 to 10.10(except for 10.8) on a flash drive. I generally use optical media for 10.4 and 10.5(especially since 10.4, since most of the computers I install it on have USB 1.1, and it can be a pain to boot a USB 2.0 PPC Mac off USB) but still keep them.

You can boot from the flash drive using Option at start-up and selecting the flash drive, then go in, use disk utility from the Mavericks installer to wipe the hard drive, and proceed with installing.

I'm not sure why you're getting the gray screen on your Leopard restore disk. How long are you waiting, as it can be slow. You may also need to clean your optical drive. In any case, if your ultimate goal is to install Mavericks, you don't need to do install Leopard unless there is some bundled software on the disk that you want.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Can you boot to Recovery? (Command + R) - if you can, you don't have to go back to Leopard - use Recovery to reinstall Mavericks. (Since you say you haven't erased your HD, then you should be able to boot to Recovery.)

https://support.apple.com/HT201314
https://support.apple.com/kb/PH14243

 

[cherylzyx]

Bunnspecial, thank you so much. I was able to download Mavericks from the App Store and will make the bootable flash drive. I'm glad to hear that I can reinstall it and not have to start over with Leopard. I appreciate your help.

 

[cherylzyx]

ApfelKuchen, I had tried Command + R before and nothing happened but I tried it one more time this morning and the screen popped up. Thank you, I'll look into the links you posted.