Killed the Hard Disk?

[mikora7]

This is what I get now:

start size index contents
0 1 PMBR
1 1 Pri GPT header
2 32 Pri GPT table
34 6
40 409600 1 GPT part - "EFI System Partition"
409640 487725344 2 GPT part - Untitled"
488134984 262151
488397135 32 Sec GPT table
488397167 1 Sec GPT header
-bash-3.2#

 

[gr8tfly]

This is what I get now:

start size index contents
0 1 PMBR
1 1 Pri GPT header
2 32 Pri GPT table
34 6
40 409600 1 GPT part - "EFI System Partition"
409640 487725344 2 GPT part - Untitled"
488134984 262151
488397135 32 Sec GPT table
488397167 1 Sec GPT header
-bash-3.2#

Looks GOOD! That's exactly what it should be. Going to MBR, then back to GUID, did the trick. Good job!

I just cross checked this table with the commands I was going to use - exactly the same. I guess I can still add (caution: "x"s-in-the-eyes info to follow) I had to take the number of blocks you gave me earlier, which was essentially the size of your hard drive (it started at 0, then ended with the total number of blocks). I had to take that number, add it to the end of EFI & first parts (409640), then subtract the free space (26151) and Sec GPT table parts. That gives the size of the HFS partition (487725344 GPT part 2). Needless to say, I'm glad we tricked Disk Utility into doing the work.

I would say go ahead and do another Time Machine restore. I'll keep my fingers crossed!

(the IM account is still active, so you can IM me if you like - whichever... )

 

[mikora7]

Okay, before I do that, one more question: Would it make a difference if we just install Leopard first and see if that works and if it does, then do the restore from backup?

 

[gr8tfly]

Yes, that probably would be faster than doing the restore, too. I'd suggest doing a minimal install, or "custom" and leave out extra languages and printer drivers. That'll speed things up. When you setup an account, use "temp" or something like that.

If that boots up OK, then you can restart back on the Leopard DVD and do a "restore from Time Machine Backup".

 

[mikora7]

That seems to have done the trick!

Now, when we boot up again from the DVD, will Time Machine restore all our accts, all the stickies we had, the games data, etc.?

 

[gr8tfly]

That seems to have done the trick!

Now, when we boot up again from the DVD, will Time Machine restore all our accts, all the stickies we had, the games data, etc.?

Good news indeed!

Assuming your OS-X install was fine, and only the partition map got corrupted (that's what it looks like), then the next step is to boot from the DVD and go to the menu "restore from Time Machine backup" (I think that's the wording) - not the installer (you've been here before - I'm just making sure you get to the right place)

 

[mikora7]

Woohoo! I am back up and running ~ my mac is now a happy mac again! Thanks so much!!! I am so relieved and grateful!!!

P.S. I will not be installing BootCamp anytime soon but whatever I decide to use, I will be here doing researching every little step and making sure *before* we do anything that I know what it should look like and act like all the way to avoid this problem again. (But I will need something so my boys can be on at the same time and battle or whatever they wish to do. LOL!)

I just cannot say thanks enough ~ this was such a frustrating process and it's so good to know that we were able to get it working again without having to send it in to Apple to get a new hard drive.

 

[gr8tfly]

Woohoo! I am back up and running ~ my mac is now a happy mac again! Thanks so much!!! I am so relieved and grateful!!!

P.S. I will not be installing BootCamp anytime soon but whatever I decide to use, I will be here doing researching every little step and making sure *before* we do anything that I know what it should look like and act like all the way to avoid this problem again. (But I will need something so my boys can be on at the same time and battle or whatever they wish to do. LOL!)

I just cannot say thanks enough ~ this was such a frustrating process and it's so good to know that we were able to get it working again without having to send it in to Apple to get a new hard drive.

You're very welcome! I was glad to help. It was actually fun, for me, if you can believe that; and a good learning experience for this kind of problem.

I think there are guides here, and lots of threads on the subject of Boot Camp & Windows installs, so when you're ready - the info's here (and help, too!).

I'm glad you have a "Happy Mac" again. "Sad Macs" are no fun at all...