Mac Pro OS-X install failed, I'm going to scream...

[ttriff]

Wanted to install OS-X on a separate HD to play with Parallels and not worry about hosing the 'good' disc.

I removed the original HD, installed a new one formating it using the Disc utility software. I started the OS-X (Leopard) installation and it failed. Now I have a machine stuck in limbo.

If I turn it off and power up again I get the Apple logo then a blank light grey screen.

When I power down the machine and remove the HD with the failed installation and the software disc, then put in the original HD, all I get is the same blank grey screen

This is my first Mac so forgive me if there's something obvious I'm missing. I have 25yrs experience with PC's. With a PC when there's a OS failure one can pop out the HD and install another one.

Obviously I'm missing something here so any assistance would be greatly appreciated...


TW

 

[FJ218700]

did you get it solved yet?

if not, with the original drive back in, if you start in startup disk selection mode (hold option on startup) you see the Boot volume come up as a choice.

regarding the second drive, have you tried again with "erase and install"

 

[ttriff]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply...

Problems turned out to be an apparently defective optical drive combined with a defective hard drive purchases for the Windows install.

For some reason that combination messed up the (removed) factory Leopard HD when it was put back into the computer.

So yes an erase/install from scratch Leopard was necessary to get the system up and running.

Forgive my ignorance but is there something written into firmware/RAM that tells the machine where to boot? Removing all the hard drives and unplugging the machine, when powered up again it would continue to try and boot to a HD even though that HD wasn't in the machine

 

[darwinian]

Once you boot into your real drive, go to System Preferences > Startup Disk and see if you can find a sensible option for startup there.

 

[ttriff]

Everything is working fine after I replaced the optical drive and exchanged the HD

I just couldn't figure out why with all the HDs removed and no boot CD/DVD, the system on boot up was still attempting to continue with the Windows install when there were no HDs in the machine?

With a PC if all the HDs are removed and the optical disc drive empty, the system just sits there asking for a boot disk when powered up...it doesn't look for the last OS that was installed.