Q: MacBook Pro OS X install

OS X (Lion/Mountain Lion)- About OS X Recovery

Using Lion Recovery when no DHCP service is available

Computers that can be upgraded to use OS X Internet Recovery

To reinstall Snow Leopard requires the Snow Leopard DVD:

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.

Are you using the disc that came with your computer?

Use the system disc that came with your computer.

See Cures for an uncooperative CD/DVD drive. Be sure your disc is thoroughly clean.

Unless it's a 17" you need the original discs. The 13" and 15" shipped with 10.6.3 at a later build than the retail DVD, so the retail version can't boot.

Call Apple customer services with your MBP's serial no. and order replacements for the original discs.

edit;

Correction - my other reference says the 17" also shipped as 10.6.3.

Message was edited by: noondaywitch

I believe that may be possible, but I don't seem to have saved the reference I saw on another thread.

Time for someone else to chip in who's done it, I think.

Incidentally, the replacement discs should cost about $16 each plus taxes (not sure if that includes postage)

Skagump wrote:

 

Is there any way to make a bootable usb that would work?

If there is a way, you will find the tutorial video on YouTube and on the iFixit website.  Also do do web search using Google and Bing.  However, the easiest way is to order a replacement system disc.