Yet Another Leopard Issue

Lincoln · 11-06-2007, 07:56 PM

OK, so I finally get around to installing Leopard on the MacBookPro. I put it in the disk, restart, it checks the DVD, and about half of the installation is done.

Then it just stops. I left the house for about 45 minutes, and when I got back, it was in the same place. I went up to the menu bar, and clicked "Mac OS X Installer", intending to quit the application. All this did was freeze it.

So I took the battery out, and put it back on. I turned the computer back on, and now the startup screen (gray screen with Apple logo) is just sitting there.

Any suggestions? I'm pretty screwed if I can't fix this tonight. There's a lot of important info on there.

EDIT: I got the disk out.

The computer restarted, and now it looks like Leopard got half-installed...

When it goes to the login screen, it asks me for a name and password, and when I try my account, it denies it. This is bad.

geordisjd · 11-06-2007, 11:51 PM

Sorry to say, but it's exactly what happened with my Dual G5 (the Intels - MacPro and MBP - eventually did fine). The installation stalled before it was completely done, the computer froze, and after a force-restart (and getting my DVD out of there), the Leopard screen came on, and on, and on, but it never went past the login/password stage. I ended up having to reinstall Tiger on the 2nd internal drive (which was empty), restart from there, wipe out the first internal drive with the incomplete Leopard, and lose most of that drive contents in the process (which wasn't such a big deal, because I have everything backed up on multiple drives).
So, Intel or not, I only can say: back up!

Lincoln · 11-07-2007, 07:30 PM

OK.. So, I have no backup. But I'm confused. How did you reinstall Tiger without logging in? I pooped the Leopard disk back in, but nothing happened.

geordisjd · 11-07-2007, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by MacManPro

OK.. So, I have no backup. But I'm confused. How did you reinstall Tiger without logging in? I pooped the Leopard disk back in, but nothing happened.

Just start from the install DVD. Put Tiger in, restart and hold the C key till the Apple comes on. The installer should see your MBP's drive, even if there's no working system on it. I would "archive and install" so you can keep all your stuff on it. You shouldn't have to log in.
Another thing you could do to try to install Leopard again is to connect your MBP to another Mac by their firewire ports and start the MBP in Target mode (hold the T key), so its HD mounts on the other Mac (I think you said you had only 50 GB on the MBP and you have a PPC), then transfer what you want to keep on that other Mac. Then restart the MBP from the install DVD (Leopard) and erase the HD before installing, then get your stuff back from the PPC onto the MBP.

Lincoln · 11-07-2007, 09:03 PM

Alright, I'll try that. If I can find my FireWire cable.

And I use an Intel MacMini, the PPC is just an old one sitting the basement.

dagoo98 · 11-08-2007, 10:51 AM

Sorry to hear about your problems guys. I guess I'm a lucky one, I upgraded yesterday on my Intel MBP and the whole process took about 1 hour.

xSoNiCcRaCkErSx · 11-08-2007, 03:10 PM

Man, what is with leopard? I had a simular issue. I tried to install leopard, it started going and then went "Installation failed" and after that happend it rendered my Mac partition unbootable, unmountable with a terrible "Invalid Sibling Link" error. We are not the only one with installation issues and failures though, there are tons of forums on Apple's site about this same issue. Hopefully Apple releases some news on a fix. Now I don't know what to do. I'm in college across the country from my house with all my other computers, my disk warrior disk and my data rescue II. I'm going to try geordisjd's method on one of my graphic art computer labs. I'm stuck on my Window's partition. I wish you luck MacManPro. Hopefully we can get our data back. (I only have about 50% of my data backed up

) I'm scared to try it again when and if I do get my data. I prolly will have to wipe my Mac partition.

Say MacManPro. Do you have 3rd party ram installed in your Macbook pro? I have 4 gigs in mine, third party. Apparently 3rd party ram is causing MAJOR issues with leopard. This is what I've found on a search for a fix. I will end up having to put my old ram in to successfully install. Apparently all will go well after installation with your 3rd party ram. Knock on wood.

mernst · 11-08-2007, 05:15 PM

I had no problems installing leopard....

Lincoln · 11-08-2007, 07:01 PM

I had no issues on my Mac Mini.

I still haven't solved the issue. I tried to Install Tiger and Leopard, no dice. I called Apple, and I'm taking it in tomorrow.

geordisjd · 11-09-2007, 01:07 AM

All is well here, but it took a lot of work to get it to work on Dual G5.
The Intels are happy.
Some guy who's an Apple developer told me he got 10.5.1 last night. Sounded very proud, but was unable to tell me what it did, so I'm not holding my breath. Probably some minor login/security issue.