"no bootable device"

[jkovnick]

New to Mac. Tried to install boot camp. Wouldn't work, so reinstalled my mac operating system from install disks. This fixed the initial problem. Got to the point of installing windows xp. Put in disk and then the computer said that it was an upgrade and asked me to install a full version of xp or an earlier version such as millenium. Well, I couldn't get my disk out, but finally exited by pushing f3 and restarted my computer by pushing the off button and manually restarting. Held down the mouse and the disk came out. But...

now I have a black screen with the message, "No bootable device. Insert boot disk an press any key." I'm stuck. Can't get back to any other screen. Tried to put in the install disk, but the same screen remains.

Help, and thanks.

Jeffrey

 

[iBookG4user]

You can't use an upgrade windows cd to install windows, but I assume you found that out. But anyway, have you tried putting in the Mac OS X restore disk and then holding down option? That should allow you to select what device you want to boot from.

 

[jkovnick]

Do you mean the "install" disk? I don't seem to have a "restore" disk. Jeffrey

 

[Nermal]

Assuming you didn't wipe OS X, you should be able to just hold Option while booting up, no CDs required.

 

[seanf]

You can't use an upgrade windows cd to install windows, but I assume you found that out

Yes you can, it just has an extra step of confirming that you are eligible for an upgrade. This is done either by pointing it at a partition containing an installed version of Windows that is eligible for an upgrade or by inserting the installation CD from a previous version of Windows when the installer asks you.

For more information see: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316941

Sean

 

[Nermal]

And since earlier versions aren't supported and you only have one CD drive, you're back where you started

 

[jkovnick]

still won't work

OK, tried to hold down "option" while turning on the computer, still same black screen and message. Also, tried to hold down "option" while putting in the install disk again, but to no avail. Any other ideas? Assuming the worst case and I have no more OS X, then what? Thank you.

 

[Nermal]

If Option's doing nothing then you're most likely pressing it at the wrong time. As soon as you turn the computer on, before the boot chime, hold Option. Keep holding it until you get a grey screen with icons.

 

[jkovnick]

Application launch failure

Ok, thank you very much nermal. It is now back to normal.
But.... I am getting the following message:

Application Launch Failure

The application "Transport Monitor" could not be launched because of a shared library error: "<Transport Monitor><Transport Monitor><HotSyncLib.PPC><>"

I just have to click OK to get rid of it, but it keeps coming up each time I turn the computer on. Any thoughts.

PS: this is a great forum!

Thanks, Jeffrey

 

[jkovnick]

And again

Unfortunately, together with the above annoyance, each time I reboot it goes into a black screen with the same "No bootable device..." message. It does go back to the normal screen after I press the option key when I restart, but I hope to be able to restart without needing to press this option key each time. Any thoughts? Do I need to reinstall the operating system? Thanks again.

 

[janey]

Unfortunately, together with the above annoyance, each time I reboot it goes into a black screen with the same "No bootable device..." message. It does go back to the normal screen after I press the option key when I restart, but I hope to be able to restart without needing to press this option key each time. Any thoughts? Do I need to reinstall the operating system? Thanks again.

Select the Mac OS X partition in Startup Disk in System Preferences. Then it should automatically boot into OS X. If you need to go back to another OS, all you need to do is hold down the option key.

 

[seanf]

And since earlier versions aren't supported and you only have one CD drive, you're back where you started

So it's just my imagination that I installed XP on my Mac Pro (that only had one CD drive at the time) from my XP Upgrade CD is it?

Sean

 

[janey]

So it's just my imagination that I installed XP on my Mac Pro (that only had one CD drive at the time) from my XP Upgrade CD is it?

Sean

Technically bootcamp wants a full version, but there's ways to get around the upgrade cd issue, namely what you mentioned.

 

[ZippyToo]

It happened to me as well.

Hold power until system turns completely off, power on and hold option key down... wait. You should get the Macintosh HDD option... highlight it and hit return key. After system starts go to System Preferences and make sure your Startup Disk is the Macintosh HDD.

As for holding option while trying to load the Mac "recovery" disc that doesn't work. On Mac to boot from a disc you need to hold down the "C" key for CD.

Hope this helps, because I have seen a friend go through 2 of the new books already because of bad soldering on the HDD controller board. He had the same message.

 

[JQKiev]

Check your keyboard

I had this exact issue. I searched various forums including this one, and tried the option key combination, etc. with no luck. After some troubleshooting I found out the reason the option key combination wasn't working was due to the physical keyboard. I have a first gen Intel iMac with the core duo processor. After apple came out with the aluminum keyboards - the ones they now ship with new macs - I picked one up and sold the bulky plastic one my iMac originally came with. After none of the key options out there worked (C to boot from CD, shift for safe mode, option to select boot media) I got suspicious and tried a USB keyboard from a windows machine I had lying around. I held the ALT key down on that keyboard, and first try was able to get the choice to select the boot device. I just wanted to share this little tidbit in case some one else happens to read this thread and finds themselves in the same boat I was in.

 

[balamw]

I have a first gen Intel iMac with the core duo processor. After apple came out with the aluminum keyboards - the ones they now ship with new macs - I picked one up and sold the bulky plastic one my iMac originally came with.

It's a known issue with the Core Duos and the Alu KBs. I use the remote to pull up the boot selector on my CD iMac.

B

 

[flippers]

I had this exact issue. I searched various forums including this one, and tried the option key combination, etc. with no luck. After some troubleshooting I found out the reason the option key combination wasn't working was due to the physical keyboard. I have a first gen Intel iMac with the core duo processor. After apple came out with the aluminum keyboards - the ones they now ship with new macs - I picked one up and sold the bulky plastic one my iMac originally came with. After none of the key options out there worked (C to boot from CD, shift for safe mode, option to select boot media) I got suspicious and tried a USB keyboard from a windows machine I had lying around. I held the ALT key down on that keyboard, and first try was able to get the choice to select the boot device. I just wanted to share this little tidbit in case some one else happens to read this thread and finds themselves in the same boat I was in.

I too spent a lot of time trying to troubleshoot a MBP that was always coming up with the 'No bootable device...' screen including using external keyboards and trying all the key combinations from Apple http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1343 clearing NVRAM, etc. Subsequently I found out that the original complaint was a sticky key - the "C" key in particular! So the stuck "C" key from the built-in keyboard was always sending to the computer, and this stopped any other key combination (internal or external keyboard) from having the expected results. I temporarily 'fixed' this by removing the keyboard and lifting the tiny long flap on the ribbon cable that went to the keyboard, this left the touchpad alive and now I can work the machine using an external keyboard.

I think I'll add this to my MBP boot repair page in the next day or two...
http://www.flippers.com/MacBookPro.html

John :-#)#