Dancepal1948
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Q: Can't install MAC OS X Lion - Macintosh HD "This disk cannot be used to start up your computer."

I downloaded OS X Lion this morning and when I went to install it I got a "Screen - Select the disk where you want to install OS X."  -- Had two disk my Macintosh HD and my Time Machine (both are 1TB).  The top and most important is the Macintosh HD (999.86GB - 739.75GB available states "This disk cannot be used to start up your computer".  What do I need to do to install OS X Lion?

20" intel-based iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.7)

Posted on Jul 20, 2011 8:48 AM

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Dancepal1948

Q: Can't install MAC OS X Lion - Macintosh HD "This disk cannot be used to start up your computer."

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  • by Dancepal1948,

    Dancepal1948 Dancepal1948 Jul 20, 2011 8:51 AM in response to Dancepal1948
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    Jul 20, 2011 8:51 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    Currently running OS 10.6.8 and my computer meet all the requirements to install OS X Lion

  • by JohnTheMacGeek,

    JohnTheMacGeek JohnTheMacGeek Jul 20, 2011 8:56 AM in response to Dancepal1948
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 8:56 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    I've got the same problem. Awaiting some assistance.

  • by R C-R,

    R C-R R C-R Jul 20, 2011 8:57 AM in response to Dancepal1948
    Level 6 (17,685 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 8:57 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    Open Disk Utility & select the parent drive for your Macintosh HD from the list on the left. ("Macintosh HD" should be indented under the parent drive.) At the bottom of the window you should see a line listing its Partition Map Scheme. This should be "GUID Partition Table."

     

    If not, you will have to reformat the drive with this scheme after backing it up. (Reformatting will erase all its data.)

  • by JohnTheMacGeek,

    JohnTheMacGeek JohnTheMacGeek Jul 20, 2011 9:04 AM in response to R C-R
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 9:04 AM in response to R C-R

    Mine shows "GUID Partition Table" but it won't allow me to install Lion.

  • by Junction10,

    Junction10 Junction10 Jul 20, 2011 9:22 AM in response to JohnTheMacGeek
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 9:22 AM in response to JohnTheMacGeek

    Same here.  Installed fine on my MacBook Pro, but not on my iMac.  My disk also shows GUID Partition Table, but I too had the message that Lion cannot be installed on this drive.

     

    I have a Bootcamp partition - configured within Bootcamp assistant....  Never repartitioned the drive, and I don't even get the option to create a recovery boot drive..  just a straight "Cannot be installed on this drive". 

  • by R C-R,

    R C-R R C-R Jul 20, 2011 9:44 AM in response to JohnTheMacGeek
    Level 6 (17,685 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 9:44 AM in response to JohnTheMacGeek

    JohnTheMacGeek wrote:

     

    Mine shows "GUID Partition Table" but it won't allow me to install Lion.

    How much free space is there on your HD? have you run Disk Utility's repair or verify disk step on it to make sure the file system is OK?

     

    (Same questions for Junction10.)

  • by Junction10,

    Junction10 Junction10 Jul 20, 2011 10:06 AM in response to R C-R
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:06 AM in response to R C-R

    I have since run Repair Disk Permissions, and Repair Disk (after booting from the Snow Leopard DVD to do a 'clean' repair) as per support's advice.

     

    They then said to retry the installation..  only problem is - "App Store" tells me that Lion is "Installed"..  it's clearly not.  How do I run the installer again when App Store thinks it's already installed??

  • by Andrei P.,

    Andrei P. Andrei P. Jul 20, 2011 10:15 AM in response to Junction10
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:15 AM in response to Junction10

    Junction10, run installer from your applications folder.

     

    I have the same message. About 20GB free on the drive, tried repair permissions. It only repairs some, not all. Perhaps I would need to do a clean install if this doesn't work. Maybe from a floppy drive or a DVD.

  • by ds store,

    ds store ds store Jul 20, 2011 10:17 AM in response to Dancepal1948
    Level 7 (30,395 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:17 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    Create a Backup Lion Bootable 10.7  Disk

    Purchaseand download Lion from the Mac App Store on any Lion compatible Macrunning Snow Leopard.

    1. Right click on “Mac OS X Lion”     installer and choose the option to “Show Package Contents.”
    2. Inside the Contents folder that     appears you will find a SharedSupport folder and inside the     SharedSupport folder you will find the “InstallESD.dmg.” This is     the Lion boot disc image we have all been waiting for.
    3. Copy “InstallESD.dmg” to     another folder like the Desktop.
    4. Launch Disk Utility and click the     burn button.
    5. Select the copied “InstallESD.dmg” as the image to burn,     insert a standard sized 4.7 GB DVD, and wait for your new Lion Boot     Disc to come out toasty hot.

    With this disc you can boot any Lion compatible Mac, and install10.7 just like you installed previous version of Mac OS X. You caneven use Disk Utility's Restore function to image your Lion boot discimage onto a external drive suitable for performing a clean installon a optical-drive-less MacBook Air, or Mac mini server.

     

     

    If your using Mac's in a mission critical type environment or have third party hardware or software you must rely upon working correctly. It's advised to wait until all the bugs, driver updates, third party software updates and other issues are resolved before upgrading. This might take several months. Then if you do so, do one machine at a time and carefully test everything before full deployment.

    It's also highly advised to backup all one's data either manually to a external powered drive in addition to TimeMachine and Hold option bootable Carbon Copy Clones etc.

  • by Andrei P.,

    Andrei P. Andrei P. Jul 20, 2011 10:20 AM in response to Andrei P.
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:20 AM in response to Andrei P.

    For some reason my disk utility shows free space as 1,45GB. Will try rebooting.

  • by Junction10,

    Junction10 Junction10 Jul 20, 2011 10:27 AM in response to Andrei P.
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:27 AM in response to Andrei P.

    Found installer, thanks.. trying again.

     

    For the record, I've got over 200gb free space on this drive.  Only 40gb on my MacBook Pro which installed perfectly.

     

    J.

  • by cygnus93,

    cygnus93 cygnus93 Jul 20, 2011 10:33 AM in response to Dancepal1948
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:33 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    any word on this?  I have the same issue.  i have not yet found a way to install.

     

    this app store crap was SUPPOSED to make this "easy"...way to f- it up Apple...

  • by Andrei P.,

    Andrei P. Andrei P. Jul 20, 2011 10:54 AM in response to cygnus93
    Level 1 (14 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:54 AM in response to cygnus93

    In my case disk utility shows lack of space so I created another 1GB partition below main and now it sees correct amount of space and I am about to click the install button. Fingers crossed.

  • by jlipscomb,

    jlipscomb jlipscomb Jul 20, 2011 10:58 AM in response to Dancepal1948
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 20, 2011 10:58 AM in response to Dancepal1948

    Same issue.  Can't install due to the "This disk cannot be used to start up your computer" which is funny, since I just used that very disk to start up my computer.  I deleted my bootcamp partitions using the dick utility on the Snow Leopard install disk, then repaired both the disk and the permissions, and I am still seeing the same error.

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