MacBook won't read new 250GB Hard Drive

[Tezcatli]

Hello everyone. Alrighty, so the short of it: just swapped out/in a 250GB Hitachi HDD. (Model number HTS723225L9A360, manufactured 8/2008). When turning on the computer, it leaves me with a folder and a question mark. This happens whether I have the recovery disks, or the Tiger install disks. Holding down 'C' does not seem to want to work. Holding down 'D' does not want to take me to hardware tests, either. Anyone have any thoughts? One last detail- the old drive seems to have four prongs that the new one does not have- I'm assuming this is a power connector- could this be an issue? Thanks so much!

 

[vandozza]

did you set an open firmware password on your mac? (prior to 10.5 it was an open firmware utility, from 10.5 you use a util on the install disc.)

this will stop "c" etc from working on boot.

 

[vandozza]

hold option down during start up.

do you get a padlock icon and password field?

 

[Tezcatli]

Thanks, Vandozza- I've been working on this since I read your reply. The answer is that yes, I get a padlock when holding down the option key. The issue: I don't recall using any sort of firmware password. In this case- is there a way out of this? Thanks again!

 

[vandozza]

im assuming that you are on leopard?

hold option during startup, enter password, then choose to boot from the leopard install dvd.

once loaded, under one of the menus at the top (tools?) there is an open firmware utility. you can remove/change the password in here.

(prior to leopard you would download an app from apple downloads to alter the password.)