Tiger won't install... I need some help

[johnbro23]

I just got Tiger yesterday, and I've had some problems installing it. It gets to the install screen, I choose English, I "agree" and "continue" through the dialogue boxes, and it starts checking my install DVD. Then it starts "Verifying destination volume", and after a few minutes it tells me there was an error in the installation process and it wants me to restart and try again. I've tried several times with the same result.

So does anyone have any suggestions? I'm afraid to call Apple because I know I'll be on hold for hours. I guess if no one can come up with anything here that I'll have to take it back to the Apple store...

 

[bpd115]

had this happen on an iMac...

means the disk has errors and needs repairs. You can access disk utility from the OS X Installer...click repair disk and see if it fixes it.

In my case it wouldn't and I had to use Disk Warrior.

 

[johnbro23]

had this happen on an iMac...

means the disk has errors and needs repairs. You can access disk utility from the OS X Installer...click repair disk and see if it fixes it.

In my case it wouldn't and I had to use Disk Warrior.

I tried using disk utility, both from the OS X Installer and from the utilities folder. I got errors both times (in red letters), saying it couldn't repair the drive.

If I buy this Disk Warrior thing, is it pretty much guaranteed to work? I don't want to buy this $40 program if it doesn't work.

 

[bpd115]

Disk Warrior should work...it totally rebuilds the drive. It did work in my case...

If you want you should be able back up and then do a format/clean install.

Would save you $40.00 but it's a little more of a hassle.....

 

[vouder17]

I tried using disk utility, both from the OS X Installer and from the utilities folder. I got errors both times (in red letters), saying it couldn't repair the drive.

If I buy this Disk Warrior thing, is it pretty much guaranteed to work? I don't want to buy this $40 program if it doesn't work.

This doesnt sound good. What i recommend you do is back-up all important files immediatly. I had the same problem once and the next thing i knew was that my hard drive was fooked.

Oh and to install tiger i would recommend that you do a clean install, because it does sound that your current setup might be currupt...sorry

 

[IJ Reilly]

Better yet, if you can, backup the entire drive using Carbon Copy Cloner to an external drive. Then reformat and repair the internal drive (if possible - it might be hosed if disk utility can't repair it!), and then reinstall the backup and try the upgrade again.

BTW, you might also try running fsck from single user mode. It's the same thing as Disk Utility, but since the OS doesn't boot you might have better luck. And run it more than once, if the first report says it hasn't been fixed. Sometimes it takes multiple passes.

 

[IJ Reilly]

Oh and to install tiger i would recommend that you do a clean install, because it does sound that your current setup might be currupt...sorry

Doubtful. Disk Utility is reporting errors on the disk media, not a problem with OSX. These are very different issues which call for different solutions.

 

[johnbro23]

Hmm. I don't have enough room to back up my entire hard drive... I've got 60GB of stuff on my mac and a 20GB iPod and a 20GB PC. So I'm only saving important stuff (like music and pictures and movies)... all the other stuff I can download again. Hopefully I don't get to that point.

I think my best bet is to get this $40 thing... it's worth the money IF it works. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[bpd115]

Hmm. I don't have enough room to back up my entire hard drive... I've got 60GB of stuff on my mac and a 20GB iPod and a 20GB PC. So I'm only saving important stuff (like music and pictures and movies)... all the other stuff I can download again. Hopefully I don't get to that point.

I think my best bet is to get this $40 thing... it's worth the money IF it works. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Can you give us the error that you are getting? At least then we may be able to see if it's more hardware or file structure related.

 

[toti]

I'll have to take it back to the Apple store...

Maybe off-topic but still relevant...

Since Apple Store isn't delivering Tiger over the counter yet, how could you be taking it back there ?

 

[Horrortaxi]

You won't be on hold with AppleCare for "hours." You may be questioned as to why you're installing Tiger before its release though. They're funny like that.

Back up your home folder (don't worry about apps and other stuff you have discs for) and next time you try to install Tiger, tell it to do a clean install and reformat the drive. That ought to do it.

