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Help please Macbook a1181

M

macbookguy89

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hi, my friend gave me his macbook a1181 model , without a back up disk. so i had to borrow the disk from my other friend that has the same model . the backup disk has mac os x 10.5.6. i tried to reinstall the operating system to just make it like new.. so i restarted the macbook and press c with the cd in my external samsung optical drive because the internal optical drive doesn't work. i booted from the cd then i got a message saying that "os-x cannot be installed on this computer" so i went to disk utility and clicked on the internal hardest then erased it . now when i restart the macbook i get a question mark icon flashing and when i connect the samsung optical drive and press c i get a grey screen and nothing changes afterwards(i left it for 30 minutes) .. is there a solution for what i have done?

i appreciate the help because i need this laptop for work after the weekend.
 
Restore DVDs only work with the exact same model, so restore DVDs from a MacBook from early 2008 will not work with a MacBook from late 2008 and so forth.

You could get Snow Leopard for 29 USD and use that, as it is model independent and doesn't need a previous OS installed.


Also have a look at the following links, as the information presented there might be helpful in your future endeavours into Mac OS X and could clear up initial confusion and may even prevent harm to your system or your files.


Mac OS X Basics
Switch 101 - guide with articles made by Apple on how to accustom yourself, after you switched to Mac OS X from Windows​

Mac 101 - How to get started with Mac OS X​

Find out how - tutorial videos made by Apple on how to do certain thing in Mac OS X​

Pro tips - tips made available by Apple for easier ways of doing certain tasks​

Mac OS X Keyboard Shortcuts - Learn about common Mac OS X keyboard shortcuts.​

Mac OS X Beginner's Guide by MacRumors - learn about software, media players, shortcuts and some useful tips, tricks and hints​

Mac Guides - tutorials, product guides and more​

MRoogle - a very effective tool to search these fora using Google and made available by edesignuk, introductory threads: 1, 2 and 3​

 
thanks, so if i get the snow leopard , with i be able to boot from that dvd , or i will still get the question mark screen when i first turn on the laptop?
 
macbookguy89 said:
thanks, so if i get the snow leopard , with i be able to boot from that dvd , or i will still get the question mark screen when i first turn on the laptop?
Click to expand...

Inserting the SL DVD into your MB and holding down C during startup will let you boot from the SL DVD and let you install SL onto your MB.
 
hey man thanks for the suggestion, i tried to insert a dvd disk of the retail mac osx snow leopard in my external optical drive because the internal one never worked.. so when i put it in , turn on the laptop, and press c the question mark screen doesnt show up.. instead i get a blank grey screen that stayed on for 1 hour then i just turned the laptop off.. please, what do you suggest i should do?
 
When you turn on the mac press and hold the alt key it should start to read the external dvd and should appear the snow leopard install disk then press enter
 
hey thanks for the help , i fixed it by using my friends mbp and connecting it to my laptop with firewire..
 
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