Mid 2011 iMac won't load Snow Leopard

Question

Mid 2011 iMac won't load Snow Leopard

My brand new mid 2011 27" iMac has never been used, and in storage until now. It came with 10.7 installed, but it was an Apple refurb and they sent me the 10.6 install disc last year after I called. This is the last iMac that will run 10.6. I started it up in 10.7, and was able to transfer my files from my G5 using FW, and it is working fine. I then partitioned the HD to install the 10.6.7 system from the install disc on a separate partition. When I first did this, I set 200 Gb for the 10.6.7 partition (from the 1 Tb internal HD). I installed 10.6.7, and it started up fine. Updated to 10.6.8 and all worked well.

Then, I realized it would have been better to use Setup Assistant, instead of Migration Assistant to bring my stuff over to the 10.6 partition from the G5. So, I erased my 10.6 partition, and resized it down to 100 Gb. I reinstalled 10.6.7 from the install disc, got the "welcome" video, and used Setup Assistant (with Target Disc mode as instructed) to bring over my account from the G5. All seemed fine, but when I go to launch the iMac from that partition, it won't load. I get the login screen, with my account name and the Guest Account. When I type in my password for my account, it accepts it, but then I get the beachball and it never loads.

The only thing I can figure is that maybe my 100 Gb partition is too small? I put the install disc back in, and "repaired" the disc and repaired permissions, but no go. I have 77.68 Gb used, 24.82 Gb available, and 102.5 Gb capacity showing on this partition. What gives?

G5 dual 2.0Ghz, PowerBook G4 1.5Ghz, iPhone 3G, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iMac 2011 (10.6.7)

Posted on Nov 24, 2012 8:42 AM

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Answer 1

baltwo

Level 9

62,362 points

Nov 24, 2012 12:33 PM in response to Purty Pitcher

Try resetting the password.

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Answer 2

Nov 24, 2012 2:02 PM in response to baltwo

I tried that but it still doesn't load, I get the beachball. It also does the same thing if I try the guest access option as a login choice.

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Answer 3

Nov 24, 2012 6:09 PM in response to Purty Pitcher

I repartitioned the HD to give a 200 Gb partition for 10.6. I was able to get it to load and get my files transferred over, but I think I may have made a big mistake by using the 10.6 install disc to repartiion the HD because now the 10.7 Revovery Partition is not showing up when I start the computer holding the option key down. It used to be there. I can still boot OK into 10.7 on that partition. I've since read on the forums to not use the 10.6 disc to do that on a machine with 10.7 on it, so I am worried that I have erased my 10.7 recovery volume!! Is there a way to get that back?

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Answer 4

Nov 24, 2012 6:20 PM in response to Purty Pitcher

Well, to find out if I had the Lion recovery partition I rebooted holding command + R and it has launched immediately into internet recovery over my wifi. So, I guess that means I no longer have a recovery partition because it did not find it?? I have no idea how long this is going to take to reinstall Lion over wifi, and/or if it will give me a recovery partition back.

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Answer 5

ds store

Level 7

30,705 points

Nov 25, 2012 8:35 AM in response to Purty Pitcher

Yes it does appear you have lost the 10.7 Recovery HD partition through a wrong modification of the GUID partition map using the 10.6 disk Disk Utility as it has no idea what that Recovery HD partition is.

The only way it's going to return is via the Internet Recovery and a complete eraseure of the entire drive (all partitions) and a reinstall of 10.7 which will return it.

You will of course need to backup all data first, I suggest making Carbon Copy Cloner(s) of each bootable partitions to seperate blank external drives, they then can be reverse cloned back onto the newly created partitions of 10.7 (aka "Macintosh HD" partition) and your 10.6 partition.

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Answer 6

Nov 25, 2012 10:22 AM in response to ds store

Are you saying I also have to erase my 10.6 partition? What would happen if I just used the existing 10.7 partition, it is about 800 Gb and the 10.6 is about 2 Gb. I was just getting ready to start this procedure when I read your post.

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Answer 7

Nov 25, 2012 11:03 AM in response to Purty Pitcher

I went ahead and reformatted the entire drive with a single partition and am now downloading a new copy of Lion. The internet recovery procedure did work to give me access to Disk Utilities and the Lion reinstall options. Hopefully this will get me back to a factory machine, with that Recovery partition. All my data is on my old computer, ready to transfer over again when this new Lion install is completed. The recovery partition concept definitely threw me for a loop, thanks for your help, ds.

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Answer 8

ds store

Level 7

30,705 points

Nov 25, 2012 2:16 PM in response to Purty Pitcher

Your welcome, don't use the 10.6 disk for Disk Utility unless you plan to wipe the entire drive and return the machine to 10.6.

FYI, the GUID partition map (or table) is at the begining of the drive which tells the hardware what partitions and formats on the drive.

Hopefully this will get me back to a factory machine, with that Recovery partition.

Yes it should as it's designed for installing onto a blank drive, which yours is now basically and all installs of 10.7/10.8 now place the Recovery HD partition on the drives if it doesn't see one there already.

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