Snow Leopard Will Not Install?????

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Level 1

9 points

Snow Leopard Will Not Install?????

Ok here is my problem. I am currently running 10.5.8 Leopard on my 2GHz Intel Core Duo 20in iMac. I would like to upgrade to Snow Leopard, I have installed the Snow Leopard onto a External USB SATA Hard Drive I have just to test it out, it installed fine and it works pretty good for being installed on a USB drive. Now I go to do a Upgrade, by putting the disc in clicking the Snow Leopard iCon and it starts to install, says 51mins, so I wait, then after about 15 mins it restarts the computer and sits on the Grey Screen with the Apple and the little spinning thing. I've read on here tons of other people had or have the same problem, I read people holding in the "C" Key works, NOPE not for me, I"ve ready holding in the Mouse button to eject the Disc, NOPE not for me. I've read just get the disc out and reinstall again, NOPE. Tried all of these things, not one of them works??? I don't want to do a Full erase and install, I have waaaaaay to many things on here that I customized from sounds, to the way things look. I don't feel like spending time installing things again, getting my itunes back the way I like it. Just waaaaay to much work right now that I don't want to get into.

I've tried just about everything there is to do, going into Disk Utility, repairing permissions, I just don't know what else to do. I just think at this rate I"ll be sticking to Leopard until there is a FIX for this, maybe if they have a 10.5.9?? Who knows. I know I'm not the only one with the problem so it must be in the Current Leopard update.

20 inch Intel Core Duo iMAC <> G4 PowerMacQuickSilver 733Mhz, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iPhone 3G 16Gb <> iPod Vid 30Gb

Posted on Nov 5, 2009 11:41 AM

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Answer 1

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Nov 5, 2009 1:54 PM in response to Anthony82

I have waaaaaay to many things on here that I customized from sounds, to the way things look.

There in lies your problem. Unless all your system addons are known to be Snow Leopard compatible, you shouldn't upgrade. Look up any hacks, scripts, plugins, and drivers you have, as well as applications, before upgrading to Snow Leopard. See my upgrade FAQ*:

http://www.macmaps.com/upgradefaq.html

And no, there is no 10.5.9. Even if there was, terms of use would forbid discussing it since it is not available to the public as far as I've heard.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 2

Anthony82 Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2009 2:02 PM in response to a brody

Oh I what I ment to say was that my custom things, are just AIM sounds in replace of the default iChat and Yahoo sounds, I have different Folder Icons for the System one's, I have aLunch installed, etc.., just little things like that, that I don't feel like having to reinstall and reconfigure again. iTunes would be a big pain in the butt to, sure I could back up the XML and all of that, but it's just getting things back to normal the way I like it is what takes a great time to do. I just wanted to be able to upgrade to this and be done, no hassles.

I had tried two more times again to install and every time, it just stays on that Grey screen with the spin. I did notice in the Macintosh Hard Drive there is a folder called Mac OS X Data, from the Snow Leopard Install, it's 2Gb with a XML file, and install packages. It only shows up after I've restarted into the Bootcamp menu to eject he disc that won't come out after the Grey Screen appears.

Any other suggestions on how to get this to work?? I"m really not wanting to do a Fresh install, I know that would be better on my part, however I just don't feel like doing it now. I'd rather do that later when I replace this hard drive.

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Answer 3

a brody

Level 10

82,941 points

Nov 5, 2009 2:06 PM in response to Anthony82

Unfortunately a partial install is practically impossible to tear apart to allow a regular installation. You can recover your most important data, even if it isn't backed up*:

http://www.macmaps.com/backup.html

But next time, check to make sure everything fits Snow Leopard requirements*:

http://www.macmaps.com/upgradefaq.html

And then upgrade only when you need to.

- * Links to my pages may give me compensation.

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Answer 4

Nov 5, 2009 2:15 PM in response to Anthony82

Disk you install Sno on the external using your iMac. If so, then why don't you migrate your data, apps, users, and settings from your internal drive to your external using Migration Assistant, and then use Disk Utility to clone your Sno install back to your internal after testing it. Here are the instructions for using Disk Utility to do so.

1. Start Disk Utility from you install DVD;
2. Choose Restore;
4. Drag your external volume to the source box;
5. Drag your internal volume to the destination box;
6. Choose Erase Destination; and
7. Click restore.

It will take an hour more or less. Once the clone is made, start up from it to make sure it is functional.

Note that you need to be well backed up no matter how you install. It would be good to clone your Leo drive to a partition on the external before doing anything else to serve as a virtual fail-safe device.

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Answer 5

Anthony82 Author

Level 1

9 points

Nov 5, 2009 2:19 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

Yeah I could try that, and it does sound very interesting, I would learn something new from this, however the point of a Upgrade is to just put it in and Upgrade right lol. I guess what I'll do is just stick to Leopard for another few months until I get a new 1Tb Drive and when I get that Drive install Snow Leopard on that from Fresh install, that way I have no problems, and I'll just have to deal with installing all of my apps and all that good stuff again, I don't mind doing a Fresh install about once a year, just to refresh things, I just thought Ooh Hmm I could install this update and things would run smoothly, but nope. Ooh well, thanks for the help.

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Answer 6

Nov 5, 2009 2:44 PM in response to Anthony82

You are very welcome. If you have a few hours, then think about doing what I suggested. You might be surprised how easily it goes. Doing what I have suggested is, is in effect, an erase and install with migration. So, assuming your Leopard install is good, you should end up with a very good Sno install, not that upgrading would not give you a very good Sno install also.

Also if you have, can create another partition on your internal, or are willing to write over your Sno install, then you can do an upgrade install as indicated here:

1. Clone your Sno installer DVD to your external drive using the clone instructions I gave you (changing the source and destination, of course);
2. Attach the external to your machine; and
3. Do your upgrade install using the clone (just use the installer).

No matter what, when you move to Sno, be sure and clone your good Leo install to an external as mentioned above.

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Answer 7

Nov 5, 2009 4:30 PM in response to Anthony82

This is all probably alot simpler than it sounds from the confusing description of your install procedure. It seems like you were satisfied with the "trial install" of Snow Leopard so it sounds like the problems you experienced with the "real install" were a result of the unorthodox installation protocol you followed, not the system itself.

Question 1: Do you have a complete Time Machine backup of your whole system? On an external drive? If not, reformat that USB drive you mentioned and make one now.

Question 2: What drives were mounted when you tried your unsuccessful Snow Leopard install?

I think you'll have the most success in this endeavor if you first unplug all external media and peripherals, insert the Snow Leopard install DVD and *reboot your machine from it* to do the install.

You can try first performing the upgrade Snow Leopard install but if that's unsuccessful again you can try reformatting your main drive and doing a clean install from the booted installation DVD. Then you can use Migration Assistant to bring all your Application and User files back from the Time Machine backup.

If the procedure goes awry at any point you can always restore your complete 10.5.x Leopard system using the installer DVD and the Time Machine backup.

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