Need way to install 10.6, Snow Leopard, on old Macbook Pro, Core 2 (not duo).
Internal optical drive is dead.
Machine does not support SuperDrive (confirmed this).
Have 10.6 DVD, but no way to read it.
Doesn't seem to be available as download, for sure not from Apple.
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
Jim,
you must have an Early 2006 MacBook Pro, since that was the only one that came with a Core 2 CPU. How were you able to confirm that your MacBook Pro does not support a SuperDrive? Wikipedia notes that a SuperDrive was an option on the 15-inch Early 2006 model, and came standard on the 17-inch Early 2006 model. The SuperDrives that were fitted on the Early 2006 models were different from the ones on later models, though. iFixit had sold them at one time, but currently has none available; they currently sell a different OEM SuperDrive model that is noted as being compatible with the Early 2006 MacBook Pros. Another possibility for finding a compatible SuperDrive for your MacBook Pro would be to look on online auction sites.
I'm pretty sure you can use any external DVD drive with a USB connection. Best Buy has them for around $30.
BobRz,
Right, BestBuy has them for $30 - $35. Call me cheap. My lingering concern is that if my MBP won't swallow an Apple Superdrive, would it work with ANY external DVD drive? Good question. Thanks for suggestion.
The external Superdrives are meant for machines that don't have an internal, so they don't work with regular MBP's. A Best Buy drive should work fine. And hey... return it if you need to when you're done. At least you'll have an install. The only other way to do it is if you have access to another Mac you could create a bootable thumb drive and install from it.
You can also create one from Windows, but I'd shy away from that unless absolutely necessary.
Melophage,
Yes, early 2006, 15", and I found (somewhere) on Apple support a page that listed what machines support the Superdrive. It said the core 2 machine does not. To confirm, I plugged in a Superdrive to the MBP. It would not accept a CD or DVD.
It has an internal optical drive, Superdrive as far as I know, but it is kaput - just spits out anything I put in it.
I would think about getting new laptop before putting out the $75 for a replacement internal optical from ifixit. I envy my friends who have newer, much quicker, MBP's and Airs.
I tried a suggestion from maciverse (?) of putting the install DVD in another machine, an iMac, on my network and doing the install from there. Looked hopeful, but when got down to it, and I tried to launch the installer, it read the DVD for a bit, then just quit. The "Welcome" splash never appeared. Yes, had CD/DVD sharing on. Even turned off WPA2 network security (temporarily) to see if that was problem ... no deal.
Now trying another suggestion from Maciverse of creating a bootable flash drive with the install dvd "restored" to the flash drive. Then using the flash drive similar as I would the install dvd ... just have to select it at startup (via 'opt' key) as the boot drive. So far, so good. At least the installer is running. I must have picked a slow flash drive out of my stash, because it is taking a long time, but not impossibly.
See http://www.maciverse.com/install-os-x-snow-leopard-from-usb-flash-drive.html
Thanks for your interest.
Jim,
by default, the Apple USB SuperDrive does not work on Macs that came with internal SuperDrives, whether those internal SuperDrives are functional or not. You can try this method to see if it will allow it work on your MacBook Pro:
Log in as an administrative user. In Finder, press Command-Shift-U to open the Utilities folder. Run Terminal.app in that folder. In the Terminal window, enter the following command, pressing the Return key afterwards:
sudo nvram boot-args="mbasd=1"
It will ask for a password; give it your administrative user’s password. The password will not display as you enter it. Afterwards, close the Terminal window, reboot, and test your USB SuperDrive to see if it now works.
Thumb drive solution worked. 10.6.3 is up and running. Took 50+ minutes to install from flash drive. Getting updates to get to 10.6.8.
Another fun evening.
Will reset nvram. If that enables internal optical drive, I'll just go shoot myself.
Also will try it on my daughters Mac mini which has a "dead" optical drive.
Jim,
that nvram command is only for enabling the use of an external USB SuperDrive — it has no effect on enabling internal SATA SuperDrives.
The nvram comand did it!
The USB SuperDrive is working (at least played an audio CD).
Well done.
Thanks for giving me the useful information. I think I need it. Thank you
Install Snow Leopard, Dead Optical Drive, Macbook Pro Core 2
