Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Reinstalling OS X

Options
  • 30-01-2011 1:08pm
    #1
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭


    I've been trying to reinstall OS X on my iMac which works fine until it needs to restart to continue installing.
    When it restarts it just get's stuck on a white screen with an Apple logo.
    When I try to install from start up holding down the C key the same thing happens.
    Anybody have any idea what I'm doing wrong.


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    digme
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,584 ✭✭✭digme


    press the option key maybe and choose the partition?
    Btw I've only used a mac once for ten minutes so i may be wrong lol


  • Options
    #3
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    digme wrote: »
    press the option key maybe and choose the partition?
    Btw I've only used a mac once for ten minutes so i may be wrong lol

    Do you mean press the option key when restarting?


  • Options
    #4
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    I gave it a try while restarting and got the same result.


  • Options
    #5
    Kinetic^
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,249 ✭✭✭✭Kinetic^


    Run disk utility on the hard drive to check for errors.


  • Options
    #6
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Kinetic^ wrote: »
    Run disk utility on the hard drive to check for errors.

    I've tried disk utility but everything was fine, I also tried a different os x disc but I have the same problem with that.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    How much free space is available on the boot drive?
    Are you installing from a DVD?
    How long have you waited with the white screen? I've had mine do this for up to about 30 minutes. Give it time.


  • Options
    #8
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Liameter wrote: »
    How much free space is available on the boot drive?
    Are you installing from a DVD?
    How long have you waited with the white screen? I've had mine do this for up to about 30 minutes. Give it time.

    There is 450GB of free space an the hard drive.
    I've left it overnight as well to see if it would install.


  • Options
    #9
    barryj
    Registered Users Posts: 185 ✭✭barryj


    Did you use the install disk that came with the same machine? Or one that came with a different machine? Install disks are often specific to the type of machine it came with. The retail disks you can buy are generic though.

    - barry


  • Options
    #10
    Talisman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,064 ✭✭✭Talisman


    Do you have an external hard drive you could install the system on to? If you do then try doing so if it works, then clone the external drive onto the internal drive.

    Before installing the operating system, I would strongly suggest you run the diagnostics from the system disc that came with the computer: Put the disc in the drive and hold "D" key while the computer boots.


  • Options
    #11
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,671 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Any luck with this, OP?


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Nope, I've tried my own mac disc's, a buddy's one and one from got on the net and had the same result.
    I might pick up a new copy of os x tomorrow to see if works.


  • Options
    #13
    Sad Professor
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,671 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    Did you try doing a hardware test as Talisman suggested above?


  • Options
    #14
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    cork45 wrote: »
    I've been trying to reinstall OS X on my iMac which works fine until it needs to restart to continue installing.
    When it restarts it just gets stuck on a white screen with an Apple logo.

    Let's go back to the beginning.
    1. Which model iMac?
    2. How much RAM (memory) has it?
    3. What is the capacity of the internal Hard drive?
    4. Have you disconnected everything apart from the keyboard and mouse?
    6. Which version OSX is currently installed and does it run OK?
    7. Which version OSX are you trying to install and why?


  • Options
    #15
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Sad Professor wrote: »
    Did you try doing a hardware test as Talisman suggested above?

    I tried that and it found no faults.
    Liameter wrote: »
    Let's go back to the beginning.
    1. Which model iMac?
    2. How much RAM (memory) has it?
    3. What is the capacity of the internal Hard drive?
    4. Have you disconnected everything apart from the keyboard and mouse?
    6. Which version OSX is currently installed and does it run OK?
    7. Which version OSX are you trying to install and why?

    It's a 21.5" Core i3 3.06GHz with 4GB ram and a 500GB HD.
    I have everything disconnected when trying to reinstall.
    I have OS X 10.6.6 running fine on it at the moment and I'm trying to erase and install 10.6.3.


  • Options
    #16
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    Liameter wrote: »
    7. Which version OSX are you trying to install and why?

    Reverting to an earlier OS may require you to erase the existing OS first. I would certainly try that but make a complete backup copy first!


