Stuck in install loop in setup assistant

You are doing all you can, I hope the Archive and Install option works for you. I got into an install loop on an windows box and had to do a complet re-format of the drive and install from sracth.

My MBP did the upgrade with out issues. good luck.

ride-safe

I'm having the same problem. Hopefully someone out there has a fix...

me too 😟

I am having the same problem. does anyone know if you can get this resolved without destroying your data? Help!!

come on Apple this is not like you!

Another thread suggested rebooting from within this, there's a button on one of the screens. But you're better to track down the thread. I've forgotten which one is was (sorry!) but it was in the top couple of pages.

I had the same problem, only in a strange order.

At first Leopard came up great. So I started tweaking the new Leopard settings and then ran Software Update.

When I went to reboot from the Update the reboot hung. So I powered it down and started it back up and ...uh oh, Setup Assistant infinite loop.

I'm in the process of doing another Archive and Install. I'll let you know how it goes.

FYI: My MacBook Pro had 0 problems. My iMac had a minor issue which I resolved right away. And based on lots of other thread info, it looks like this upgrade is a bit touchy based on what you have installed where.

Cabal

I just wanted to chime in and say that I'm having this exact same issue. I've tried rebooting from within the Apple menu, but that doesn't do anything. I've been using Leopard flawlessly for two days now, and I had actually just started to believe that maybe this sort of nonsense didn't happen on Apple products. Boy, I don't want to have to format my machine... I don't have any backups.

Okay, I just got this working again on my machine. Here's what I did:

1) Force reboot the machine. (soft reboots wouldn't work once I was in the Setup Assistant)
2) Hold down Shift during chime to boot system into safe mode. FYI, my startup then took much longer than normal, not sure why.
3) I got to a login screen which said Safe Mode, which I normally don't see. (The login screen, that is). Hit Back to cancel login.
4) There should be an option to soft-reboot. Click that.

Once I did that, it reinstalled the latest update package and rebooted successfully. Good luck!

I cannot even reformat and reload my system at all. Is there a way to hard boot from disk or something. I have tried rebooting with the CD in there i have tried just putting in the CD and doing something but it will not allow me to reformat or reload in any way.

The Archive and Install worked and I'm no longer in the infinite Setup Assistant Loop.

My previous apps, user info, and settings all appear to be intact and it looks like I did an upgrade except for the extra folder on the HD.

I recommend trying this. Time consuming, but better than an Erase and Install.

You have to hold down 'c' at the chime to boot from CD.

Wow, that's exactly what happened to me.

Try starting in safe mode (hold down Shift). It put me into the login window. Log in, when Setup Assistant starts this time you'll be able to quit it, but it'll put you back in the login window. Click "back" then "Restart".

What was weird for me was then I saw a progress window for the three items downloaded by Software Update. When they finished, the system restarted, and then I was OK.

But f-ing weird, to be sure.

Step1: Shut Down the computer, pressing teh turn on/off button
Step 2: Turn On the computer and immediately press the shift key
Step3: Maybe take few minutes and the login window Appear with (Safe Boot Label in Red)
Step4: Click on back button and then click on restart buttom, a window installer appear and then the screen turn blue don't warry, maybe take few minutes, and your system will be back

Sorry for may Eanglish

Thanks so much to those who figured this issue out, I was starting to panic. The safe mode trick worked.

I called Apple Support anyway just to see if they knew why this was happening, and he seemed to think it was due to a faulty file on the previous operating system that makes the first software upgrade after installing Leopard a pain in the ***. He said that that it shouldn't happen again.