Q: No partition possible for reinstallation of El Capitan

Thanks for the reply.

It is an apple keyboard (I have two, both USB and wireless which both react the same way). They work for a few touches after restarting and then become unusable, opening other files like shortcuts if you see what I mean. I've been using the on screen keyboard to avoid problems.

Neither Alt, command + R or command + opt + R work when restarting to boot.

No I have not tried SMC and NVRAM Reset, what is that ?

No Time machine back-up I'm afraid. The optical drive is very selective (never use it much so I only noticed recently), it ejects OSX installation and win dvd's, so I tried the Paragon NTFS dvd which works fine.

Keyboard problems the same on OS and windows, apple keyboard.

I've done the SMC reset, thank you.

Tried the NVRAM twice, but nothing happened.

I can play audio CD's and DVD's, no problem.

I have recovered all my files on an external disk already. I'll do it again on TM for OS backup also.

Thanks

I need to leave for a business trip, back in a few days.

I'll bump the thread and hopefully I can find a solution before buying a new computer.

Thanks once again for the helpful advice.

Hello,

Back in my office and available for any further help you can offer.

Any further progress would be much appreciated, thank you.

The results from an old cd :

Last login: Fri Sep  2 15:34:17 on console

pc54:~ stuarthallett$ drutil list

   Vendor   Product           Rev   Bus       SupportLevel

1  OPTIARC  DVD RW AD-5680H   3AHB  ATAPI     Apple Shipping

pc54:~ stuarthallett$ drutil getconfig

Vendor   Product           Rev

OPTIARC  DVD RW AD-5680H   3AHB

Media: DRDeviceMediaTypeCDR

GetConfiguration returned 172 bytes.

  00000000  00 00 00 AC 00 00 00 09  00 00 03 30 00 2B 00 00  |...........0.+..|

  00000010  00 1B 00 00 00 1A 00 00  00 16 00 00 00 15 00 00  |................|

  00000020  00 14 00 00 00 13 00 00  00 11 00 00 00 10 00 00  |................|

  00000030  00 0A 00 00 00 09 01 00  00 08 01 00 00 01 0B 08  |................|

  00000040  00 00 00 07 01 00 00 00  00 02 07 04 02 00 00 00  |................|

  00000050  00 03 07 04 09 00 00 00  00 10 01 08 00 00 08 00  |................|

  00000060  00 01 01 00 00 1D 01 00  00 1E 09 04 03 00 00 00  |................|

  00000070  00 21 0D 08 3F 09 05 01  07 00 00 00 00 2D 09 04  |.!..?........-..|

  00000080  57 00 3F 09 00 2E 05 04  7F 00 0B F0 01 00 03 00  |W.?.............|

  00000090  01 05 07 04 00 00 00 00  01 07 15 04 3E 00 00 00  |............>...|

  000000A0  01 08 03 0C 45 32 32 39  39 53 4B 56              |....E2299SKV    |

Current Profile: 9

Feature 0000h: Profile List

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 00 03 30 00 2B 00 00 00 1B 00 00 00 1A 00 00

        10>  00 16 00 00 00 15 00 00 00 14 00 00 00 13 00 00

        20>  00 11 00 00 00 10 00 00 00 0A 00 00 00 09 01 00

        30>  00 08 01 00

    Feature descriptor version: 0

    Feature descriptor length: 48

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

  Profile List:

        002Bh    DVD+R Double Layer    DVD+R Double Layer                                 

        001Bh    DVD+R                 DVD Recordable                                     

        001Ah    DVD+RW                DVD ReWritable                                     

        0016h    DVD-R DL Layer Jump   DVD-R Dual Layer Layer Jump Recording              

        0015h    DVD-R DL Sequential   DVD-R Dual Layer Sequential Recording              

        0014h    DVD-RW Sequential     Re-recordable DVD using Sequential recording       

        0013h    DVD-RW Restricted     Re-Recordable DVD using Restricted Overwrite       

        0011h    DVD-R Sequential      Write once DVD using Sequential recording          

        0010h    DVD-ROM               Read only DVD                                      

        000Ah    CD-RW                 ReWritable CD capable                              

        0009h    CD-R                  Write once CD capable                               current

