Can't boot os snow leopard from cd/usb/ext hdd

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Can't boot os snow leopard from cd/usb/ext hdd

Hello

I want to reformat my hdd and split it on few partitions but i get following problems

- Disk utility doesn't allow to split it, i check it in single user mode, nothing works

- Doesn't want to boot, I tried to boot it from external hdd, usb, cd, dvd, nothing works, I just see Grey apple and that's it,nothing happends

I left it even like that for whole night and nothing happened

I did scan disk, check blocks etc. no errors :/ it give me some filesystem error (which i googled and it sayd you need to boot from different partition so it will work)

c, cmd r, doesnt work

starting with opt key gives me list of devices but it freezes after

My macbook pro is from mid 2010, 8 gb of ram (i did change it by myself, but works perfectly)

The os snow leopard works perfectly, but I need to split the partition

Tried to reinstall os but it stops after restart (in middle of instalation) , it gives me grey apple and thats it

I don't have original dvd, lost it some time ago, can't get new one since I moved to middle of nowhere(no apple shops or anything)

Any solution ? single user mode commands would be most helpful, id just format the hdd and split/reinstall the os from zero

Is there any chance to reformat/partition hdd from single user mode? or any software that I can boot from ?

MacBook Pro (17-inch Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on May 14, 2012 9:51 AM

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Answer 1

tjk

Level 9

51,116 points

May 14, 2012 9:56 AM in response to Pilek

Hi P,

iPartition will do that: http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/15360/ipartition

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Answer 2

Pilek Author

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May 14, 2012 9:58 AM in response to tjk

Does it allow to boot from? It doesnt allow me to split partition, says It needs to be different partition than I boot from (I have one partition)

Update - I tried to use single user mode with diskutil but it sayd disk managment is not installed :/

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Answer 3

eww

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May 14, 2012 10:03 AM in response to Pilek

Deleted

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Answer 4

tjk

Level 9

51,116 points

May 14, 2012 10:02 AM in response to Pilek

Pilek wrote:

Does it allow to boot from? It doesnt allow me to split partition, says It needs to be different partition than I boot from (I have one partition)

Update - I tried to use single user mode with diskutil but it sayd disk managment is not installed :/

What disc and disk are you trying to boot from?

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Answer 5

Pilek Author

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May 14, 2012 10:08 AM in response to tjk

I tried to boot from dvd,usb, external hdd

My hdd is working, i just need to split/reformat it because it haveonly 500 gb , one partition

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Answer 6

eww

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53,028 points

May 14, 2012 10:11 AM in response to Pilek

What OS X version is on each of the devices/disks/volumes you have tried to boot from?

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Answer 7

tjk

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51,116 points

May 14, 2012 10:13 AM in response to Pilek

Which DVD are you using? Is it from another Mac? Is it retail? Is it Snow Leopard? Is it a newer update than what your MBP originally shipped with (it needs to be). Same with the external HD. What's on it/where did it come from?

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Answer 8

Pilek Author

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May 14, 2012 10:20 AM in response to tjk

Its snow leopard retail

I dont think its older verions, can that be an issue since im trying to boot from totally different hdd?

I got it from my friend, then created image of it on usb/external

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Answer 9

tjk

Level 9

51,116 points

May 14, 2012 10:24 AM in response to Pilek

It needs to be a version newer than the one your MBP shipped with.

Most SL retail versions are 10.6.3. If your machine shipped with an OS newer than that, that is your issue.

Boot your MBP normally and check the version of OS X you're running (Apple menu > About this Mac).

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Answer 10

Pilek Author

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May 14, 2012 10:26 AM in response to tjk

It says 10.6.8

So,if i have different os it just wont allow be to boot from? thats funny ^^

Why they didn't fix it ?

I don't want to get lion/ mountain lion because it's crap 😮

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Answer 11

tjk

Level 9

51,116 points

May 14, 2012 10:29 AM in response to Pilek

Pilek wrote:

It says 10.6.8

So,if i have different os it just wont allow be to boot from? thats funny ^^

Why they didn't fix it ?

I don't want to get lion/ mountain lion because it's crap 😮

Not "different," but older.

Clone your existing MBP HD to an external HD (using CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper!), then you can boot from the external HD and partition all you want.

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Answer 12

eww

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May 14, 2012 10:37 AM in response to Pilek

Your machine was shipped with OS X 10.6.3 pre-installed on it. It can't boot from a 10.6.3 retail DVD or from a DVD containing a later OS version that was shipped with a different Mac model. It requires either a retail DVD containing 10.6.4 or better (I think the highest version available on a retail DVD is 10.6.6, but it may only be 10.6.3), or a duplicate of the DVD it was shipped with (obtainable for a fee by phoning AppleCare and providing your machine's serial number). If you don't have a DVD fitting one of those descriptions, you aren't going to be able to boot your machine, repartition the hard drive, or install an OS on any partition.

EDIT: I take it back. tjk has offered the best solution above..

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