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need helping rebooting

I was using my Imac and out of no where everything frozen. I shut down the computer by hold the power button and after I turn it on I get a white screen with a question mark blinking. I had another problem with this computer and I have to replace the hard drive. I have the CD to reboot but it doesnt work. How do I reboot the computer with the CD and I dont not care about saving anything. I am OK with everything deleting. Please help me!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Aug 12, 2012 10:29 PM

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9 replies

Aug 12, 2012 10:34 PM in response to dude911

Booting From An OS X Installer Disc


1. Insert OS X Installer Disc into the optical drive.

2. Restart the computer.

3. Immediately after the chime press and hold down the "C" key.

4. Release the key when the spinning gear below the dark gray Apple logo appears.

5. Wait for installer to finish loading.


Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive


Do the following:


1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions


Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.


If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.


2. Reinstall Snow Leopard


If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.


Download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

Aug 13, 2012 12:54 PM in response to dude911

User uploaded file


The "drive entry" is the topmost entry in the list; the one that is selected. The "volume" is the entry below the topmost entry. Usually it's the one named "Macintosh HD."


Are you booted from your installer DVD and using Disk Utility on the installer disc? You cannot do this if you are booted from your hard drive or trying to use Disk Utility on the hard drive.

Aug 13, 2012 3:29 PM in response to Kappy

When I am at the step of the picture you put. On the left where it says lion HD, Mountain Lion, OSX test, I don't have any of that. On the left of my computer it shows a picture of a two "CDs" and next to it it says "pionner DVD" and "Mac OS x install DVD". I only have two of those. I don't have a hard drive there. And I am trying to boot from a installer DVD and use Disk Utility.

need helping rebooting

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