Mac OS X cannot be installed on Macintosh HD because this disk cannot be used to start up your computer

Question

Mac OS X cannot be installed on Macintosh HD because this disk cannot be used to start up your computer

In June I went to the Apple Store to have my MacBook Pro fixed for a log in problem. Soon the small problem turned into a 5.5 hour ordeal that involved erasing my hard drive and starting from scratch and whatever was backed up on my external drive.

My laptop came with Leopard software and I had purchased and installed Snow Leopard prior to this problem in June without any problem. Since I've had to wipe my MacBook Pro clean, I've tried to re-install Snow Leopard onto my laptop but I've been receiving this error message whenever I select the Macintosh HD: Mac OS X cannot be installed on Macintosh HD because this disk cannot be used to start up your computer. The disk says it needs 80 MB to install and I have 121 GB free on the Macintosh HD.

Is there any way for me to install Snow Leopard so I can upgrade again to the newest software ASAP?

Thank you!

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Aug 28, 2012 12:32 PM

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Answer 1

varjak paw

Level 10

182,662 points

Aug 28, 2012 1:41 PM in response to Charles Kunze

First, confirm in Disk Utility that the drive is partitioned as GUID and formatted as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled). Your MacBook won't boot if the drive is in any other format.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 2

Aug 28, 2012 2:12 PM in response to varjak paw

I verified my drive and checked to make sure it had all of the approved formats. I tried to reinstall the disc again and it gave me the same error message.

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Answer 3

varjak paw

Level 10

182,662 points

Aug 28, 2012 2:28 PM in response to Charles Kunze

Are you trying to use the install disk from a different Mac, perhaps? That won't work; you need a retail disk (white label with the picture of a snow leopard), and it may be that install disk that the message is referring to, not your hard drive.

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Answer 4

Aug 28, 2012 3:53 PM in response to varjak paw

I purchased the retail disk and it is the white disk with the image of the snow leopard on it.

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Answer 5

Aug 28, 2012 4:59 PM in response to Charles Kunze

Certainly something's amiss. The SL disc needs about 5GB of HDD space to install, not 80MB.

Use Disk Utility again to check the S.M.A.R.T. status of the HDD.

Have you got the original Leopard discs?

First use Disc 2 to boot into Apple Hardware Test (Hold down the D key on startup until the test app appears).

Run the extended test at least 3 times (will take several hours to do this). Post any error messages.

If all's well there, boot from the original disc 1 and see if it will accept the Leopard installation.

Next oddity; you report 121GB free; what's occupying the rest of the HDD (and how big is the HDD)?

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Answer 6

Aug 28, 2012 6:00 PM in response to noondaywitch

The S.M.A.R.T. status of the HD is Verified.

Leopard came pre-installed on the laptop and I did not receive discs with my laptop.

The total capacity of the HD is 232.9 GB. I've used 110.2 GB to hold folders of school assignments, some images, music, and a few video files.

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Answer 7

Aug 28, 2012 10:10 PM in response to Charles Kunze

Charles Kunze wrote:

Leopard came pre-installed on the laptop and I did not receive discs with my laptop.

If you bought it new, the discs are in a little box marked Everything Mac, along with the quick start manual and warranty info booklets.

The total capacity of the HD is 232.9 GB. I've used 110.2 GB to hold folders of school assignments, some images, music, and a few video files.

So you have a working OS on there. Installed by the Store or by you?

Double check the version in  > About this Mac and ensure it's what you think it is. Stores have a habit of installing the current software rather than the original.

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Answer 8

roam

Level 6

13,637 points

Aug 29, 2012 1:51 AM in response to Charles Kunze

The disk says it needs 80 MB to install and I have 121 GB free on the Macintosh HD

Are you trying to install from a Time machine Backup?

What if you disconnect any external drive, insert the 10.6 DVD

Retsart and hold down the C key to boot into the Installer, and proceed you should be able to install a fresh copy of 10.6 on your internal drive.

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