OSX Tiger not loading on Mac Mini 2007

[evaplatinum]

Hi there,

I'm really sorry to trouble anyone and I would normally try and sort the issue myself but I'm at a complete loss.

I have an old Mac Mini from 2006 still under tiger. I decided to upgrade to leopard in order and then snow leopard.

Upon installing Leopard, I chose the option upgrade, selected the disc. I received an error message saying that it couldn't do it. Upon asked to retry I accepted and then upon selecting the disc on which to install I get a yellow triangle saying that I have to format the disk. I try to quit the installation application and remove the disc.

1) OSX Tiger won't boot. I get the apple logo and the loading signal and the computer shuts down
2) I cannot eject the disc. none of the key commands I tried and force eject won't work
3) None of the key commands work. I can't start from disc as it doesn't read it, I tried starting it in firewire mode in order to copy al the files but it doesn't respond. I tried starting from a clone disc it doesn't respond.

All it does it shut down after a while of loading nothing.

 

[Doctor X]

Right, what do you mean by "clone disk?" If you mean a copy of a start-up disk then there is your problem. If you mean you previously cloned your HD, that is good news since, technically, you have your data.

If you have a cloned HD, and it is attached to your Mac, what happens when you restart pressing the Option Key? That should give you a choice of start up volumes which should include the disk in your player and the now hooked up clone.

Consulting MacTracker, depending on which Mac mini you have from 2006, it either came with 10.4.5 or 10.4.8 depending on when shipped. Why does that matter? If you are using a Tiger disk that is not original to your computer AND is lower than whatever your ORIGINAL OS was, it may and probably will not work.

There is also a MacMini EFI Firmware Update 1.1 which may or may not be relevant.

Now, if NONE of that helps you, then wait for a GURU to help you diagnose whatever other problem is going on.

--J.D.