Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Level 1

2 points

Recovery system can't be created

Please help!

I downloaded Lion but I get the screen "Install Failed" around 31 minutes. It tells me that OSX can't be installed because "a recovery system can't be created". I went through Disc Utility and cleaned things up with the repair function and tried again, no luck. Then I noticed that apart from my standard Apple journaled partition on my internal HD, there was another 30 GB partition assigned to Windows. I have no idea how it got on there as I don't use Windows on this computer. Perhaps a vestige from Boot Camp? Here's the question: Can I just delete that part of the HD and try again? If so, how do I go about deleting that WIndows partition without disturbing the rest of the HD contents? Is it even worth the effort? I just wish Apple had foreseen this problem as from what I have read, I am not the only one suffering from this glitch. Thanks for your help as always!!

iMac G5 iSight, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 23, 2011 10:53 AM

17 replies

Ed85

Level 1

4 points

Jan 18, 2012 9:01 AM in response to rybcn

I've tried creating a new partition, deleting it and installing Lion, but that didn't work. I have XP on Bootcamp installed (no Parallels) so that might be the problem, but I don't want to wipe it and reinstall it / buy Windows 7.

I'll try creating a new partition, installing Lion and if it works, keeping it, as I'm assuming this will be the recovery partition. However, that would bump the existing Bootcamp partition to partition 4 I think, meaning it wouldn't work as the Windows boot.ini says it is partition 3. I think someone somewhere said you can access this file and change the number to 4 so everything works again...

Ed85

Level 1

4 points

Jan 19, 2012 3:33 PM in response to chashood4

UPDATE:

Tries this and it works.

Made a new 2GB partition. Installed Lion and it worked this time. Am going to see if Windows XP under Boot Camp still works, and if I can delete that temporary partition I made.

I can confirm there is no recovery partition, as Find My Mac doesn't work. I'd recommend getting Undercover as a substitute.

Message was edited by: Ed85

Recovery system can't be created