Mac Pro 2008 won't boot from install disc - black screen

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Mac Pro 2008 won't boot from install disc - black screen

Hello,

I recently purchased a new hard drive to replace the original that came with my Mac Pro 2008. I was able to format the new drive using Disk Utility. I am now at the point where I need to install OS X onto the new drive, but the computer refuses to boot from the disc. The disc is recognized by the computer (I can access the disc and am able to use the BootCamp applications, etc.) but I just get a black screen when trying to boot directly from the disc. The computer boots fine otherwise.

I have tried the following:

I have tried using both the gray install disc that came with the computer and the Snow Leopard Install DVD disc.

I have tried booting using the "C" key and the "option" key but still receive a black screen following the chime (I've held these down for several minutes).

I have tried restarting from either install disc using the Bootcamp Assistant.

I have tried running the installation software to get it to restart from the disc.

I have tried a combination of the drives, i.e. trying to boot from the discs with just the new drive installed, just the original drive installed, and with both in bay1 and 2.

Everything results in the computer starting up, hearing the chime, and then nothing..just black screen. I have the original drive partitioned with BootCamp with OSX Snow Leopard and Windows 7 installed (I don't know that that matters).

I am at a loss as to what to try next. It doesn't seem like the superdrive because it is recognizing the disc, it just won't boot from it. 😟

Any help is appreciated, thank you.

MacPro, Recently installed Snow Leopard from 10.5

Posted on Apr 20, 2013 1:20 PM

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Answer 1

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Apr 20, 2013 1:39 PM in response to EmAliasX

What graphic card? did you replace the one it came with?

How about picking up a copy of 10.6.3 DVD does not support the 5770, only works with 10.6.5 or later.

Did you or can you still boot from the old drive and clone your system to the new drive for now?

Can you still boot Windows 7? it tends to only like the drive bay it was in, whether than be "0" or one of the others. There are tools like CampTuneX, to clone Windows to another drive but it really is ideal to have Windows on its own drive.

Why do you want to do a clean install? or maybe it is time to consider Mountain Lion now instead?

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Answer 2

EmAliasX Author

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Apr 20, 2013 2:11 PM in response to The hatter

1) AMD Radeon HD 6800 series

2) the wording of this question confused me..but I think you are asking which version of the Snow Leopard dvd I have? It is the 10.6.3 v.

3) I can still boot from the old drive (on it now) with no problems. I am afraid I do not know how to clone my system to the new drive. Perfectly willing to try though..something I'll look up.

4) I am currently in Windows 7 (I have the computer set to boot into Windows instead of Mac OS X as it is what I use primarily, at the moment). The drive is in bay 0 (I meant to say 0 instead of 1 in my original post 🙂 ). The new drive is currently in bay 1.

--I was unaware that I could install Windows on it's own drive. Wouldn't that mean that I have to retain the old drive though? In which case, I would want to have Mac OS X only on that drive, requiring me to remove the Windows partition? Do I still need to boot from the dvd to do this?

5) I want to replace my old drive with the new, so wouldn't I have to do a clean install on the new drive since I won't have the old one installed..? Shouldn't the computer boot from the dvd regardless of the OS?

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Answer 3

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Apr 20, 2013 2:28 PM in response to EmAliasX

Clone should be a must and easy to do and learn (learn by doing! 2)

6800 would 'qualify' as 5x70 series flashed etc and same rule: 10.6.5

In the past there was 10.4.6, 10.5.6, but not 10.6.6 - even though strong need for such a DVD.

10.6.8 DVD would be excellent

Lion or ML - buy, download, make an installer flash card would be what I would do at this point.

Then keep both - dual boot as you learn and test and see what ML does and waht you had that required Rosetta to support PowerPC. See www.roaringapps.com about that.

With Carbon Coyp Cloner - was share, now commercial, great utility been around since 10.2.2 at least - this time 2003. 10 yrs.

You can clone the system folders, you can even selectively choose. You can skip copy of most of your home account and do that separately to another drive if you want.

