Mac Kernel Panics

[Smegma Cake]

So after a long drawn out debate, I finally decided to bite the bullet and attempt to get my out of date Macbook Pro fixed. After extensive research, It seems the only way to upgrade and keep all my data was to install Mac OS X 10.5

 

Looking around online, all I could find were Amazon & Ebay links, at an extortionate price. However thanks to a friend he created a DMG file of the Mac OS X 10.5 installer and gave it to me.

 

Using Disk Utility I attempted to install this using the 'source & destination' options on restore. Up came an error message saying 'error 2'

 

After initially thinking, ok fine it doesn't work. Five minutes later I received this screen

 

 

After numerous restarts, resetting PRAM and everything else. I'm still getting this message.

 

Sadly my Mac was purchased between 2005 and 2007 (I'm not sure as we had the original stolen and insurance got us a brand new one) yet due to a mammoth clean out, it seems I've misplaced the Macbook box AND the installing discs. Providing I don't find these discs, does anyone know any way to rectify this?

 

I'm hoping this is the cause and not an actual HD failure or anything like that.

 

I was running Mac OS X 10.4.11 and I understand that by doing the source & destination on restore, I may have wiped the OS completely off the hard drive. I watched someone on Youtube do it, from an external hard drive and he did say that his external drive may be wiped in the process, but his didn't, but it could very well happen.

 

So is there a way to fix this and if not, would Apple install a new OS if I purchased it there and then for my at one of their stores?

[Loki]

Hmm. Is your Macbook an old PPC, or is it Intel?

 

Not sure exactly why you were upgrading using Disk Utility either, surely you just run the updater?

 

It does sound like you completely fucked up the update to the point that there's no working OS on there.

 

Try booting into Firmware: reboot but hold down CMD-OPT-O-F as you do it. This should take you to a command line where you can find out some shit about your Mac

 

http://mac.linux.be/content/guide-open-firmware-apple-bios-0

 

The other thing to try is to create a proper DVD of the 10.5 installer your mate gave you, on another computer, and then boot your laptop from that DVD. You can boot from the drive by holding down C during startup.

[Smegma Cake]

Its an Intel Mac, my mate downloaded and burnt the DMG to a dual layered DVD and copied it to his external Hard Drive. DVD didn't read (I'm assuming that's a stand alone issue with my machine)

 

So as I copied the DMG across, opened, mounted all fine. Clicked on the Installer, restarted as prompted but nothing happened. Tried this many times, holding C on boot up but nothing happened at all.

 

Hence why I used disk utility. It appears I may have wiped or corrupted OS X 10.4.11 even though the 10.5 update didn't work.

 

I called Apple just to see if they had any ideas, but the lass on the phone seemed mighty confused. Eventually though, she mentioned TDM - Target Disk Mode - Which I should use to get all my data, if there's any left but there should be according to her, and transfer via firewire to another Mac and then to an external HD.

 

At this point my data is the least of my worries as the thing won't go past the gray 'you must restart' screen.

 

I've ordered Mac OS 10.6 from Apple for 14 quid just to be safe, so that I know I've got some kind of OS disc in my possession. Though I'll probably need to either get the optical drive fixed, and that'll cost a fortune knowing Apple, or buy a stand alone external optical drive and boot from that, with the 10.6 disc inside, it should erase and install as normal. Apparently.

 

CMD - OPTION - O - F didn't work for me

 

 

Even holding option - S takes me to a black screen with a load of text, apparently a terminal style thing but I couldn't type anything or run any commands.

[Loki]

I'll be honest, it sounds like it's completely fucked If you can't even boot into Firmware, then it's toast.

 

The Target Disk mode is holding down T on bootup, which will effectively make your computer a Firewire drive (and completely circumvent your password protection at the same time - thanks Apple!) so you might be able to restore data. But if you can't even boot to Firmware, then this bootup probably won't work.

[Smegma Cake]

I've bought an external disc drive and the Mac OS 10.6 disc should be here tomorrow (Probably Monday knowing my luck)

 

Even if its 'toast' I'm assuming I can boot up the disc installation from the external disc drive? Seeing as the one on my machine doesn't work (Other than a few rare occasions, mainly MP3 CD's)

 

I've done the TDM, but can't find anyone else with a firewire port that I know so chances of getting my data back are slim to none. Not really an issue at this point in time, all I want is the official apple installation disc to work. In your opinion, should it? Given that the main issue seems to be that the previous OS is the thing that's gubbed, hence the panic on startup?

[Loki]

The actual data on your drive should be ok; ultimately you could always remove the drive, stick it in a cradle and extract data from it.

 

Whether or not you can resurrect the laptop, I don't know. I don't know how to force it to boot from an external drive as opposed to the internal one. There may be a way, I'll dig around.

[Smegma Cake]

From what I've read, holting ALT while powering up takes me to the bootup screen. I've done it and it took me to a screen showing me the Macintosh HD (Which I couldn't click on) and I'm guessing once the disk arrives it'll show up, as long as the optical drive reads it perfectly well.

 

I've watched people do it on Youtube, though they've done it from an external hard drive rather than an actual disk reader. I'm assuming since its the official Apple installation disc, providing the actual external reader works fine, there should be no issues. Meaning I should be able to install the new OS, even if all my data is gone or not.

 

I've read other places it could be my actual HD itself that's fried, but given I can see it using the ALT boot up, I'm guessing all is good as the ALT method is purely to boot up a new OS rather than log into your existing one.

 

 

So in short, the HD seems fine, the Mac itself seems fine, I just have no OS to load into...until the disc from Apple arrives.

 

Any other help would be great though, but I'm stuck in limbo till the disc actually arrives from Apple.

[Smegma Cake]

Just to update, in case Loki cares.

 

Snow Leopard arrived today, after a lot of faffing around its finally installed. Complete data loss, all files etc etc. However I'm now upgraded to Mac OS 10.6.3 and functioning well.

 

Apart from the loss of files, some I'd had for over five years, I'm fully functional. So it didn't seem to be any other issue other than the old operating system failing.

 

Cheers fror the help nonetheless! Appreciated.

[Loki]

It sounds like when you were using Disk Utility you formatted the drive then. That's tough.

 

Glad to hear you got Snow Leopard on though, welcome to a great OS!

[kendal mint cake]

I have a 2007 macbook pro that has been laying about the house dead for about 2 years. From my research I deduced it was a logic board failure indicative to a certain batch produced around 2007 and that I could get it fixed out of warranty. Apple 'Genius' disagreed and quoted me

[Smegma Cake]

It appears so, Loki. All in all, I'm back up and running on a more up to date OS. It needed done regardless of data loss or not.

 

As for your dead Mac, Apple is always your best bet but the prices are outrageous. My little bro came in drunk one night, using my Mac and dropped it. The screen basically fell off. After weeks of looking online to find someone to fix it cheaper, I gave up and let Apple do it for just under 300 quid.

 

Though there was places online that would have done it half as cheap in half the time, I just don't trust online retailers enough. Mac Repairs, google that and other than actual Apple sites you'll find places that'll pick it up (Within reason) diagnose it, fix it and send it back for a far more reasonable price than Apple. Just depends if you trust them more than I do.

[kendal mint cake]

There's no fucking way I'm paying

[Smegma Cake]

I wouldn't spend that either, but you could probably get it for less at an unofficial repair shop.

 

Obviously it'll be cheaper to buy a new laptop, and if you do get it fixed you might have to upgrade like I did. I'm a Mac person, so I'd say its worth the time and effort, maybe not the cash though.