        0008h    CD-ROM                Read only CD capable                                current

Feature 0001h: Core Feature Descriptor

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 01 0B 08 00 00 00 07 01 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 2

    Feature descriptor length: 8

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    Validation of EVPD, Page Code, and the 16-bit Allocation length fields as described in [SPC-3] are not supported

  Device Busy Event is supported

    Physical Interface Standard:

        00000007h    Serial ATAPI

  Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        INQUIRY

        GET CONFIGURATION

        GET EVENT/STATUS NOTIFICATION

        MODE SELECT

        MODE SENSE

        REQUEST SENSE

        TEST UNIT READY

Feature 0002h: Morphing

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 02 07 04 02 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 1

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    Operational Change Request/Notification Class Events of GET EVENT/STATUS NOTIFICATION are supported

    Logical unit supports only polling of GET EVENT/STATUS NOTIFICATION (Immed bit set to one).

    Logical unit shall support the following commands:

        GET CONFIGURATION

        GET EVENT/STATUS NOTIFICATION

        PREVENT/ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL

        SEND EVENT (partial class 3 support)

Feature 0003h: Removable Medium (Logical Unit contains removable media)

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 03 07 04 09 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 1

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    Loading Mechanism: Caddy/Slot type loading mechanism

    Eject bit is set (unit can eject media)

    Prevent Jumper bit is clear (media can be inserted)

    DBML bit is clear

    Lock bit is set (media can be locked in unit)

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        MECHANISM STATUS

        PREVENT/ALLOW MEDIUM REMOVAL

        SEND EVENT (class 4 fully support)

        START/STOP UNIT

Feature 0010h: Random Readable

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 10 01 08 00 00 08 00 00 01 01 00

    Feature descriptor version: 0

    Feature descriptor length: 8

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Logical Block Size: 2048

    Blocking Size: 1

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        READ CAPACITY

        READ(10)

        Read/Write Error Recovery Parameters Mode Page (01h)

Feature 001Dh: MultiRead

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 1D 01 00

    Feature descriptor version: 0

    Feature descriptor length: 0

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        READ(10)

        READ CD

        READ DISC INFORMATION

        READ TRACK/RZONE INFORMATION

Feature 001Eh: CD Read

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 1E 09 04 03 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 2

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Logical unit will return C2 error data

    Logical unit will return CD-Text info in READ TOC (format field 05h) command

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        READ CD

        READ CD MSF

        READ TOC/PMA/ATIP (format fields 00h, 01h, 02h, and 05h

Feature 0021h: Incremental Streaming Writable

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 21 0D 08 3F 09 05 01 07 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 3

    Feature descriptor length: 8

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Data Block Type  0: supported

    Data Block Type  1: not supported

    Data Block Type  2: not supported

    Data Block Type  3: supported

    Data Block Type  4: not supported

    Data Block Type  5: not supported

    Data Block Type  6: not supported

    Data Block Type  7: not supported

    Data Block Type  8: supported

    Data Block Type  9: supported

    Data Block Type 10: supported

    Data Block Type 11: supported

    Data Block Type 12: supported

    Data Block Type 13: supported

    Data Block Type 14: not supported

    Data Block Type 15: not supported

    Buffer Under-run Free recording is supported for current media

    Track Resources Information of the READ DISC INFO command is supported

    Address Mode reservation of the RESERVE TRACK command is not supported

    Number of Link Sizes: 1

    Link Sizes: 87

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        BLANK

        CLOSE TRACK/SESSION

        READ DISC INFORMATION

        READ TRACK INFORMATION

        RESERVE TRACK

        SEND OPC INFORMATION

        SYNCHRONIZE CACHE

        WRITE(10)

