I had to install a new hard drive for my macbook after my last one had obviously crashed and was making clicking noises. The problem is I can't install OSX on my new one and I'm getting extremely frustrated. What could be going wrong? I've reset PRAM and done everything I could find suggested online.
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
can anyone please help on this?
Hi, and welcome to Apple Support Communities.
Which exact MacBook Pro model is it?
You can choose from this list:
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook_pro/index-macbookpro.html
Do you have the original system discs that came with the MacBook Pro?
Your signature says your on 10.7.2, if you bought the Mac and it came with Lion, then your going to have to either use another Lion Mac and run this software
https://support.apple.com/kb/dl1433
and copy their Lion Recovery Partition to a USB thumb drive.
The USB thumb drive needs to be 1GB or larger and formatted GUID OS X Extended Journaled in Disk Utility first. Then run the software.
Take that USB to the Mac with the new hard drive and hold option and select it to boot from, then you can reinstall Lion Recovery Partition and/or Lion with a Internet connection (good fast and reliable as it takes some time)
Your other choice is to buy Apple's $69 Lion USB thumb drive with the whole Lion on it.
If your computer has 10.6 grey or white install disks, hold c and boot off of that, format the drive GUID OS X Extended in Disk Utility and install OS X 10.6, then update to 10.6.8, then install Lion from the AppStore (previously purchased? hold down option key and click on Purchases)
Illustrations and so forth here
it's early 2010 macbook pro 13 in. When I purchased it it came with snow lepord. I can't boot to the disk with C because that's when a flashing folder with a question mark appears. Any other ideas?
And yes, I am using the original snow lepord disc that cam with my macbook.
I had a very similar problem happen.. I installed a new SSD in my Macbook (white 2007) and it would not boot... got the same error (flashing folder with a question mark). I Took it to the mac store and the genius said that they could not see the HD... he figured it was a bad HD. Luckily the store I purchased it from replaced the SSD with a new one and viola! it worked!
You need to boot from the original disk to format the HD and then everything should load no problem.
Good luck!
Have you tried inserting the Snow Leopard Install disc and using Startup Manager to select the Snow Leopard disc as the startup disk? Once you get started up from the Snow Leopard Install disc, the rest of the instructions can be found in the manual for your MacBook Pro. Here are the ones for mine:
Installing Mac OS X and Applications — New Hard Drive
from http://manuals.info.apple.com/en_US/MacBook_13inch_HardDrive_DIY.pdf
To install Mac OS X and the applications that came with your computer, follow these steps:
1. Start up from the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your computer, and choose your language.
2. From the menu bar, choose Utilities > Disk Utility.
3. Open Disk Utility and select the new drive in the list to the left. Note: If you are formatting the primary drive, use the Disk Utility program on the Install disc.
4. Click the Partition tab.
5. Click on Options, and verify GUID is selected if this is the startup drive.
6. Name the volume “Macintosh HD.”
7. Apply the change by clicking the Partition button.
8. At this point, either
• Quit the Disk Utility application, and proceed with the Mac OS X installation. Follow the
onscreen instructions. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions. Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install Disc 2.
or
• Leave the Disk Utility application open, and restore the backed up files from the image
you created before removing the hard drive.
Installing Applications
To install just the applications that came with your computer, follow the steps below. Your computer must have Mac OS X already installed.
1. Back up your essential files, if possible.
2. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc 1 that came with your computer.
3. Double-click “Install Bundled Software Only.”
4. Follow the onscreen instructions.
5. After selecting the destination disk for installation, continue following the onscreen instructions. Your computer may restart and ask you to insert the next Mac OS X Install Disc 2
6. Restore the data by reinstalling the backed up files from your backup to the new drive.
After installing brand new Macbook hard drive, boot to disk shows a flashing folder with a question mark
