Leopard Cannot Validate Base System

My installation fails about 2/3 of the way through with the error message that 'the installer cannot validate the base system'. Suggests I contact the software vendor (Apple) but the DVD did pass verification before the installation began. There are no visible scratches on it. I tried swapping DVD drives and got the same error at the same stage. Mac is a G4 Digital Audio with PowerLogix 1.53 DP/ 1.5 GB RAM. The second DVD drive I tried was an Apple-branded Hitachi DVD from a G5. The same glitch has occurred 4 times now, taking up most of the afternoon.

Digital Audio G4 DP 533, 1.5 GB RAM, DVR-111, Mac OS X (10.4.10), Atlas 15K SCSI RAID, GeForce 5200

Posted on Oct 27, 2007 2:12 PM

Nov 13, 2007 9:30 AM in response to coco_vega

+"... i cant put the apple ram back in my macbook because i threw it away? is there another way to install leopard without the apple ram..."+

Actually there is no such thing as "Apple RAM". Apple buys RAM from "3rd party" vendors, just like you and me. They just buy a lot more. But, not all 3rd party RAM "works" in a Mac esp. when running the installer which seems to be much more critical of RAM than the "normal day to day system". Since you don't have the original RAM, you might want to try a module from Techworks (get it from OWC). I have used this RAM in all my Macs since day one and it always "works" without issue. The one time I had another brand of RAM in my computer, I had the same issues (with the 10.3 installer). I had to pull the RAM to get the install to complete but I had kept the OEM sticks so I was able to pop those back in. Afterwards, I put the other RAM back in the computer and everything was fine. You don't mention what "brand" of RAM you have now but whatever it is, the installer does not seem to like it.