        Write Parameters Mode Page (05h)

Feature 002Dh: CD Track at Once

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 2D 09 04 57 00 3F 09

    Feature descriptor version: 2

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Buffer Underrun Free recording is supported

    R-W Raw subcode writing is supported

    R-W Pack subcode writing is not supported

    Test Writing writing is supported

    CD-RW overwriting is supported

    R-W subcode writing is supported

    Data Block Type  0: supported

    Data Block Type  1: not supported

    Data Block Type  2: not supported

    Data Block Type  3: supported

    Data Block Type  4: not supported

    Data Block Type  5: not supported

    Data Block Type  6: not supported

    Data Block Type  7: not supported

    Data Block Type  8: supported

    Data Block Type  9: supported

    Data Block Type 10: supported

    Data Block Type 11: supported

    Data Block Type 12: supported

    Data Block Type 13: supported

    Data Block Type 14: not supported

    Data Block Type 15: not supported

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        BLANK (000b, 001, and 100b if CD-RW flag is set)

        CLOSE TRACK SESSION

        READ DISC INFORMATION

        READ TRACK INFORMATION

        RESERVE TRACK

        SEND OPC INFORMATION (if OPC inf is returned via READ DISC INFO)

        SYNCHRONIZE CACHE

        WRITE(10)

        Write Parameters Mode Page (05h)

Feature 002Eh: CD Mastering

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  00 2E 05 04 7F 00 0B F0

    Feature descriptor version: 1

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Buffer Underrun Free recording is supported

    Session at Once (SAO) recording is supported

    Raw Multisession recording is supported

    Raw recording is supported

    Test Write recording is supported

    CD-RW overwrite recording is supported

    R-W subchannel recording is supported

    Maximum Cue Sheet Length: 3056

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        READ DISC INFORMATION

        READ TRACK INFORMATION

        SEND CUE SHEET (if SAO bit is set)

  SEND OPC INFORMATOIN

        SYNCHRONIZE CACHE

        WRITE(10)

        Write Parameters Mode Page (SAO & RAW write type - data block type 2 and 3 when R-W bit is set - page 05h)

Feature 0100h: Power Management

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  01 00 03 00

    Feature descriptor version: 0

    Feature descriptor length: 0

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        GET EVENT/STATUS NOTIFICATION (Power Management class)

        START STOP UNIT (power condition field)

        Power Condition Mode Page (1Ah)

Feature 0105h: Time-out

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  01 05 07 04 00 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 1

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    G3Enable bit and the Group3 Timeout field are not supported

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        Timeout and Protect mode page

Feature 0107h: Real-Time Streaming

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  01 07 15 04 3E 00 00 00

    Feature descriptor version: 5

    Feature descriptor length: 4

    Feature is not persistent

    Feature is current

    Logical Unit does support SET STREAMING HIE bit

    Logical Unit shall support the following commands:

        SET STREAMING (WRC field)

        READ BUFFER CAPACITY (Block bit)

        READ(12)

        SET CD SPEED

        SET READ AHEAD

        CD/DVD Cap & Mech Status Mode Page (2Ah) - Write Speed Perf Descriptor Blocks

Feature 0108h: Logical Unit Serial Number

    Raw Feature Descriptor:

        00>  01 08 03 0C 45 32 32 39 39 53 4B 56 42 65 78 62

    Feature descriptor version: 0

    Feature descriptor length: 12

    Feature is persistent

    Feature is current

    Serial Number: E2299SKVBexb

Device Config complete.

pc54:~ stuarthallett$

i have all the commercial dvd's bought with the iMac in 2009:

os x install 10.6.1

applications install

windows 7

parangon ntfs mac os x7 (this is the only disk that is not ejected among these 4)

What do you mean by media/brand

my mac refuses to boot.

i suppose the boot menu is visible after booting, which i can't do despite many attemptes.

I looked at system report (please understand my mac is in french, and all of this already sounds like chinese to me). Here is the hardware details, i think :