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I am getting the dreaded "Cannot install onto OSX, errors on disk, please restart or try again" message very early in the install process.

 

Some people have mentioned that this is simply because the partition is not set active.

 

I have checked with third party tools, and this seems to be the case. This is the first time I have ever encountered this error in years.

 

Any thoughts on how I can fix this?

 

PS. I have used this HDD many times before for Tiger/Leopard. Currently an NTFS partition.

 

PPS. I originally (long ago) set this up using DISKPART in XP. could I do that again? I will try anyways.

 

PPPS. I have heard that some installs can be finicky with a not entirely wiped disk? unsure about how to create a CLEAN disk??

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Clean is easy.

 

Boot from your OSX install DVD and format and partition your drive with Disk Utility before installing.

 

Make a partition at the beginning of the drive for OSX, formatted as HFS+J non-case sensitive.

 

You can't make NTFS partitions with Disk Utility but it will let you create FAT32 partitions which you can then convert to NTFS later from within Windows if you want to.

I have done exactly as you recommend (actually, I always take those steps), but the error still exists, and very early in the install process.

 

If I select GUID partition scheme, the install fails immediately, whereas if I select MBR, the install gets slightly further in (but not much) before failing.

 

I believe I need to do a full DOS format of the drive (~30min for 120GB), then use DISKPART to create partition, and set active. Then boot iPC OSX 10.5.6 final ppf5 DVD, and perhaps then it might work.

 

Thanks for the prompt reply beerkex'd!!

 

I have had this disk running iPC OSX 10.5.6 beta ppf3 before. I think GUID on this older IDE disk may be the problem?

 

Also, I am using an old 40pin IDE cable, not a new 80wire one - would that make a difference? it seems to be working fine under WinXP?!?!

I have done exactly as you recommend (actually, I always take those steps), but the error still exists, and very early in the install process.

 

If I select GUID partition scheme, the install fails immediately, whereas if I select MBR, the install gets slightly further in (but not much) before failing.

 

I believe I need to do a full DOS format of the drive (~30min for 120GB), then use DISKPART to create partition, and set active. Then boot iPC OSX 10.5.6 final ppf5 DVD, and perhaps then it might work.

 

Thanks for the prompt reply beerkex'd!!

 

I have had this disk running iPC OSX 10.5.6 beta ppf3 before. I think GUID on this older IDE disk may be the problem?

 

Also, I am using an old 40pin IDE cable, not a new 80wire one - would that make a difference? it seems to be working fine under WinXP?!?!

If your using a 40pin cable, your going to limit yourself to ATA/33. Unless it's a really old (i mean old) PC, why only use a 40pin cable??? And, I have had GUID working fine with a EIDE drive (80pin cable tho, dunno if a 40 would make a diff).

If your using a 40pin cable, your going to limit yourself to ATA/33. Unless it's a really old (i mean old) PC, why only use a 40pin cable??? And, I have had GUID working fine with a EIDE drive (80pin cable tho, dunno if a 40 would make a diff).

 

I have used this identical system for 6 months and about 4 different OSX builds.

 

The ONLY thing that has changed since last I (successfully) ran all that, is the IDE cable. I will see if I can source another 80pin cable. many thanks.

I have had 100% success by swapping the 40pin cable for an 80pin.

 

I am sure this was the problem, as I was only getting DMA2 support (instead of DMA5), and it was reporting No SMART support, when I knew it had this.

 

Everything went smooth as butter, and I now have 10.5.6 running sweetly (not quite as fast as the 500GB SATA drive gave me), but sweetly and compatibly.

 

Thanks for all your suggestions, I appreciate your promptness, and quality feedback!

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