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rlfunique Author

Level 1

2 points

Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer

Hi, I have a 13" Macbook pro that I bought with 10.6.4. I still have the original grey installation CD. I have updated past 10.6.4, but can't remember what version I was on. I recently went format the hard drive and re-install using my original CD, but I get the message "Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer". I've tried zero'ing out the drive, formatting it to extended journaled, wiping the pram/nvram, but it seems no matter what I do I keep getting this error. Please advise.

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.4)

Posted on Oct 29, 2013 8:22 PM

Top-ranking reply

rlfunique Author

Level 1

2 points

Posted on Jan 14, 2014 7:34 AM

Hi luciusfox02, the grey installation disc is bound to your computer, which means using a friends grey CD will not work. The only thing you can do is find your original installation CD, or get/buy a retail version which will NOT be a grey disc.

My issue here was I was trying to fix this computer for a friend, and she had given me her brothers installation CD instead of her own 😝

Takeaway away from this thread: You must be 100% certain you are using your own installation cd.

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35 replies

Jan 20, 2014 10:38 PM in response to rlfunique

Im planning to buy the retail version but i dont know w/c one. My macbook original OS was 10.4. what should i buy? Thanks.

Kurt Lang

Level 9

62,184 points

Mar 12, 2014 9:32 AM in response to MDTC-Teacher

No problem at all. That is easy to miss since the name of the Mac on the gray disks are printed rather small. They all look the same if you aren't looking real close.

Glad you figured it out. 🙂

Mar 12, 2014 9:54 AM in response to Kurt Lang

I must say that this problem has required me to learn a lot about how Macs are partitioned. It has made me want to learn more and more about the specifics of how Macs actually work.

Feb 28, 2016 5:48 PM in response to FrenchToast

Same problem. Except I can't get my original installation DVD, because it never existed. The one I'm using, I bought off of Amazon.

Sep 21, 2016 4:27 AM in response to Toastslayer

Thank you very much, upgrading just to 10.6 worked!

Mac OS X can't be installed on this computer