Big Problem: MacBook Air now NO system, please help me out.

[erwind]

Hi all...

i have a big problem with my MacBook Air. I live in Indonesia. I just bought MBA from Singapore a week ago.

The problem is:
A few hours ago, i tried to re-install clean MacOS X into my MBA (following tips from ClayJ's post) to free up some space.

But in the process of re-installing, the electricity in my house went down. I was using my iMac DVD-drive on a wireless network to do the whole thing (with Remote Disk feature). Electricity went down when my MBA is starting to installing MacOS X. So there's already no system on the harddrive.

Now...
i cannot connect to the iMac again. and i cannot resume the proccess. on my MBA, there's a blank white screen with a folder icon and a question mark on it.

I tried to reboot it while holding down Option key, to choose target disk. My network do appears on it to choose. But still no other option. and still cannot resume or restart all the installation progress.

Can anyone please help me, any ideas on what i should do?

Because:
- In Indonesia, there's no official Apple Store. so there's no Genius ppl around. The only way is going back to Singapore and return this... and this is almost impossible for now. T_T

- some friends told me, maybe i can install MacOS X again if i buy the external Superdrive. but this is not so sure, becuase my MBA now has now system in it. and also, no store in Indonesia sell the Superdrive right now.

i'm very frustrated.... please please help me out.

 

[erwind]

something to add:

i'm not using Apple's product for WiFi AP. i'm using Linksys WAP. my network appears on the target disk MBA, but still doesnt show install disc option.

 

[riyadc2]

You should be able to install Leopard using any external USB dvd-rom drive. A regular internal DVD drive + an USB Enclosure should work too. So you might wanna try to find a friend with one or buy an external dvd drive then return it

 

[zainjetha]

sorry please excuse my cruelty but killing myself with laughter as that is one of the most unlikely possibilities which one would not normally take into account.

However i wonder how you will make the ezternal cd drive to operate without drivers which need OSx to run.

Good luck

 

[Sijmen]

[...]However i wonder how you will make the ezternal cd drive to operate without drivers which need OSx to run.

Yes, just like OS X needs drivers for external hard drives?

 

[erwind]

You should be able to install Leopard using any external USB dvd-rom drive. A regular internal DVD drive + an USB Enclosure should work too. So you might wanna try to find a friend with one or buy an external dvd drive then return it

i've tried using 2 eksternal DVD-RW drive, using a IDE to USB cable with independent power.

First DVD drive is LG, works fine until MacOS X is about to install the files (after choosing the Macintosh HD destination) but then freeze and saying an error message (something about read error).
Second DVD drive is a brand new Pioneer DVD-RW drive. i plug it to the USB port using the same cable. result is worse. An apple logo appears (like when you restart a Mac), but stay like that forever...

Now, i'm trying a new way. Cloning the MacOS X installation DVD into an external HDD. using Super Duper 2.5. still in thr progress... i hope this one will works. i still dont know though, do i need to copy the second DVD into a different partition or just use the same partition as the first DVD clone.

 

[raremage]

Just a thought - call Apple? It's a pretty unlikely scenario, but still one that they should have tested and been able to handle. I would ask them for a solution.

 

[erwind]

Just a thought - call Apple? It's a pretty unlikely scenario, but still one that they should have tested and been able to handle. I would ask them for a solution.

i've tried calling to Apple Customer Care this morning, using a long distance international call from Indonesia to Singapore. T_T

the person i was talking to, was just hearing my problem, asking my name, my phone number, and my MBA serial number, then say this:

"...unfortunetely, MBA is a very new product. we will need some time to analyze and try to come up with the best solution for your problem. please gives me a moment to report this case. and please call back again later...."

 

[mulubinba]

I had a very similar problem. I managed to erase my MBA HDD before trying to reinstall OS X using remote disc only to discover that remote install OS X did not work (still not sure why). I think an external superdrive would have solved it for me but I did not have one. I re-installed OS X using an external USB drive using the method described in this link:

http://www.macfixit.com/article.php?story=20071101112529955

I only used disc 1. Note that you have to reformat and partition the drive using the GUID partition scheme. Then I cloned the installer disc 1 to a partition on the USB drive. Booted from this partition and installed the minimal OS X so that it didn't require disc 2. (Disc 2 is required for the iLife applications) Once done restarted the MBA from its own drive and reinstalled everything else using the install optional and additional software installers on the DVD. All running well now.

Hope this helps.

 

[erwind]

I had a very similar problem....

yes. i know.
i've been reading your post at Apple Discussion board and post a question to u, hoping u will answer. ^^ now u answer it here. hahaha... i have done making 2 DVD clone to a 2 different partition HDD. i will try it now, hope this one will work. wish me luck...

 

[mulubinba]

Good luck!

 

[erwind]

It is DONE!!!!

Wow... thanks guys. Mulubinba, u especially. i used your method, i read about it in Apple Discussion Board. Now my MBA working just like new!

Note to Apple though... they still have a lot of homework to do for the Air. The heat problem and the Remote Disk problem...

Honestly, me and wife now thinking to sell the MBA and get a MBP instead. Too much trouble at start.