Macbook HD upgrade problems....

[CHROMEDOME]

Yesterady I got the file folder with the "?" on my Macbook 2.0 CD. I took it to the apple store and the Genius just put his ear to it and said my hard drive was broke. So I went to Frys and picked up a new 250gb 2.5'' SATA drive. I put the new HD in and then the OS X install disc and it gets to "preping install..." then says "this software cannot be insalled on this computer." Disc Utility sees the hard drive, the partition is locked, it won't let me install OS X on it.

Also under disc utility my superdrive shows up as a 4.8gb HD.

Someone help, the whole reason I did this was so I wouldn't have to be without a laptop with finals week coming up.

 

[ayeying]

Goto disk utility and FORMAT the disk to HFS+ Journaled.

 

[wPod]

Will disk utility let you erase and put a new partition on? There is a good chance the hard drive came formated for windows with a FAT partition. I am pretty sure you can not install OS X on a FAT partition. Try partitioning as Mac OS Extended then installing on that. (you might have to delete a partition before you create a new one) Otherwise, if you cannot partition, there might be something wrong with the hard drive. You mentioned it came from Fry's, Fry's is like an outlet store so most everything there has been previously returned or is on like close out. You can find great deals there, but sometimes it takes 2 or 3 trips to find the part that you want in good working order.

 

[orpheus1120]

Goto disk utility and FORMAT the disk to HFS+ Journaled.

Just do that ^. Make sure it's GUID.

 

[MacDann]

As previous listers stated, boot off your system CD, run Disk Utility, and partition the drive as HFS+ journaled, GUID.

Once this is done you'll be able to boot off your system CD and install the OS.

MacDann

 

[CHROMEDOME]

Thanks guys, I'll try to partition when I get home from work.

 

[Consultant]

In disk utility,

you also need to go under partition tab, and select GUID as partition scheme.

 

[CHROMEDOME]

Ok I made a new partition, mac os extended(journaled) GUID. I exit out of disc utility and restart. As it boots up again I hold C to boot from CD and I get the same thing "software cannot be installed on this computer." WHYYY

 

[markfc]

are you using the disks that came with your mac or some borrowed ones?

 

[Cave Man]

Where did you get the installer DVD?

 

[adamfishercox]

Just to clarify... In disk utility, you went to the "Erase" tab, and formatted as OS X Extended (Journaled) and then clicked "Erase?" And you are installing from the disks that came with your computer?

 

[CHROMEDOME]

I'm using my roommates OS X install disc 1 because mine are back at home. He has a macbook pro with the same spec's as mine(core duo 2.0ghz).

Yes I clicked erase and it asked me if I wanted to erase the partition that I already created, I clicked erase the status bar went and the disc was erased. I restarted and booted from the cd, created a new partition, Mac OS X extended(journaled). Then I reboot and I get the same message that "software cannot be installed on this computer." Makes no sense they are Tiger discs that are the same that came with my computer. I tried the tiger discs that came with my friends Macbook(core 2 duo, but still tiger) and same result.

 

[adamfishercox]

you want to erase the whole hard drive.... don't know if thats what you did, but boot from your CD, select your hard drive, and go to the erase tab, select "Mac OS X Extended (Journaled) and erase.

 

[Cave Man]

I'm using my roommates OS X install disc 1 because mine are back at home. He has a macbook pro with the same spec's as mine(core duo 2.0ghz).

Won't work. You cannot install from a MacBook Pro DVD onto a MacBook.

 

[danny_w]

I'm using my roommates OS X install disc 1 because mine are back at home. He has a macbook pro with the same spec's as mine(core duo 2.0ghz).

That's the problem. MB != MBP. You must use a Macbook (not Pro) DVD or a retail DVD to install onto a Macbook.

 

[e12a]

ditto the above. Only retail CDs can be "shared" like that. otherwise recovery/install discs are system specific.

 

[CHROMEDOME]

That's the problem. MB != MBP. You must use a Macbook (not Pro) DVD or a retail DVD to install onto a Macbook.

I tried to use my friends Macbook disc...she has a Core 2 duo macbook but its still tiger. This is pissing me off.

 

[Cave Man]

That won't work either. The Core 2 Duo installer DVD for hers is different than the one you got with your Core Duo. You have to have a CD MacBook DVD or a retail installer DVD (Tiger or Leopard).