If by chance this is a downloaded version of Tiger, take the errors as a sign and go buy it this weekend.

 

[BWhaler]

Here's how you solve it:

1. Delete the illegally downloaded version. (Your trite, "I don't want to be on hold for hours" is a terrible lie.)

2. Buy a legal copy.

3. Follow the installation instructions.


I'm sorry, but I am tired of these people stealing from Apple and then coming here when things don't work the way they want.

 

[JDOG_]

Here's how you solve it:

1. Delete the illegally downloaded version. (Your trite, "I don't want to be on hold for hours" is a terrible lie.)

2. Buy a legal copy.

3. Follow the installation instructions.


I'm sorry, but I am tired of these people stealing from Apple and then coming here when things don't work the way they want.

There's been quite a few people who have gotten their copy of Tiger quite legitimately either from Apple accidentily or from Apple Certified Resellers because of shipping goofs in the last week and a half or so. There has also been some documentation of problems installing tiger (the GM build) on certain iMac systems and localized instances where certain permissions haven't been verified and/or repaired.

Back OT: If your copy is legitimate, Apple has internally been required to offer Tier 2 service to customers who have received Tiger early and then Tier 1 starting Friday morning.

EDIT: There are a few fishy things in the post though aren't there?

 

[MindlessWorker]

Same issue here

If you can't offer any valid advice, don't reply with anything. You are not adding any value to the forum. I just BOUGHT Tiger and am having the same issue.

I'm "in the business", being a computer engineer with an advanced degree and have many years of experience. Mac, windows, *nix, vms, etc...

I have 3 year apple care on all my macs and "I don't want to be on hold for hours" either.

I came to macrumors to try and save myself some time. I found a thread that looked promising, yet, not one valid reply.

Here's how you solve it:

1. Delete the illegally downloaded version. (Your trite, "I don't want to be on hold for hours" is a terrible lie.)

2. Buy a legal copy.

3. Follow the installation instructions.


I'm sorry, but I am tired of these people stealing from Apple and then coming here when things don't work the way they want.

 

[johnbro23]

Here's how you solve it:

1. Delete the illegally downloaded version. (Your trite, "I don't want to be on hold for hours" is a terrible lie.)

2. Buy a legal copy.

3. Follow the installation instructions.


I'm sorry, but I am tired of these people stealing from Apple and then coming here when things don't work the way they want.

I got it to work. I bought the DiskWarrior software, ran it, and retried installing Tiger. It worked fine. I guess my drive was just messed up.

 

[Horrortaxi]

The same thing is happening on my Cube actually. It gets to "verifying target volume" and says it can't install--try again. I repaired permissions and that didn't do anything. I didn't think it would since I was trying to do a clean install--permissions and file structure shouldn't matter. I unplugged everything but the display, keyboard, and mouse--no difference. I'm suspecting bad RAM at this point. I'm going to run the hardware test and see what's what.

 

[Haberdasher]

I got it to work. I bought the DiskWarrior software, ran it, and retried installing Tiger. It worked fine. I guess my drive was just messed up.

I had the same problem, but used Tech Tool Pro to repair some file catalog problems. Almost thought I'd have to format— thank goodness I didn't.

 

[Horrortaxi]

I'm changing my tune. I remembered that Hardware Test did report bad RAM once and I figured that a clean install would overwrite everything yada yada yada. I ran Disk Utility off the install disc to verify the disc. It threw errors and couldn't repair them. Since everything was backed up anyway I erased the disc. Tiger is now installing.

If you don't want to reformat then this is a case for Disc Warrior--but backing up your data and reformatting is cheaper and easier considering you're just going to install a new OS anyway.

 

[booksacool1]

I had a similar problem too - yes with the retail dvd, not a illegal/adc version.
After spending hours trying to figure it out, I eventually thought "screw it, i'll reformat".

It worked, got rid of tonnes of unnecesary files and fixed up my fragmentation problems. I suggest you do it too, but then again, I had somewhere to back up my data, which others might not have.