Trying to save mid 2009 MacBook

[Mr.Lee]

The original HD crashed so I replaced it with a new un-formatted identical HD. When re-installing the OS I am supposed to press the 'option' just after the beep sound on fire up.

The problem is that the Startup Manager never shows up but all I get is the pointer and a white screen. I also try to press 'C' or 'D' but nothing happens.

Is the laptop ready for the bin?

 

[keysofanxiety]

The original HD crashed so I replaced it with a new un-formatted identical HD. When re-installing the OS I am supposed to press the 'option' just after the beep sound on fire up.

The problem is that the Startup Manager never shows up but all I get is the pointer and a white screen. I also try to press 'C' or 'D' but nothing happens.

Is the laptop ready for the bin?

The pointer and white screen is the Startup Manager. Nothing displays on the screen because it's an unformatted HD, and it can't find any bootable volumes. You can try install an OS using an external installer, or through a USB/Firewire Time Machine backup if you already have one.

Otherwise, you can hold CMD + ALT + R on startup to boot into Internet Recovery, and try through that.

 

[chrfr]

The pointer and white screen is the Startup Manager. Nothing displays on the screen because it's an unformatted HD, and it can't find any bootable volumes. You can try install an OS using an external installer, or through a USB/Firewire Time Machine backup if you already have one.

Otherwise, you can hold CMD + ALT + R on startup to boot into Internet Recovery, and try through that.

Unfortunately 2009 MacBooks don't have Internet Recovery, which first appeared in 2010 Macs.

The original HD crashed so I replaced it with a new un-formatted identical HD. When re-installing the OS I am supposed to press the 'option' just after the beep sound on fire up.

The problem is that the Startup Manager never shows up but all I get is the pointer and a white screen. I also try to press 'C' or 'D' but nothing happens.

With a new disk in this computer, you'll need either a pre-existing USB installer or OS X installer discs to get an operating system installed. Holding the option key at startup won't show any recovery options otherwise.

 

[Mr.Lee]

Thank you for your replies.

I will get the OS disks from ebay.

Is there a license I need to buy (like windows) or will the OS work straight from the CDs?

 

[chrfr]

Thank you for your replies.

I will get the OS disks from ebay.

Is there a license I need to buy (like windows) or will the OS work straight from the CDs?

You can just buy OS X Snow Leopard from Apple: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard