OS X :: Snow Leopard Won't Install - Disk Cannot Use To Start Up Computer
Aug 28, 2009
this isn't an isolated issue - there are threads about this over at Apple and InsanelyMac: I'm unable to install Snow Leopard. When I run the installer, it'll tell me that "Mac OS X cannot be installed on "Macintosh HD", because this disk cannot be used to start up your computer" (Macintosh HD being my OS X volume, obviously). I'm seeing this issue on a relatively new 1.8ghz Macbook Air with a 128gb SSD - however, as far as I can tell from the other threads, the problem also affects iMacs and Macbooks.
Some people apparently attributed the issue to a PGP installation they had on their harddrive. Others found a file called backup.backupdb in their root - deleting it fixed the problem. However, most people don't have any of that installed on their computers and the upgrade still won't work. - if anyone has found a solution to the issue, please let me know :-( I'm stuck here. I don't have an external drive for the MBA and booting from a network drive has never worked on this particular machine - so I can't do a clean install, either.
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Feb 11, 2012
I am trying to upgrade from leopard to snow leopard on my MacBook Pro. However, every time I insert the install disk, the machine whirs for a moment, and then ejects the disk with no error message. I tested my drive with a different dvd and it works just fine. All of my other software is up to date.
Info:
MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2009), Mac OS X (10.5.8)
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Mar 31, 2012
I have a Snow Leopard Install Disk for the 13-inch Macbook Pro model.I also have a 21-inch iMac. I have OS X Lion installed on both. I have Snow Leopard installed as a partition on my Macbook Pro, which I installed via the install disk. I want to do the same thing for my iMac but I am unable due to (seemingly) my install disk is for a Macbook Pro and not for an iMac.
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.3)
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May 15, 2012
How do I launch disk utility from the Snow Leo install disk?
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Feb 7, 2012
In the last few days, when I hit a key to start up the computer, all I will get is a blank screen with the small, multi-colored, rotating disk icon. I can't get out of this unless I hold the power key down for about 5 seconds, which I know is probably not the right way to shut down.
Info:
Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)
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Jul 1, 2009
Whenever I boot up the SL install disk (either plugged in via USB drive or remote disc from my iMac), I select English as my language, "Continue" on the welcome screen, and when I get to the portion where I have to choose a disk to install onto, my MBA's hard drive has a yellow triangle on it and a caption underneath that says "Mac OS X Cannot Start Up From This Disk".
I've used Disk Utility to Verify and Repair, but still get the same result.
My MacBook Air is a 2nd generation machine, 120G hard drive (45G free), and MS Office 2008 installed. Other than that (and all my music and files), it's exactly as it came from Apple when I ordered it.
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May 31, 2012
I am trying to back up my i-phone to my Mac OS-X 10.6.8 but it is saying my Start Up Disk is too full and won't back up. How do I delete some files from my start up disk?
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Sep 6, 2014
Recently my MBP has been running slowly, sometimes giving the spinning ball, not loading websites, etc. I ran disc check and it came up fine, so I thought I would completely clear the drive and start over with the Snow Leopard disc - then install mavericks (It seems a lot of websites are requiring a newer version of safari that I can't install because I'm running 10.6.8). So, I backed up everything I wanted, inserted the disc, and turned off the computer. I restarted and held the c key, and the screen went dim, then a dialog box popped up and told me to restart the computer. I've tried a number of times and have the same problem every time. When I restart from the HD I get this Problem Report:
Interval Since Last Panic Report:Â 14885206 sec
Panics Since Last Report:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 2
Anonymous UUID:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FDB8D0D7-2B64-4FE9-BF9E-80626AF0ACE2
Sat Sep 6 13:25:51 2014
[Code]....
Info:
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Mar 22, 2012
The only thing that showed up in disk utility were the DVD drive (Matshita DVD...) and the actual Mac OS X installation disc. I realize I could try and simply re-install Mac OS X, but I have a research paper (as well as lots of songs and photos) that hasn't been backed up and I will lose it if I reinstall. What can I do?!
Info:
MacBook Pro
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Mar 27, 2012
I am most certain that this is the case: foolishly, I didnt leave much free space and now the disk doesnt want to mount. I tried the single user mode, I also booted from DVD, they appear but the disk utility shows the disk but I cannot repair the disk, because it is unmounted. I tried the basic commands in single user mode, no effect either. I still cant get over the blue screen with the apple logo and a circle running. I need to free up some spasce. Unforetunately, important files were not backedup, so I really cant delete the whole disk. I need to delete specific files.  I dont know where are my big files located - so, how do I orientate myself among the folders? Lets say I would delete my itunes libary, which I would later on renew thanks to the back/up, how would I delete them?Â
Info:
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
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Jun 30, 2012
Message reads start up disk is full. 2 TB My Book backed up. How do I make space?
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.7.4), Lyon OS
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Apr 16, 2012
I am trying to install software updates but cannot as It says that I do not have enough space on my start up disk and I need to clear files from the HD. How I do this, and if I delete them into trash will I loose this information.
Info:
MacBook Pro (13-inch Mid 2010), Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Dec 20, 2010
I'm trying to install Snow Leopard with my "Mac OS X install DVD" to my friends's Mac, I have a MBP and he has a MB, will it work?
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Feb 10, 2012
Is it possible to install leopard on another user account on the same computer?
Info:
MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
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Apr 22, 2012
I've already tried the MS help website suggested in the error window and there is no assistance available there
Info:
MacBook
Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Nov 30, 2010
I work in an office where we've picked up a few new MBPs. These machines have Snow Leopard and I'd like to install it on my machine running Leopard. Is there any way that I can install 10.6 on my machine using the Disks that came with the new machines?
