Snow Leopard won't install

That is not supposed to happen. You may have a hardware problem.

I found the grey DVD that came with my Mac & inserted it into the "optical drive" (which I'm assuming is the disk drive).

The optical drive is the slot or tray that you put optical discs (CD's or DVD's) into.

I restarted my Mac and held the 'C' key, until.... it ejected the grey DVD.
My computer ejects DVDs whenever it restarts... is that supposed to happen?

No. It means there is something wrong with the optical drive, with the firmware in the Mac, or something like that. It probably won't do any good, but you can try Resetting PRAM if you have not already done so.

Mind posting how you did that? You previously stated you couldn't boot with the install discs, so details might help the next person having your issue.

Yes, mind posting what worked, please? I'm having the exact same problem.

Zach

OK. Got it to work ... at, wait for it, ...2:00am on 1/1/11 As Charles Dyer, and R C-R mentioned,
booting directly from the Snow Leopard disc did it for me. It went right into install. Didn't even give me
the utilities menu or anything! Luckily I had already verified the disk under 10.5.8 and it came out ok.

And instead of the purported 50+min, it took 30min flat.
My "About..." said 10.6.3 and I'm just finished updating to 10.6.5

Gosh! What a hassle. Never expected this of a Mac.

Later,
Z

Just attempted to install this today. I was having the same problems others were with the dark screen and used a flashlight.

I start the install, only to have the installer inform me that I do not have enough room on my HD and to deselect options. Looking at the options and the space required to install, it does not exceed or even come close to meeting the free space on my computer. In other words, the installer tells me I do not have enough space, but my HD clearly has more than enough space to make the installation.

I'm on a MBP and (was) running Leopard... Am I royally screwed or what? 🙂

Edit: to clarify, I've unchecked everything I possibly could.

Message was edited by: Chopsifer

Please start a new topic for this. You won't get much help tacking on to an older, answered (green star) thread. And your situation is likely to be different from the OP's.

Go here:

http://discussions.apple.com/post!default.jspa?forumID=1337

There have been tons of threads since SL came out Sept 2009.
Check the user tips at the top:
http://discussions.apple.com/forum.jspa?forumID=1337&start=0

Some have "best strategy for install/upgrade"
MacIntouch and MacFixit have both put out tips, help, troubleshooting.

I am having exactly same problem as the fellow who started this post. Hubby's March 2009 intel iMac 20 inch running 10.5.8

I followed the advice here.= using Leopard disks I booted from 10.5 disk, ran disk utilities repair needed but oodles of permissions fixed. NOTE: the Imac readily booted from 10.5 DVD.
Then downloaded fresh copy of Combo 10.5.8 update. Installed flawlessly.
Then tried again to install Snow Leopard.SAME PROBLEM . iMac sees the DVD . I start, click the agreement, customize (don't want all the languages etc) installer starts . Approx when the progress bar hits 40 minutes or so, the iMac monitor goes to sleep or goes dark (as when in sleep), the iMac reboots spitting out out the 10.6 DVD.
I also cannot start from the DVD by holding down C key.boots and ejects DVD
Tried booting while holding down option key, also did not give me choice to boot from DVD

PS Had apple support call tonight . The fellow was nice and USELESS. I told HIM what to do , following the instructions given here by RC-R and others.
But the fellow did confirm asI recall with 10.6 the install no longer requires the DVd to boot.

Very peculiar. I have booked a second support call. Maybe the next guy will know something or know where to look up the issue. Obviously there are two of us here with same problem. There may be more.
A bad batch of iMacs?