Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 I bought a second hand Macbook when i got it, it had no operating system installed so i tried to install it with the disks it come with which is Mac OS X 10.5.4 but everytime i went to disk utility to try and format the HD it gave an error. so i replaced the HD with Hitachi Travelstar HTS545016B9A300 160GB 5400RPM 8MB Cache 2.5" Notebook SATA Ha Digitalpromo.co.uk but now when i go into the installation there is no HD their also there is no HD in disk utility. I have put the old one back in and it shows but gives the same errors. I also tried the new HD in a laptop and it works fine. Is there anyway to fix this?
nicklec Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Have you tried booting gparted (livecd) or similar to check for the HDD?
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 (edited) exactly which mac book was it and if you check the new hard drive ratings with ref to voltage / amp / current etc is it similiar or different to the original hdd Also when you are booted with the OS X cd when you are using disk util you should be able to click on the repair disk or verify disk - if not you can boot into single user mode and check the file system of the hard drive Should be something similiar to below http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1417 Edited February 10, 2010 by mac_shinobi
Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Author Posted February 10, 2010 Iv got the early MacBook 2007 model littl White one. The old hard drive says 5v 0.60a and the new one says 5v 700ma.
Robbocop Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 I checked what replacement drives we're selling for Macbook and the part number you gave looks the same to me. If it's not showing in disk Utility at all you're stuck completely. What is the error message you get if you have the original drive installed and I'll see what the technical guys here think?
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 I would re install the new hard drive making sure the cable is seated firmly and try again with the OS X disc and boot up and use disk util to format it ( should be in the menu for disk util )
Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Author Posted February 10, 2010 i cant remember the exact error but it says something like write erase error or something just wont let me partiton it or format it. Also the new hard drive has been taken out an put back in but still does not work. I got the new hard drive to show up once and when i clicked format it just didnt do anything and it did not come up with any error
soveryapt Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 This isn't so much a helpful post, but I upgraded my MacBook drive to a 320GB one, I went through 2 Hitachi Drives failing in it before buying a Seagate one, just for reference. Anyway, in terms of it not seeing the drive, are the disks you have the right ones for that model of MacBook, or actual retail disks, as if they're not either of them, then you'll have great trouble. I fixed a MacBook for a colleagues son about a month back and they gave me the "disks that came with it" but they were Tiger Disks from a PPC not Intel and then disks for a MacBook but not the same MacBook model as the one I was working on so in the end they ended up having to pay for Snow Leopard instead, as soon as I got the disks the OS was installed in however long it takes OS to install, but they can be quite precise as to the install media they want to work from. *edit* I was able to format the disk though with the MacBook DVD he gave me to try the second time using the Erase function in the Disk Util, but it just wouldn't let me install it after that as the disk didn't show up.
Robbocop Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Hmmm. I'm a bit worried that the SATA controller on the motherboard might be at fault, and I hope that's not the case. I know people keep telling you to use the right disks and to use disk Utility, but I'm assuming that you are running Disk Utility from the DVD, yes? If so, you are already doing the right thing. I wonder if it's worth trying the original drive in the other laptop you mentioned in your initial post? If the old drive works in the other laptop then you'll know, or at least be pretty sure, there's a fault with the SATA controller. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you've just got a dodgy drive though.
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 (edited) Hmmm. I'm a bit worried that the SATA controller on the motherboard might be at fault, and I hope that's not the case. I know people keep telling you to use the right disks and to use disk Utility, but I'm assuming that you are running Disk Utility from the DVD, yes? If so, you are already doing the right thing. I wonder if it's worth trying the original drive in the other laptop you mentioned in your initial post? If the old drive works in the other laptop then you'll know, or at least be pretty sure, there's a fault with the SATA controller. I'll keep my fingers crossed that you've just got a dodgy drive though. If the new hard drive works on another laptop then may point to the sata controller edited I would get it replaced and get a western digital or a samsung or another drive not a hitachi and see if thats any better - if its the same then it may be the sata controller Edited February 10, 2010 by mac_shinobi
Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Author Posted February 10, 2010 The other laptop is a hp so I will not be able to install the os on that. I'm pretty sure it's not the sata cotrollers xause the other HD shows. Is there a chance that it could just be the laptop not accepting an hitachi hard drive but it will accept another one?
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 The other laptop is a hp so I will not be able to install the os on that. I'm pretty sure it's not the sata cotrollers xause the other HD shows. Is there a chance that it could just be the laptop not accepting an hitachi hard drive but it will accept another one? possibly - may be down to the voltage / current / ampage of the hard drive draws ?? long shot - could be wrong. Maybe return it as not fit for purpose as it does not work with your mac book and get a samsung or western digital hdd
Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Author Posted February 10, 2010 possibly - may be down to the voltage / current / ampage of the hard drive draws ?? long shot - could be wrong. Maybe return it as not fit for purpose as it does not work with your mac book and get a samsung or western digital hdd Will they take the HD back as i have already opened it??
