Lion 10.8 upgrade on 2012 MacMini i7 with 10.7 Server installed. I get the following error installing 10.8 from a boot USB 'OS X can't be installed on the disk because a recovery systems cant be created. I do not want to use the merge disk command line

Linc,

Thanks for the help. I tried the worksround as suggested in the article, first created a USB boot drive (64GB USB stsick) then installing OSX 10.8 onto the the USB drive, I then booted into the fresg 10.8 on the drive, downloaded 10.8 from the app store again, then installed it again, this time on my normal boot drive. It appears to be installing then I get the same can not create recovery drive error? Not sure what else to try? Any suggestions are appreicated.

Linc,

One more thing to add my normal 10,7 bot drive, has two 500GB drives installed, one for the boot OS and the other for timemachine. I have not turned timemachine off, but wouldn't expect this to be a probelm

Last login: Thu Aug 8 11:50:53 on ttys000

Rakeshs-Mac-mini:~ raks$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Time Machine 499.8 GB disk0s2

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk1

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_HFS My Stuff 499.2 GB disk1s2

3: Apple_Boot Boot OS X 650.0 MB disk1s3

/dev/disk2

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *4.0 TB disk2

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk2s1

2: Apple_HFS My Book Studio 4.0 TB disk2s2

/dev/disk3

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *62.9 GB disk3

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk3s1

2: Apple_HFS USB 62.0 GB disk3s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk3s3

Rakeshs-Mac-mini:~ raks$ ›

My disk set up

One more thing to add. I have also now tried to re-install 10.7 via Internet recovery mode. This start to install but the gives the same error? So i can't even re-install 10.7, which I thought might help refresh the recovery partition, let alone 10.8? Frustrating. Help!

Linc,

Yes I selected 1 partition as per the directions, GUID, Max OS Journeled (Extended).

Linc,

Perhaps I did not explain myself very well. The newly partition USB drive, takes 10.8 fine. Installs perfectly. The problem is when I re-install from the USB drive booted 10.8 OS, and target my normal SSD drive on my Mac Mini, it runs through the install process get to about 30% and then same recovery drive error occurs. The same is true when I boot into recovery via the internet and re-install 10.7, around 30% install the error occurs. I have booked an appointment at the Genius bar for Saturday, but hoping I can solve the probelm before then. Any other suggestions are very apprciated.

Linc, took it to the Genius Bar and they also could not figure it out. All components checked out fine on their initial diagnostics. Booked it in for investigation. Came back with a faulty logic board. Getting it repaired today so hopefully this resolves the upgrade issue when I get it back.