A1181 MacBook does not recognize HDD as correct size. Will not Install OS. IO Error

[PCX]

Ok, so this is a first for me. Everything checks out, nothing other than the old HDD pops on the diagnostics. In fact, the HDD does nothing but click.

Anyways, we are replacing the hard drive with a WD and when we go to install the OS, it says that the drive is a 3.6tb hard drive (its a 500gb) and when I try to format it, it gives me an IO error. Thats it, no OS install. I tried this again with another known good working hard drive of a different size and model and still the same issue. Any ideas?

 

[PaulRome]

Have you tried running the disk utility and reformat?

 

[PCX]

Yes . . . . I guess I should have mentioned that I used disk utility during this whole process.

 

[KompuKare]

Haven't done many Macs, but maybe MacOS Disk Utility is having a fit, so have you tried writing a partition table in Linux first?

Intel MacOS uses GUID partitions nowaways (68K and PPC used Apple's own I think).

 

[PCX]

Haven't done many Macs, but maybe MacOS Disk Utility is having a fit, so have you tried writing a partition table in Linux first?

Intel MacOS uses GUID partitions nowaways (68K and PPC used Apple's own I think).

Yep, I tried that after I had the problem initially, then tried the install again and still the same problem and Disk Utility still sees the hard drive as a 3.6tb hard drive and still refuses to format the hard drive.

I work on Macs all that time and typically have no issues, but this has baffled me.

 

[14049752]

Are you using the discs that came with the system, or stand-alone OS X discs?


If the stand-alone discs, try a different version. If the original discs, try a newer version. Snow Leopard, if you're not already trying.


The other option is to remove the drive, install OS X with a firewire or usb adapter on the drive. Install OS X updates... then install the drive back into the system internally.

 

[PCX]

Are you using the discs that came with the system, or stand-alone OS X discs?


If the stand-alone discs, try a different version. If the original discs, try a newer version. Snow Leopard, if you're not already trying.


The other option is to remove the drive, install OS X with a firewire or usb adapter on the drive. Install OS X updates... then install the drive back into the system internally.

Ok, an update. What you posted gave me a few ideas. I do not have any firewire here, never had a use for it. But I did try and hook up the hard drive via USB and was able to format it using the same disk. I think installed the hard drive once more and then got and error saying that OSX could not be installed on this hard drive because if failed a volumecheck.

Now, I did test this hard drive, so I know its not a hardware issues.

Anyways, I popped in another disk that was for a different Macbook and while I could not use it to install the OS, I was able to once again get into Disk Utility and format the drive again. I Installed the hard drive and again got the same error.

I was going to post to the log, but it didn't even save it to my flash drive like it was supposed to.

Do you thing that it could be bad disks?

 

[compnet]

Do you thing that it could be bad disks?

I haven't seen this problem on a mac, but I'm leaning more towards a bad controller than the drives.

 

[PCX]

I haven't seen this problem on a mac, but I'm leaning more towards a bad controller than the drives.

This was my first thought, but I am just really hoping that is not the issue.

 

[14049752]

http://mr.tilyard.info/?p=36

Read all the comments... Had to find my source for when I ran into this, or else I would have posted it earlier.

You need to try a newer disk. Snow Leopard. Or use a smaller drive.

 

[PCX]

http://mr.tilyard.info/?p=36

Read all the comments... Had to find my source for when I ran into this, or else I would have posted it earlier.

You need to try a newer disk. Snow Leopard. Or use a smaller drive.

Ok awesome. I could not find anything like this online. Its given me a few ideas and I will report back. Thanks.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

How is the drive partitioned? Was this a new unpartitioned drive or something previously in a Windows machine? If its not partitioned right it could be doing really weird things. Also, did it still read 3.6TB through usb? If so you can rule out the SATA controller and the cable. Other than that, just like 14049752 said, make sure you are using a known good retail installer like 10.5.6 or even 10.6.3.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

Hmmm. 3 days and no update? I know PCX has been on and created a new thread and replied to several others since then (Is even showing online now). So why leave a thread open and unresolved without update? Just a personal pet peeve of mine. I'm sure I know what it could have been, just sad thread creators are more worried about their perceived image on this forum, and leave this unanswered for others that my benefit from it in the future.

 

[PCX]

Hmmm. 3 days and no update? I know PCX has been on and created a new thread and replied to several others since then (Is even showing online now). So why leave a thread open and unresolved without update? Just a personal pet peeve of mine. I'm sure I know what it could have been, just sad thread creators are more worried about their perceived image on this forum, and leave this unanswered for others that my benefit from it in the future.

Actually, I am still working on a solution. In the past I wrote a tutorial for another forum that no longer exists, but this version of OSX is apparently too old to implement. I gave this problem a break over the week end as I wanted to start fresh on the problem today. If nothing else, I will post that tutorial to see if it helps someone else. My absence had nothing to do with image, I just needed a break from looking at this stupid computer.

 

[PCX]

http://www.technibble.com/forums/showthread.php?p=288883#post288883

There is the tutorial I wrote about a year ago that should have solved this problem, but again, I thing it will only work on 10.5 and higher.

 

[PCX]

@anonymous Mac Tech

Your method you described in your other post did not work. Here is what I did.

I installed OSX 10.4.9 on a smaller 160gb HDD

I then used your method to restore that image to a 500gb HDD

Now all I get is a big fat no sign. Any ideas.

 

[anonymous Mac Tech]

@anonymous Mac Tech

Your method you described in your other post did not work. Here is what I did.

I installed OSX 10.4.9 on a smaller 160gb HDD

I then used your method to restore that image to a 500gb HDD

Now all I get is a big fat no sign. Any ideas.

What are the 10.4.9 disks from? Obviously they are machine specific grey OEMs (that most likely aren't specifically for that machine) and not retail disks (especially since there is no such thing as a 10.4.9 retail version). I'd suggest (like has already been mentioned by me and 14049752) that you use either 10.5.6 or 10.6.3 retail installer.

10.4.6 retail won't even boot the early intel Macs. the only version of 10.4.x that ever worked to boot early intel Macs were the OEMs that came with that specific machine.

 

[PCX]

What are the 10.4.9 disks from? Obviously they are machine specific grey OEMs (that most likely aren't specifically for that machine) and not retail disks (especially since there is no such thing as a 10.4.9 retail version). I'd suggest (like has already been mentioned by me and 14049752) that you use either 10.5.6 or 10.6.3 retail installer.

10.4.6 retail won't even boot the early intel Macs. the only version of 10.4.x that ever worked to boot early intel Macs were the OEMs that came with that specific machine.

I am using a newer disk from a 15inch MacBook Pro to run the disk utility and go through the same process you described in the other thread.

 

[14049752]

I am using a newer disk from a 15inch MacBook Pro to run the disk utility and go through the same process you described in the other thread.

That won't work. Use a newer retail disk. The entire point is that there is a bug in the installer discs....

 

[PCX]

That won't work. Use a newer retail disk. The entire point is that there is a bug in the installer discs....

Yeah, I do not have a retail disk . . . . I never needed one. I guess I can download one?