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Level 1

4 points

Install OS X on 2008 Mac Pro?

I recently acquired a beaten-up Mac Pro from 2008 and decided to make it my project PC. After a little work, I have gotten the hardware fully working, but don't have the original hard drive. Thinking I could just put a fresh one in and load the operating system, I dug through my parts. However, when I boot up the computer, I get over a minute of gray screen until it shows a blinking folder icon with a question mark. Through my research, little to my surprise, I found that this means the boot media could not be found. I also noticed that the same thing happens when I boot up the Mac with no hard drive at all. I gave also tried booting up with the various key commands (cmd+r, c, etc) and they have all resulted in the same flashing folder screen.

I believe that I have to purchase a install disk of OS X since Apple has made it impossible to create a USB boot disk without already owning another Mac. Before I go and buy a disk, I want to make sure I buy a version that my Mac will boot from, and that I'll be able to upgrade from it at no additional charge. (I think my Mac may be able to support El Captain!).

Does anyone know of either a solution to create a boot drive, install a fresh OS X, or what version of OS X I need to buy the disk for? (The model # is: A1186 EMC: 2113).

Thank you!

Posted on Apr 9, 2016 4:11 PM

Best reply

Niel

Level 10

727,229 points

Posted on Apr 9, 2016 4:51 PM

You need to buy a Snow Leopard DVD; that Mac isn’t capable of running El Capitan.

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ZanyLlama Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 15, 2016 6:35 AM in response to ZanyLlama

I think the problem that I'm having now is that the Mac seems to be rejecting the OS X Snow Leopard install disc. Is there any reason why this would happen?

I dug out an old PowerMax G5, just to see if I could get it to boot from the disc, but I had no luck- it also didn't see it as a bootable device. Mind you the PowerMac G5 isn't capable of running Snow Leopard, but it didn't recognize the disc until after it had booted into the OS (When holding option on boot it only showed the HDD as a bootable device.)

lllaass

Level 10

210,417 points

Apr 15, 2016 6:47 AM in response to ZanyLlama

On the G5 SL is not bootable and thus will not show as an boot option.

What OSX is on the G5?

Do you have a FW cable you can use to connect the two Macs?

Does the optical drive on the G5 work?

You can try inserting the SL disk in the G5, connecting the two via FW, boot the G5 in Target Disk Mode and then boot the Mac Pro with the Option key depressed.

Apr 15, 2016 7:54 AM in response to ZanyLlama

I'm not sure about the SMC reset- I've unplugged the Mac but when I plug it back in the Mac automatically turns back on.

try unplugging the Mac, HOLDING THE POWER BUTTON for ten seconds, then reconnecting AC power, then waiting a quarter minute, then restarting.

Some users who reported their Macs always powered up when AC power was first applied had lingering Power Supply problems.

Install OS X on 2008 Mac Pro?