Clone Windows with Paragon or WinClone and use Windows 7 or 8 DVD to do a system repair (automatic) or to edit the BCD file. It can and should - and all you do is boot Windows 7 DVD w/ only the one drive present and go at it. Piece of cake. But yes, Windows gets fussy if you change or remove or move. BCD to the rescue. A proper program for cloning like Paragon's "Clone OS" meant for going from disk drives to SSDs, knows that and how to do it.

Back to how to clone etc:

Clone

Disk utility has RESTORE which will also clone your system but not the Lion Recovery partition. Oddly Apple did not 'endorse' making bootable clone of the system which works too but most choose Carbon Copy Cloner - it works more consistently; it allows for smart update of the backup volume. Both can backup to a sparse disk image if desired.

Using Cloning as a Backup Strategy

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner

http://www.bombich.com/software/updates/ccc-3.5.html

OS X Lion Install to Different Drive

How to create an OS X Lion installation disc MacFixIt

Migration Assistant Update for Mac OS X Snow Leopard

http://www.apple.com/support/lion/installrecovery/

Create an OS X Lion Install disc

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20080989-263/how-to-create-an-os-x-lion-ins tallation-disc

How to clone your system:

http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone-backup.html

http://macperformanceguide.com/Mac-HowToClone.html

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/7032/carbon-copy-cloner

http://www.macperformanceguide.com/blog/2012/20120711_2-MacPro-internal-clone-ba ckup.html

The DVD is dependent on your hardware. And your hardware changed. The drivers for the 5780 and 6xxx are bundled in the OS and lacking. Minimum build thing.

Put the new drive anywhere you want. Does not matter. Can move it later. Can be drive bay 0-3 or a Firewire external or under the DVD drive.

When you clone pull the old drive and boot from the newly cloned.

After that keep a backup clone around all the time. Takes less than 10 minutes to do a smart update to copy just the changes to keep it current. So you have working copy of the system. I keep Clone "A" that I keep "as was" the system as of last month or whatever (like 10.7.4 before upgrade to 7.5).

Comes easier after doing it once and have all your ducks in a row.

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Answer 4

EmAliasX Author

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Apr 20, 2013 3:07 PM in response to The hatter

Just so I understand this right:

1) My graphics card and the 10.6.3 dvd are not compatible, which is what is not allowing me to boot from the disc?

2) My current drive is partitioned roughly 80/20 Windows/Mac OS.

------- If I go through the process of downloading and installing the newest Mac OS, can I just replace the current paritions and just install Windows on the new drive, keeping the two seperate? Would I need to install the Apple drivers on the Windows drive, or would it pull those from the Mac drive? Rather than going through the whole process of installing Mac OS, intalling BootCamp, installing Windows, and cloning both to the new drive using two programs? Seems like it would be faster to just install Mac on one and Windows on the other..?

My tech knowledge only goes so far..so excuse my ignorance. Some of what you replied with went over my head. 😕

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Answer 5

The hatter

Level 9

60,990 points

Apr 20, 2013 3:27 PM in response to EmAliasX

One thing at a time.

1) yes. your 6xxx won't (it will boot an OEM DVD to the Apple Hardware Test that is not an OS and is basic VGA w/o any drivers.

2) I never said to clone the whole hard drive etc. Just clone Windows to its own hdd. Or do a clean install of Windows (which might be the wisest esp. if it has been 3 yrs).

3) don't boot and run Windows natively (Boot Camp) unless you MUST and need to. A lot of users find that they can use their Windows partition instead in Parallels for Mac as a guest OS (VM) running under (side by side ish) and not have to dual boot at all.

Only games, 3D need to. So you might want to check out Parallels ~$60 and their support and reviews.

http://www.macintouch.com might have some feedback from users, reports, issues, about it and VMs in general.

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Answer 6

EmAliasX Author

Level 1

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Apr 20, 2013 3:47 PM in response to The hatter

OK, this is making more sense to me now (misread the bit about cloning, thinking I had to do both!)..thank you! 🙂

Based on your most current answer, it sounds like it may be better to just do a clean install of Windows, as it has been some time since the original install (in my ignorance, I didn't realize I could seperate the two on each drive).

I use Windows for gaming, so I boot natively for that purpose.

So I guess I'm going to update to ML, turn the old drive into my mac drive and do a clean install of Windows on the new drive.

Thank you for your assistance!

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