Macbook Pro shuts down on startup after botched Leopard install

Starting the Install of Leopard would wipe outTiger/10.4.x's ability to boot up.

Likely you had/have HD damage.

Is this Leopard Disk labeled an "Uprgrade Disk", or "Up to date" disk?

HI Guardian,

If you haven't tried this ... boot the MBPro from the Tiger disk by holding down the C key, inserting the disk and pressing the power button all at one time. Release the C key when you see the Apple logo on the screen. By default an Installler window will open. Ignore that... now look up at the Menu and click Utilities/Startup Manager. Click Startup Manager. A window that opens will indicate the drives available to boot from, I'm praying it will say 10.4.x in there. If it does, select MacintoshHD 10.4.x and click Restart. If this works then you have a working Tiger system folder. The thing that tipped me off is the, "question mark" icon... that shows up when the computer can't locate a system folder.

Also, whenever you install an UPGRADE from say Tiger to Leopard make sure you have enough free drive space. You can use Disk Utility in Applications/Utilities to do that. Rule of thumb... never allow a drive to fall below 15% free space.

Carolyn 🙂

Try starting from your Tiger Disk again, then...

"Try Disk Utility

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, *you must select your language first.)*
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the First Aid tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Click Repair. Disk Utility checks and repairs the disk."

Tell us if there are errors! And whether fixed or not.

Also, the first thing that shows up after I choose a language on the 10.4 disk is that the software cannot be installed.

Yes, not to worry about that until we can Reair the Disk!

When you click on that partition on the left, does Repair Disk become a possibility? Not Repair Permissions!

If you have another Mac around there might be a different way, but right now I think the best bet is DiskWarrior, you need the CD though.

http://www.alsoft.com/DiskWarrior/

OK, you got it under control now?

Good luck... I meant you know the problem now, and why it botched... pre-exiting problem(s)!? ")