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 (edited) Will they take the HD back as i have already opened it?? trading standards - you should be within your right to get a money back refund assuming its within the time period as it was not fit for the original purpose which was to replace the hard drive on the mac book ( apple laptop ) as it does not work with the laptop. edited I normally purchase mac stuff from here http://www.thebookyard.com/ Edited February 10, 2010 by mac_shinobi
MPorter Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Hi I upgraded the hard drive in my black Macbook for a 320GB WD Scorpio Blue. When I did so, the installation discs refused to see the drive. Not wanting to go through the hassle of returning the drive, I put it in a USB caddy, connected it the mac, and installed OS 10.5, and later 10.6, this way. The install works fine, and when the drive was placed back in the mac, it worked fine. As far as I can tell, it was a SATA vs SATA II problem (Sorry, not much of a hardware expert). Strange if it is that the installer cannot support SATA II in thus day and age. A long shot, but worth a try. Maria
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Hi I upgraded the hard drive in my black Macbook for a 320GB WD Scorpio Blue. When I did so, the installation discs refused to see the drive. Not wanting to go through the hassle of returning the drive, I put it in a USB caddy, connected it the mac, and installed OS 10.5, and later 10.6, this way. The install works fine, and when the drive was placed back in the mac, it worked fine. As far as I can tell, it was a SATA vs SATA II problem (Sorry, not much of a hardware expert). Strange if it is that the installer cannot support SATA II in thus day and age. A long shot, but worth a try. Maria U reminded me that if it is a sata 2 drive u should be able to use a jumper to put it into comparability mode for sata 1 and see if that helps
Ryno Posted February 10, 2010 Author Posted February 10, 2010 Thanks it's a strange HD it's not got any jumpers :-s
mac_shinobi Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 Thanks it's a strange HD it's not got any jumpers :-s seems to vary from drive to drive - some are meant to auto switch and others have a jumper ( assuming the drive you have is sata 2 as apposed to sata 1 MacBookPro4,1 SATA II compatible - comp.sys.mac.misc | Google Groups Personally I would get a better branded hdd ie western digital or the likes
Chillibear Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 I'd agree with MPorter, try hooking the drive up via a USB adapter and try to do the install to that or at least partition and formatted it before putting it back inside the laptop, that's how I'd proceed before trying other HDDs
sammya Posted February 10, 2010 Posted February 10, 2010 If you have another mac lying around, then you could try the following. connect a firewire cable between the 2 macs put the new drive in the macbook, then boot it whilst holding down the T key, this put the machine in target disk mode. The other mac will now see the macbook just like an external firewire drive. The new HDD should be seen in disk util on the 2nd mac, you can now format it in disk utility or even install the OS from a 2nd mac. This does depend on having another mac though. this kb article has more info on FW target mode How to use and troubleshoot FireWire target disk mode Sammy
mac_shinobi Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 I'd agree with MPorter, try hooking the drive up via a USB adapter and try to do the install to that or at least partition and formatted it before putting it back inside the laptop, that's how I'd proceed before trying other HDDs If at any point os x needs re installing what will the asker have to do next time? Strip his laptop to bits again shove the hdd into a USB caddy just so they can do a re install and then go through the reverse of that ie putting it back and putting the laptop back together again?
Ryno Posted February 11, 2010 Author Posted February 11, 2010 Ok I got a enclouse to put the HD in and I have installed mac os x but now when I put the HD back in the mac it comes up with a folder and a ? Mark is there anyway to sort this or am I going to have to use the external enclosure!
OutToLunch Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 trading standards - you should be within your right to get a money back refund assuming its within the time period as it was not fit for the original purpose which was to replace the hard drive on the mac book ( apple laptop ) as it does not work with the laptop. That's the wrong kind of fit for purpose though - that clause is intended to make sure that things stand up to their intended use, e.g. hammer doesn't shatter when you hit a nail. It doesn't cover you buying the wrong item for the job as far as I'm aware. Nothing in the original page bumph says it's for a mac.
mac_shinobi Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 Ok I got a enclouse to put the HD in and I have installed mac os x but now when I put the HD back in the mac it comes up with a folder and a ? Mark is there anyway to sort this or am I going to have to use the external enclosure! When you formatted it to install OS X did you do the following with ref to a GUID partition Format a Drive to Boot Intel Macs | Tips | The Mac Observer
mac_shinobi Posted February 11, 2010 Posted February 11, 2010 (edited) That's the wrong kind of fit for purpose though - that clause is intended to make sure that things stand up to their intended use, e.g. hammer doesn't shatter when you hit a nail. It doesn't cover you buying the wrong item for the job as far as I'm aware. Nothing in the original page bumph says it's for a mac. when you replace a hard drive you only want to install it , put the laptop together ( once and once only ) and when you do anything else you do it by formatting it the way that its intended to be formatted not all this malarky of stripping a laptop down to bits and pieces , taking the hard drive out, putting it into an ext usb caddy and doing all the extra gumph just to install or re install an os etc so still not fit for purpose because it does not work how it should work Edited February 11, 2010 by mac_shinobi
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