Cannot Install OSX On MacBook

Question

Cannot Install OSX On MacBook

MacBook: 7,1

part number: FC516LL/A (A1342)

purchased as a refurb from Apple: September 2010

HDD (hard disk drive, original): Hitachi 5400 RPM 250 GB (mfg April 2010)

SDD (solid state drive, new): Crucial MX200 250 GB

operating system: OS X 10.6.8

I am upgrading a friend's MacBook.

The battery was swollen, so I replaced it with a SKstyle Laptop Battery , which appears to be working OK. Bonus: it came with the necessary screw-drivers to remove the old battery : Philips #00 and Tri-Wing Y1 (which sounds like a Star Wars space ship).

I also want to replace the original HDD with a SSD. I was able to connect the SSD via USB and image the HDD to the SSD.

However, when I try to

(1) boot to the SSD with the SSD attached as an external USB drive , the MacBook will see it as a startup drive -- i.e., START --> OPTION shows the SSD -- but then gives the following message:

"You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for several seconds or press the Restart button."

This happens whether I do nothing at startup, or press OPTION and select the SSD as the startup disk.

(2) boot to the SSD using the internal SATA connector, I get the blinking folder-with-the-quesiton-mark icon

(3) boot to the SSD using the internal SATA connector by pressing the OPTION key at startup, nothing happens. There is never any option to choose a startup disk.

This wouldn't be a problem if I could re-install OS X to the SSD using the Mac OS X Snow Leopard install DVD. However, starting from the install DVD also results in "You need to restart your computer. Hold down the power button for several seconds or press the Restart button".

The original HDD boots OK, whether attached as an internal SATA drive or an external USB drive. However, I do get the "Your computer's clock is set to a date before Jan 1, 2008" message. But it was doing that before I started tinkering with anything.

So my questions are

- Why doesn't this boot to the solid state drive, and

- Why does booting to the install DVD result in the kernel panic message?

Thanks.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8), null

Posted on Mar 4, 2016 2:45 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Kappy

Level 10

361,765 points

Mar 5, 2016 7:24 AM in response to Robert Racansky

Put the SSD into the external enclosure. Boot the computer from the original HDD installed in the computer. Do this:

Drive Partition and Format

1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

2. After Disk Utility loads select the external hard drive (this is the out-dented entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Click on the Partition tab in the Disk Utility main window.

3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Apply button and wait until the process has completed.

4. Select the volume you just created (this is the sub-entry under the drive entry) from the left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the Disk Utility main window.

5. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Security button, check the button for Zero Data and click on OK to return to the Erase window.

6. Click on the Erase button. The format process can take up to several hours depending upon the drive size.

Upon completion use Disk Utility to verify that the SSD is properly partitioned and formatted. You can now clone the HDD to the SSD. I believe Snow Leopard is OK with cloning a startup drive, so do this:

Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility

1. Open Disk Utility in the Utilities folder.

2. Select the Destination volume from the left side list.

3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.

4. Select the Destination volume from the left side list and drag

it to the Destination entry field.

5. Select the Source volume from the left side list and drag it to

the Source entry field.

6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the external SSD. Source means the internal startup drive.

I would now open Startup Disk and set the SSD as the startup disk, the reboot the computer to be sure all is well. Be sure you set the date and time correctly.

As for the DVD is it the one that came with computer originally? If you still have kernel panics at startup, then there is a major hardware problem in the computer itself. You can run the Apple Hardware Test to check the hardware - Restart the computer. At the chime hold down the "D" key until the computer starts the AHT.

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Answer 2

Mar 5, 2016 7:31 AM in response to Kappy

Thanks.

I had done the "Clone using Restore Option of Disk Utility", but had forgotten about the "Startup Disk" setting in System Preferences.

(1) Doing the restore with the source HDD as internal SATA and the destination SSD as external USB resulted in the same failures of steps 2 and 3 in my original post (either the blinking ? folder, or nothing).

(2) However, doing the restore with the source HDD as external USB and the destination SSD as internal SATA worked.

I would prefer to do a clean install to the internal SSD, but at least I can boot to the internal SSD with an image of the original drive. It's better than not having it work at all. I'm running the Apple Hardware Test now . . .

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Answer 3

Mar 5, 2016 7:49 AM in response to Kappy

"As for the DVD is it the one that came with computer originally?"

No. It is a retail version of the Mac OS X Snow Leopard install DVD, MC223Z/A (number on box), 2Z691-6558-A (number on DVD). I bought this either at the Apple Store or the university book store.

My MacBook Pro (2008 Core-2 Duo) boots it just fine, so I know the disk itself is good.

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Answer 4

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Mar 6, 2016 8:56 AM in response to Robert Racansky

The version of OS X on the retail disc pre dates your Macbook. It will not work, you need the original install discs.

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Answer 5

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Mar 5, 2016 8:15 AM in response to Robert Racansky

IF your friend installed the necessary firmware update you should be able to use Internet Recovery.

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Answer 6

Mar 5, 2016 11:09 AM in response to SeaPapp

Operating System: Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.8

Boot ROM Version: MB71.0039.B09

SMB Version (system): 1.60f6

From what I understand, Internet Recovery is not an option with OS 10.6.

For grins, I tried all the variations -- COMMAND-R, OPTION-R, and COMMAND-OPTION-R -- and the MacBook does not boot into Internet Recovery mode.

So if my retail installation DVD does not work, Internet Recovery is not an option, and I don't have the original install disks, what are my options to do a clean re-install of OS 10.6?

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Answer 7

Kappy

Level 10

361,765 points

Mar 5, 2016 11:34 AM in response to Robert Racansky

You could take it to your local Apple shop where they may be able to help you out if you ask nicely. Otherwise, depending on the actual model you have and what was pre-installed when it was new, you may be able to use the retail copy of Snow Leopard:

You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store:Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.

After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store.

There are other options involving the use of another Mac with a working optical drive.

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Answer 8

SeaPapp

Level 7

26,486 points

Mar 5, 2016 2:20 PM in response to Robert Racansky

You're correct, I lost track of the installed OS being SL.

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Answer 9

Mar 6, 2016 8:56 AM in response to Kappy

Not wanting to wait for an OS X 10.6.8 DVD, I went ahead and downloaded and installed OS X 10.11 El Capitan.

So far, it appears to be working rather well. The true test will, of course, be when I give it back to my friend and he uses it for his day-to-day business.

Lessons learned:

(1) When installing a new drive and it doesn't boot up, don't forget to set it as the Startup Drive in System Preferences. I've done this enough times that I should have remembered that, but it's been so long, and unused knowledge evaporates.

(2) My copy of the OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard install DVD won't work on MacBooks made after the DVD. That I had no idea about. But now that I think about it, all of the MacBooks and MacBook Pros I've set up in the past for other people were 2007 or 2008 models, so that makes sense.

(3) OS X 10.11 appears to work well on older MacBooks, at least those with an SSD instead of an HDD. I've upgraded several MacBooks from HDD to SSD, and it is truly one of the most effective ways to increase the performance of an older (and sometimes even newer) laptop.

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Answer 10

Kappy

Level 10

361,765 points

Mar 6, 2016 11:34 AM in response to Robert Racansky

Your friend will have a problem unless you obtained El Capitan with his Apple ID and not yours. He will need to wipe the drive and download and install El Capitan using his Apple ID. So I don't think you did him the favor, yet.

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