Blank new hard drive can't install OS

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Level 1

3 points

Blank new hard drive can't install OS

I replaced a hard drive in my 2010 Mac mini. The hard drive was formatted as a boot drive before I installed it. The drive had no operating system or files on it, I just used a formatting that allows it to be a bootable drive. I thought I would be able to boot from the installation DVD and install everything fresh without doing any pre-loading of existing software from my original set up. That was half of the point when installing a new drive, to have a fresh system in addition to going from a 7200rpm hard drive to a SSD.

When I turn on the computer I get a folder with a question mark. The install CD that came with the Mac mini is rejected no matter what I try. I cannot insert it before starting the computer and I cannot insert it once it is starting or has started without the disc being spit back out. The only keyboard shortcut that does anything is Option which produces the Airport icon and a drop down menu of signals in the area.

The disc is for OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard. It is the original computer-specific installation disc that came with this Mac mini.

I could put the original hard drive back in, write off the day as typical unexpected computer horse manure and try not to kill myself.

I am hoping there is a remedy that advances this situation forward towards a solution.

Any ideas?

Mac mini (Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.8), 2.4ghz 8GB RAM SSD Hard drive

Posted on Aug 9, 2014 10:34 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Aug 9, 2014 10:40 PM in response to ms_triple

The only remedy is to get a working optical drive so you can install OS X. The one in the computer has apparently gone south.

Clean Install of Snow Leopard

1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc or the Disc 1 that came

with your computer. Insert the disc into the optical drive and restart the computer.

After the chime press and hold down the "C" key. Release the key when you see

a small spinning gear appear below the dark gray Apple logo.

2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue

button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.

After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive

size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of

partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, click on Options button

and select GUID, click on OK, then set the format type to MacOS Extended

(Journaled, if supported), then click on the Apply button.

3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed

with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.

4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup

Assistant. Be sure you configure your initial admin account with the exact same

username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup

Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh

install of OS X. You can now begin the update process by opening Software

Update and installing all recommended updates to bring your installation current.

Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

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Answer 2

ms_triple Author

Level 1

3 points

Aug 9, 2014 11:02 PM in response to Kappy

If I get an external Super Drive will the system know to use that instead of going for the bad internal DVD drive to boot up from the installation DVD?

If you are absolutely certain the DVD drive is bad and this could not be anything else I am going to go back to the original drive reversing everything to double-check it. It worked before but it did not like certain discs. The installation discs had always worked when I used them.

If it turns out that the DVD drive is okay can I install an operating system onto a blank hard drive connected simply as an external drive?

Is there some sort of preparation I can do from a fully working system so I am not completely dependent on doing it from scratch with the blank drive and DVD player?

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Answer 3

ms_triple Author

Level 1

3 points

Aug 9, 2014 11:48 PM in response to Kappy

I found out that I can install an operating system onto an external drive.

OS X: Installing OS X on an external volume

So I guess I'll go back to the original drive setup and also test the DVD drive then see if I can prepare the new drive from the existing system.

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Answer 4

ms_triple Author

Level 1

3 points

Aug 10, 2014 3:44 AM in response to Kappy

So I restored everything to the original setup.

The DVD player is reading but the mechanism is acting up. I had installed some software supplied on a disc last week without any trouble. I think the seemingly homemade DVD with utility software provided by the place where I purchased the SSD may have damaged the internal Superdrive. It worked okay until I inserted the disk for one program Friday night. It could not read the disk and I could tell it didn't like the thick label they stuck on the disc.

The inability to accept a disc this evening got to the point where I could not insert a disc after spitting out the installer disc about 5 times. It no longer vacuumed it in. I tried everything I could search for then I read where one guy suggested gently tapping the disc in with your fingers just past the block point until it vacuums it in. That worked but I have to be ready to grab the disc when ejecting it because it only protrudes about a 3rd of an inch which is within the suck-in range. So if I don't help it out the Superdrive vacuumed it back in. But it is at least reading readable discs.

I can now try building the SSD drive installation from my restored working setup. If that is successful I'll swap the drives out again and have the new drive already loaded with the OS and some software.

NOTE: I have to use "vacuumed" because s u c k e d is being censored.

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Answer 5

Oct 2, 2014 12:15 AM in response to Kappy

Hi Kappy,

After the grey apple screen comes up how long should it take for the disk to load? The disk seems to have stopped spinning altogether after about 20 seconds and then... nothing... ??

I'd be very very grateful for any advice you can give!

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Answer 6

Eric Root

Level 10

684,027 points

Oct 2, 2014 8:49 AM in response to Mum Barnett

Startup - Gray, Blue or White screen at boot, w/spinner/progress bar

Startup - Gray Screen

Startup Issues - Resolve

Startup Issues - Resolve (2)

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Answer 7

Oct 4, 2014 12:06 AM in response to Eric Root

Thanks Eric,

My main problem is I am already trying to reboot from the startup disk, and it lets me click on the Mac OS disk but then goes to the grey apple and stays there. I’ve put in a new SSD and I know I need to partition the drive before it will recognise it but I can’t seem to get in to use the disk utility. I tried an internet recovery first as the disk I am using is not the original with macbook, but i get stuck when partitioning as it seems to stall on a ‘mounting disk’ step and stays there.

Your start up tips and steps are very thorough so I’m filing them away for future reference just in case!!

Thanks, Dee

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Answer 8

pcolombi

Level 1

4 points

Jan 10, 2017 10:12 AM in response to Kappy

Unbelievable thanks

Philippe

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