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Sep 1, 2009
Does anyone know how many machines I am legally allowed to install 1 copy of snow leopard on?
What powers do apple have to trace 1 copy installed across multiple machines?
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Jul 15, 2010
While upgrading from Tiger 10.4 to Snow Leopard 10.6 (Mac Box Set purchased from apple store) on my macbook pro the installation process froze up. Tried several times with same outcome. Even wiped the disk & reinstalled original software (tiger 10.4). No disk repairs necessary. So starting with a clean slate snow leopard still wont make it through the installation process.
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Apr 2, 2012
My HDD died recently and I cannot get booted into OS X. It just hangs on the grey screen with the apple. I am (was) running 10.6.8
I am having a lot of trouble trying to boot from my install DVD. First of all I purchased a new HDD which came with Lion pre-installed on it. This worked fine, except when I tried to restore my latest time machine back up it used up 200GB of my disk space but nothing is restored? No doucments or music anywhere, photos, nothing. There is no change at all except half my storage has disappeared. I had posted another question on here and the reply said to use setup assistant, which I could not locate in Lion? I then tried to install Snow Leopard back over Lion but it would not let me. I tried to boot to the install disk but it just hung at the apple screen again.
I gave up and bought another brand new HDD but it won't recognise it on boot up. I just get a flashing folder with a ? in it. I tried to boot into the install DVD and again it wouldn't do it.
I then went back to my original HDD, and tried to boot to the install DVD from that (I hadn't tried this first off as my install disk was elsewhere and I purchased the Lion HDD as a stop gap measure) and it STILL wouldn't do it? This is now the original disk with the original install DVD (10.6) issued with my macbook pro when I purchased it and it will not boot to the DVD. Why why why?! It is almost enough to make me bin the lot and switch to windows.
Info:MacBookPro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Apr 11, 2012
iMac with 2Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, plenty of space available and currently operating 10.5.8. Now I want to upgrade to Snow Leopard and since my Mac Mini came with it, I attempted to use the OSX install disc from the Mini in the iMac. I don't see a reason why this shouldn't work. There's no DRM or anything as far as I know. I'm just trying to bridge the gap so I can download Lion. I've looked into some of the advice others have given on this subject but my computer doesn't have those issues. I've tried booting from disc but I get the same message.
Info:
iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iPhone 4
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Apr 13, 2012
I'm experiencing some issue when I tried to reinstall my OS. It just keeps prompting me Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer. You have to use your Time Machine to restore..... etc. But its a brand new hard disk. I have also tried using another hard disk. Its just keep prompting the same error.I also have deleted and recreate with 2 partitions, but problem still surface. Deleted and Erase at Utilities- Disk Utility, also can't help.
Info:
MacBook
Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Aug 28, 2009
I have a Macbook Pro with an inoperative slot-loading Superdrive. I purchased Snow Leopard today, planning to use my Mac Pro w/working Superdrive in Firewire Target Disk Mode to install the OS on my Macbook Pro. I can mount the Snow Leopard install via TDM, but the installer informs me that I cannot install Snow Leopard from "this volume" (presumably because the Target Disk Mode connection isn't recognized as an optical drive?). I've also tried to use "Remote Install OS X," but because my MBP is not an Air, it doesn't have the necessary firmware to select a network boot on startup by holding Option. Am I out of luck until I get access to a firewire external DVD drive?
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Aug 29, 2009
I've been a long time lurker on these forums and you've helped me out numerous times when my computers decided to stop working.
I got my Snow Leopard disk in the post today but unfortunately my disk drive in my Macbook Pro seems to finally be well and truly knackered.
I should be able to borrow a usb/firewire disk drive from a friend, so would I be able to install ok from this external drive, and is there anything I would need to mess around with to make it work?
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Mar 17, 2010
I have an early 08 MBP that shipped with Leopard. I upgraded it to Snow Leopard quite a long time ago. I feel like doing a clean reinstallation but my Leopard disk is spoilt.
Is it possible for me to do a brand new clean installation just using that Snow Leopard upgrade disk?
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Mar 21, 2012
Hey guys, I was just wondering if its possible for me to upgrade to snow leopard using the 10.6.7 grey install disk? A friend of mine is willing to lend me his but I'm not quite sure if it can. So my question is, can I use his grey install disk with version 10.6.7 to upgrade to snow leopard or do I need the retail snow leopard disk?
Info:MacBookPro, Mac OS X (10.5.8)
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May 30, 2012
I have cracked my OS X 10.6.4 install disk, (which, it seems to mean that my iLife application disk wont work either). Is there any way to get a replacement? I don't always live near internet access, so Lion isn't really an option.
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Jun 25, 2012
My computer is corrupted and needs the intall disk to fix my issues but lost my install disk to my book 10.6.8
Info:
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
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Apr 28, 2012
I want to install snow leopard in my macbook (late 2006), but Im going to change my hard drive in two months. So i dont know if I have to wait for my new hard drive or not.
Info:
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6)
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Sep 30, 2009
I have replaced may Snow Leopard Family pack and have found that the replacement disk is also faulty. It stalls at around 40 minute mark and does not install. I have confirmed a general problem from two store sources. I also have similar problem with copies i bought from US. There is a noticeable defect along the outside edge of disk and swirling to a coma form of about a centimeter. Seems like a quality control issue at the disk creation instead of information burning. I have had no problems with the single versions of the OS.
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Aug 28, 2009
I was upgrading from Tiger to Snow Leopard (I asked a worker in the Apple store and he assured me it was okay to do so) and about 15 minutes into the installation I got a message saying "Unable to install. Please retry". Then when I retried it says "The contents of this disk can't be changed. Mac OS X couldn't be installed on this disk."
I have a black MBP and it is Intel based and I fit the system requirements
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