Help - cannot install OS X on new hard drive.

unable to find driver for this platform "ACPI"

I've seen the error before. If I remember correctly the machine I was installing on didn't seem to like the installer or the dock I was using. I have my installers loaded on two 3.5" SATA HDD plugged into a USB dock. I tried my secondary installer drive on either the same SATA dock or different one (can't remember since I look at so many machines every week) and the install went smooth and the machine hasn't came back. I know my installers are good, but I'm starting to suspect one or a couple of my SATA docks are getting flaky (they get used very often).

So long story short, if you've had the same issue with both installers, I'd suspect a flaky optical drive. Try some compressed air blown into the optical and try cleaning the installer with some alcohol then see what happens. Its likely the optical drive needs replaced as well, but sometimes you can get what you need done with some compressed air and a very clean disk.
 
Thanks again for the suggestions.

I have now tried an external DVD drive and the same happens, I have also created an image from the install disk on to an external hard drive and still the same.

Is it possible the firmware is corrupt, or does this get restored when you do a fresh install?

I have downloaded the firmware recovery cd from the apple site but it does not seem to do anything, may be because the hard drive is not formatted yet.


Any further suggestions?
 
I suspect or at least would like to rule out the possibility that a corrupt firmware is stopping my iMac from reinstalling.

I have downloaded the Firmware Restoration CD image from apple, version 1.4 and burnt it to a CD using a PC with TransMac.

I have held the power button down and get a quickly flashing sleep light followed by a long beep, I think this indicates the iMac has gone into Firmware Restoration mode. The screen then shows a flashing question mark on a folder and doesn't restore the firmware.

I have removed the hard drive and formatted to a GPT scheme but still I still cannot get the firmware restoration cd to run.

Does anyone have any experience in getting this firmware restoration cd to work on an iMac?

The iMac 24" 2.16ghz intel core 2 duo model is MA456B/A, please can anyone suggest if this is possible and what am I doing wrong?
 
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