Macbook not starting properly, flashing question mark, clicking sound...

muggyog

What version of Mac OS is on your DVD and what version is on your iMac?
There maybe an issue with versions of Disk Utility.

If you have formatted/partitioned, just proceed to installing the operating system. The drive should now be available after your target mode procedure.

The Black Oil

10.4 on the DVD that's in the Macbook, 10.6.8 running on the iMac. So should I remove the Tiger disc and use the SL one instead (for the fecked HD in the Macbook)?

Maybe I'm not doing the format/partition in the correct order.

Edit, OK, here's what I see in Disk Utility when the two machines are connected via firewire. The orange drive is the HD in the Macbook that's giving trouble.

I don't see these things when I remove the firewire and let DU start up in the Macbook on its own (with the Tiger disc). It says 1.8TB blah blah.

The Black Oil

Well, you were right. Going into Disk Utility using the 10.6 DVD and it recognised the HD, so Snow Leopard is now installed. The machine originally came with Tiger and I've two discs for it, don't think I'll be able to put iLife on it (SL won't accept the Tiger disc optional installs), but at least the main bits work. I checked again after SL was successfully installed, put in the Tiger disc again, opened Disk Utility and it said the HD was 1.8TB, so DU definitely seems to have been part of the problem.

Now, I've a good few apps on the iMac I'd like to transfer over. Presumably I can also do this via firewire/Migration Assistant, it would take a good while to copy them to USB and then onto the Macbook.

Thanks

MiniNukinfuts

Glad to hear you've fixed it.

It all depends on the amount of apps you need to transfer, i'd recommend using a firewire/ ethernet cable if you've got more than 20GB of apps.

The Black Oil

It's about 3.5GB of .dmg files, easier to transfer rather than download them all again.

MiniNukinfuts

if it's only 3.5GB then use a USB. It'd be fast enough. And easier than setting up the migration assistant.

The Black Oil

It says about 40 minutes, probably another 40 then to copy that across once it's on the USB.

MiniNukinfuts

How much data are you copying? Unless you're using a really old USB, it shouldn't take that long.

The Black Oil

It's copied now...gotta take these estimates with a pinch of salt. Thanks.

MiniNukinfuts

Anytime.

muggyog

I know it's probably too late now but when you had the drive formatted correctly you could have installed 10.4 with iLife and upgraded to 10.6. At least you got an OS on it so all is well.

The Black Oil

Yeah, that was the original plan.