  • Options
    #17
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Liameter wrote: »
    Reverting to an earlier OS may require you to erase the existing OS first. I would certainly try that but make a complete backup copy first!

    I want to erase and reinstall to sell the mac.
    How do I erase the OS first?


  • Options
    #18
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    When you boot from the installation disc you should - before you get to the "install" choice - be able to select "Disc Utility" (or similar) from the menu bar then "Erase disc". Once you've done that there's no turning back so I strongly advise you to use "Carbon Copy Cloner" to make a copy on an external Hard drive, just in case.


  • Options
    #19
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    Oops, wrong post.


  • Options
    #20
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Liameter wrote: »
    When you boot from the installation disc you should - before you get to the "install" choice - be able to select "Disc Utility" (or similar) from the menu bar then "Erase disc". Once you've done that there's no turning back so I strongly advise you to use "Carbon Copy Cloner" to make a copy on an external Hard drive, just in case.

    I can't boot from an installation disc.


  • Options
    #21
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    Well there's no other way to reinstall the OS.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    It's as I said in the first post,when os x is installing and it get's to the part where it restarts it just get's stuck on a white screen with an Apple logo,
    The same thing happens when I try to install from startup.


  • Options
    #23
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    We seem to be going in circles. I recommend you take it to someone who understands what he's doing.


  • Options
    #24
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 13,024 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    cork45 wrote: »
    It's as I said in the first post,when os x is installing and it get's to the part where it restarts it just get's stuck on a white screen with an Apple logo,
    The same thing happens when I try to install from startup.

    Have a look at this instruction; it will help you to erase and install as well as other procedures.

    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910

    I'd also suggest you check to make sure the hard drive doesn't need to be formatted again; your Install disc and check this via Disc Utility just in case something happened it.


  • Options
    #25
    cornbb
    Registered Users Posts: 6,790 ✭✭✭cornbb


    Hold cmd-V as soon as it reboots to boot in verbose mode, that might give you some info on why/where it's getting stuck.


  • Options
    #26
    studiorat
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,408 ✭✭✭studiorat


    If you're doing what I think you are you'll have to reformat the HD first, erase it completely before booting from the install disc and installing the older OS. Mac's don't like to roll back operating systems.

    First thing I'd do though is download Carbon Copy Cloner and make a clone of the Hard Drive to an external drive. Then you can boot off the external if you run into problems.


  • Options
    #27
    Liameter
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 898 ✭✭✭Liameter


    Which is what I told him in #16 but I used less words. Let's hope he understands your "verbose" version. ;)


  • Options
    #28
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    Liameter wrote: »
    Which is what I told him in #16 but I used less words. Let's hope he understands your "verbose" version. ;)

    Perhaps you need to improve your communication skills.


  • Options
    #29
    muggyog
    Registered Users Posts: 720 ✭✭✭muggyog


    cork45 wrote: »
    I can't boot from an installation disc.

    You are clearly trying to boot from an 'grey' ( machine specific ) disk from the wrong model iMac because according to this it came with 10.6.3. Check the Model Identifiers of the various donor Macs.


  • Options
    #30
    54kroc
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,376 ✭✭✭54kroc


    muggyog wrote: »
    You are clearly trying to boot from an 'grey' ( machine specific ) disk from the wrong model iMac because according to this it came with 10.6.3. Check the Model Identifiers of the various donor Macs.

    I tried the grey discs that came with my mac,I tried a buddy's disc and one I got of the net and when they didn't work I bought a fresh copy of osx.

    I downloaded Carbon Copy Cloner and made a clone of the Hard Drive to an external drive, now I'm after erasing the internal drive but the mac still won't boot from cd, when I try to install it from inside osx I click on the internal drive and it starts to install but when it restarts it stops at the grey screen.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    Losty Dublin
    Registered Users Posts: 13,024 ✭✭✭✭Losty Dublin


    cork45 wrote: »
    I tried the grey discs that came with my mac,I tried a buddy's disc and one I got of the net and when they didn't work I bought a fresh copy of osx.

    What OS does your grey disc have on it?


Advertisement