MacBook Won't boot

F

funkykebab

Registered
Hi Guys and Gals

I am a complete Apple Novice and I have been going nuts over this.

I have brought a second hand MacBook 2gb RAM 160gb HDD but the previous owner had wiped the hard drive.

I have purchased a set of OSX 10.4.6 discs and had no joy.

So I got MacDrive 8 and reformatted the Hard Drive again just in case.

Put the Hard Drive back in and when I start up all I get is a flashing folder with a question mark in it.

when I hold down 'alt' i get the option to select the OSX disc but then all I get is a grey Screen!

I have held down 'C' on boot and still get the same flashing folder

Also held down 'command'+'Alt'+'P'+'R' and got load chimes but still nothing

and the same for 'Command'+'Alt'+'O'+'F'

Can anyone help please....else I have an expensive paperweight!

Thanks

Matt
 
Your MacBook doesn't show any boot devices, because you don't have any system loaded on the hard drive (it's blank), and the 10.4.6 system that you 'found' won't boot your MacBook. If it is an original OS X installer (it will be on a black disk), there is NO 10.4 install that will work on a MacBook (or any other Intel Mac), unless it's the set that originally shipped with the MacBook when new - or is a restore DVD set from an identical model MacBook. There's 3 different MacBook models that came with 10.4.x - and the wrong one won't boot your MacBook, or install.
Simplest way to proceed is to purchase an OS X 10.5 (Leopard) installer, or Snow Leopard (which is version 10.6). I would recommend Snow Leopard, if for no other reason - it's just $30, and will boot and install just fine on a blank hard drive.
 
Thanks for the response.

I purchased the discs from a supplier on ebay as he stated that they would re-install the operating system 10.4.6

He stated:
Original Apple MacBook Mac OS X 10.4.6 Install Discs

So I brought them....is he wrong....if so I will try to get my money back!

Matt
 
The original set of restore disks is grey, and is limited to the model that it shipped with
An original install (one you purchase to install OS X on any supported Mac) will be on a black disk.

When you say you can't boot to that disk set - are you using disk #1?
What happens when you restart with that disk in the drive, while holding the C key?
Please be detailed with your answer (more than 'no joy') - For example:
Disk in drive, shut off power by holding the power button for 5 seconds.
pressed and released the power button, while holding the C key.
Kept holding the C until seeing the grey Apple, with the rotating gear underneath.
Clicked continue at the Choose a Language screen - etc. etc.
How far does your install get?
If the disk won't boot, does the DVD appear to be clean, with no scratches or smears on the disk?

That installer disk is the ONLY way to get a bootable system on your MacBook, so if that doesn't work, you may have a bad DVD (try to get a disk replacement), or the DVD drive is not reading disks properly. You can try a completely different installer disk - if you don't have that, it still means going back to the seller for a good disk...
Let us know how that goes...
 
The discs are GREY!

Both discs are clean, and I am trying to boot from disc 1.

I start the mac holding the 'C' button and I get nothing, then I get the picture of a folder with a question mark in it.

If I strat the system holding 'ALT' I get the boot choice, but all i get is the OSX installation dics. When I click this all I get is blank grey screen!

Any Ideas!
 
There is more than one set of OEM installers for macbooks out there and not all will work on any macbook. But to rule out a bad drive making the machine act flaky, remove the hard drive, then try going to boot manager holding the alt/option key. Then see if it will boot to those installers.
 
Took the hard drive out ....started up up with no dics in the drive either.
Held down 'alt' on start up and I got was a picture of a hard drive with a globe on top!

Matt
 
Thanks for all the help...but it turned out the hard drive was shot!

Took it round to my mates tonight as he has Macs and when we tried the hard drive on his macbook all it did was 'beep' and make funny noises.....so I had a spare 80gig drive so in that went and installed perfectly!

So god knows what the guy did to it when he wiped the drive!

But all good know!

Thanks again!
 
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