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I just installed a new 500GB hard drive in my 2008 late model unibody MacBook (not pro). I inserted the original OSX install disk (snow leopard, I think), but the disk isn't recognized. The screens white, with a blinking gray folder icon with a question mark on it. And now I can't get it to eject the disk either. Help! What do I do?
MacBook
I would try restarting the MacBook while pressing the option key, to bring up Startup Manager and show the boot options. In your case this should show the installer disk.
As Snow Leopard wasn't released until August 28, 2009, you must use the white Snow Leopard retail disc with the image of a Snow Leopard as shown on this tip, and it does not say Upgrade, Dropin, or OEM, or a Mac model on if you are going to use it on the MacBook. Note: That installer disc only contains iTunes and no other components of iLife. For iLife, you must find the original 10.5 installer disc that came with the machine, or a retail physical copy of iLife, or update the machine to 10.6.6 and buy iLife from the App Store. iLife from the App Store does not contain iDVD.
The installer once booted will give you Utilities you can use from the installer menus, includingDisk Utility to format and partition (see bottom of tip to determine which Disk Utility instructions pertain to you) the hard drive HFS+ GUID (this erases the drive). If you need Boot Camp, request help from this forum.
Upgrading to 10.7 or later, be aware Rosetta no longer exists, andwhat that means.
Restart and hold down the option key. This should show you your list of bootable options. You should see the disc if is readable. If it doesn't show the disc and you sure it is in. Restart again and hold down the click on the trackpad and it should eject the disc. Then reinsert it and restart and try the first step. If you see the disc when turned on the options screen choose the disc and go through the installer. Remember it is a new HDD so it will have to be formatted but the installer should run you through that step.
Installed new hard drive, can't install OSX - help!
