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Won't boot without DVD


shep
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Hi everyone,

 

I'm fairly new to MAC, but worked with Linux a bit (Gentoo) so be easy on me...

 

I decided to check out OSX86 so I wiped out a drive and unplugged my XP drive so I didn't have to worry about the dual boot stuff right now to make sure I could even install it on my system. The install barked a bit after creating only 1 partition for the install so I created another partition and the installation seemed to go with out issue. But now it won't boot without the install disc in the drive? The XP drive is still unplugged so this isn't an issue. I'm in the OS now so it's working fine, but can't boot on it's own. If I insert the installation disc, it boots the disk and boots me into my installed OS. I know with Linux I used Lilo for a boot manager and worked without issue with multiboots no problem. Any idea's on how I can fix this problem and at least be able to boot the OS without the install disc? The hard drive is a SATA if that makes a difference. The installation disc used was JaS 10.4.8.

 

I hope I provided enough info, if not just let me know.

 

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Shep

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Format the entire drive as FAT32 using a Windows/Linux disk/partition utility.

 

Start the OSX installer and select Disk Utility in the Utilities menu. Format the primary partition (listed below the hard drive) as MacOS Extended Journaled.

 

Install OSX.

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Hi Rammjet

 

Thanks for the input.

I did as you said. Used my XP install and formated the partition with FAT32 marked it as active. Booted the install disc and used the disc utility to format the partition as MacOS Extended (Journaled) and now all I get is:

There were error's [Restart]

I tried this a few times with the same result. So I repartitoned the drive again with FAT32 and using the disc utility formated the partition as MacOS Extended (Journaled) and split it into 2 partitions (This is what I did prior to get the install to go) with no success. I will work on it again tomorrow.

 

It seems like the only problem with the original install was the lack of a boot loader?

 

Thanks again,

Shep

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  • 4 weeks later...

It looks like you have MBR problem. Try following...

 

Start with the installation disk

At darwin prompt, press F8, then input -v -s and stroke enter.

Now wait for console (the shell #)

When the shell is ready, enter fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0 it will load fdisk, you should see:

fdisk 1>

with a prompt.

Here enter “flag 1″ (without quotes) and then enter

then enter “quit” (w/o quotes) and then enter

it should says “MBR saved”

Now type “exit” (again, w/o quotes) and enter

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Hi Rammjet

 

Thanks for the input.

I did as you said. Used my XP install and formated the partition with FAT32 marked it as active. Booted the install disc and used the disc utility to format the partition as MacOS Extended (Journaled) and now all I get is:

There were error's [Restart]

I tried this a few times with the same result. So I repartitoned the drive again with FAT32 and using the disc utility formated the partition as MacOS Extended (Journaled) and split it into 2 partitions (This is what I did prior to get the install to go) with no success. I will work on it again tomorrow.

 

It seems like the only problem with the original install was the lack of a boot loader?

 

Thanks again,

Shep

 

Shep, did you ever fix this? I'm still booting with the CD - I'm wondering now if I should try a different kind of format of my drive.. what can I use to manage the MBR / wipe it or otherwise..

 

thanks

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same problem here, i'd like to try this but f8 is not working..

Even when you use the install DVD and it tells you to press F8?

 

I'm still booting with the CD - I'm wondering now if I should try a different kind of format of my drive.. what can I use to manage the MBR / wipe it or otherwise..

You can use the install DVD to use Fdisk to set the partition active without using F8. Boot the install DVD and go into the installer (press any key - except F8). Follow this guide: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=22844

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Even when you use the install DVD and it tells you to press F8?

You can use the install DVD to use Fdisk to set the partition active without using F8. Boot the install DVD and go into the installer (press any key - except F8). Follow this guide: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?showtopic=22844

 

Hi Rammjet, When I start the installer I can press F8. I have done boot -s -v then fdisk -e /dev/rdisk0 and have verified my partition is active.

 

I still can't boot without the DVD. :pirate2:

 

Before formatting this disk (the disk0 with OSX only on it now) I had it dual booting XP and OSX using Acronis. I'm wondering if Acronis is still hiding out somewhere on my boot sector or traces of it.

 

I have Acronis Disk tools on my XP disk but no longer have the acronis bootloader installed (on the new disk) .. I am using my bios to select which disk to boot from.

 

Any ideas?

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Yes, Acronis is aggressive. I have it installed and if I set a partition active, Acronis still takes over.

 

What if you went into Windows and installed the Acronis bootloader and then uninstalled it again. It might fix what is broken.

 

Setting active doesn't work with selecting hard drives. Each hard drive has an active partition - the one it will boot if selected. Windows is active on its hard drive and OSX is active on its hard drive. So, if you have Windows on 1 hard drive by itself and OSX on another drive by itself, you need a bootloader that can handle 2 drives. Acronis is good at that. I think Darwin/OSX bootloader can handle it. I've heard good and bad about Windows bootloader handling that with OSX and chain0.

 

Try an experiment. Boot OSX and press F8 to get to the bootloader. If Windows is there, select it and boot Windows. If this works, then maybe you want to use the Darwin bootloader.

To do that, just set the OSX hard drive to boot before the Windows hard drive - boot order should be: floppy - CD/DVD drive - OSX hard drive - Windows hard drive.

 

Then boot into OSX and set the Timeout parameter to reveal the OSX/Darwing bootloader:

 

Now, with the OSX hard drive booting first and showing its bootloader, you should be able to select which hard drive you want to boot.

The Windows bootloader can be set up similarly. Set the Windows hard drive to boot before the OSX hard drive. Boot Windows. Insert the OSX install DVD and copy the chain0 file to the C:\ directory. Edit boot.ini to add a line: C:\chain0="Mac OS X" similar to this: http://forum.insanelymac.com/index.php?sho...mp;#entry159052 The problem is that OSX/Darwin bootloader may default to Windows to boot. To get around this, need to set Timeout parameter so the menu is displayed and you can override it.

 

All of the above contingent upon me understanding your situation correctly. If not, maybe it will help someone.

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Thanks so much for a great response, lots of things to try there.

 

I am going to attempt the install / uninstall of acronis boot loader. i have a sneaky suspicion that might be the culprit here. once i have my mbr fixed an osx booting on it's own drive without a boot loader (bios select) then i'll explore a boot loader for booting from the 2 diff drives.

 

fun..

 

I'll report back and thanks again - you type fast.

 

Cheers

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i tried booting into xp then using acronis boot media tool to make a usb drive bootable with disk tools and boot loader / activator - no go.. 1: it does not recognize osx, 2: after uninstalling i get a mbr error, floppy not found.. no floppy on my machine here.

 

when uninstalling acronis boot loader it asks for preferred boot device.. default to floppy if no OS found on mbr or partition..

 

do i have to buy a new hard disk? man, this is becoming a comedy or nightmare depending on your sense of humor :P

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