OS X Installs but reverts back to install again

V

vermontmacs

Registered
I bought a used 80GB for my iBook G4 and loaded my Leopard install disc. I followed the prompts and successfully installed 10.5. I say this because the message with a green check mark was shown at the end of installation. Upon restart, instead of opening the setup/registration process, the system reverted back to the install window. Tried this 3 times with the same result.
Any ideas about what's happening and why?
 
Your OS X install disk is taking the boot, instead of passing the boot to the hard drive. You can eject the DVD by holding your trackpad button at boot. The installer DVD should eject shortly after the screen lights up, so continue to hold the trackpad button until the disk ejects.

Or, on your next restart - hold the option key until you see the screen where you can choose the startup volume. Click on your hard drive icon, then click the right-facing arrow.

But - I would be suspicious of the hard drive. I would never suggest to anyone to replace a hard drive in an iBook with a used hard drive. It's such a challenge to replace, that you should be confident that the hard drive is a good one. Someone has said that purchasing a used hard drive is similar to buying used toilet paper. I wouldn't quite describe it that way - but you can get new 2.5-inch 80GB ATA hard drives for not very much money:
http://www.compusa.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3212548&CatId=2675
 
Many thanks for the great advice. If I select the Mac HD when using the option key when restarting, the computer shows a question mark in folder.
Which I guess means either the HD is suspect or the OS can't be found?
I also tried selecting the HD as the startup disc when the install disc was in the drive. But, each time, the flashing question mark comes up, even though I'm told that Leopard installed successfully. Your point about buying a used HD is well taken. Perhaps the purchase of a new one is the next step. BTW, I ran the 10.5 Disc Warrior tool with a clean bill of health result so, everything says the OS should be there but it won't boot to desktop.
Thanks again
 
Try this:
Boot to the Leopard install, then open Disk Utility from the menus. Select your hard drive (the manufacturer's info line), then click the Partition tab. Change the Volume Scheme to 1 Partition, name your partition if you like, make sure the format is set for MacOS Extended (journaled), then click the Apply button. That should complete within about 10 seconds. Then, click the Repair tab, and try the Repair Disk button (not Repair Disk Permissions). If that competes with no problems found (and also should take only a couple of seconds.), then Quit Disk Utility, and continue on with the install of OS X. You should reboot to your hard drive after the install. If if still won't boot, then you should double-check the hard drive connections, which means taking the iBook apart (again ;( )
Does your OS X install stop at any point, with an error of some kind?
 
Well, congratulations are in order as your suggestion to partition the HD was the answer. Everything work just as you outlined and I am very grateful for
the valuable help!

Take it slow and thanks again!
Rob
 
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