OSX does not start

Much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, I am worried by the fact that your hard disk is making a "clicking sound". In my experience this could be a sign that all is not well with your hard disk and warrants a check to see if it is Ok. The fact that you had another problem a month ago lends credence to this theory.

I sincerely hope I am wrong.

Zlig

I would still suggest checking the disk. This kind of problem develops over time.

You really need to start up from your 10.5 disc. The error, "no valid packages" is what you get when you try to repair permissions on a 10.5 disk via 10.4. Perhaps that will lead to a resolution, I'm not sure.

Missed that you were from Toronto. What a beautiful city that is.

Sounds like a possible drive problem but,
10.4 disk utility cannot repair 10.5 permission problems, usually it will just hose the permission
structure without warning, maybe later versions of 10.4 recognize Leo and refuse to run.
10.4 can repair 10.5 disks, just not permissions, as the file system structures are the same.

Disk Utility cannot repair many file system directory problems though, a good third party utility
like Disk Warrior can. Apple's cure for directory problems is to reinstall.

You can try resetting your root directory permissions:

If the disk in question is your Mac OS X startup disk and your computer stops starting up at the blue screen, restart with the Command and S keys held down, and enter the following commands:
(one at a time - pressing return after each one)

mount -uw /
chown root:admin /
chmod 1775 /
reboot

Kj

As you start up, hold down the mouse key (or the trackpad button).

Usually you can eject the disk by holding down the mouse button while starting up until it does. If not, with the mac shut down, there's a small hole, hard to see, right under where you put the disc in. Using a straightened out paperclip push in that hole until the tray moves forward, then grab it and pull it out the rest of the way.
DiskWarrior is an expensive program but a good investment. Good luck, my Canadian friend 🙂

My bad, the disc tray thing is for only towers, I think.

I wonder if this page might help...
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1545?viewlocale=en_US

Here is another thing to try:

Please boot into the single user operating mode. You can do this by holding CMD+s. Once the system is booted into single user mode and is standing by at the Localhost% command prompt type the following:

mount -uw /
(press return)
at the command prompt type:

mv /Library/Preferences/SystemConfiguration/preferences.plist preferences.old

(press return)
again at the command prompt type:

mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow.plist preferences2.old
(press return)

again at the command prompt type:

mv /Library/Preferences/com.apple.windowserver.plist preferences3.old
(press return)

again at the command prompt type:

mv /System/Library/SystemConfiguration/ApplicationEnhancer.bundle bundle.old
(press return)

again and lastly at the command prompt type:
reboot
(press return)

Hope this helps!

Kj
Note: if this doesn't do it, something is hosed (files and/or directory) and/or your hard drive is
failing to read the boot files.