First time i handle a Mac... installation help needed

[iceman600]

this is my first time to handle a mac... im a linux user and im planing to buy a mac book pro until this friend of mine ask for help.

he owns a iMac (late 2006) thats what pops it says on the apple site when i put in the serial number to check if there is a warranty.

Problem is, it is stuck on the apple logo with spining wheel on it. So what i did first is read about iMacs and trouble shooting those kind of problem. i tried almost all i read but still i cannot make it to boot so what i did is ordered a MAC OS X 10.6.3 SNOW LEOPARD RETAIL-INT because i he cannot find the original installation disk.

Now at this point more problem arises... i did go to disk utilities to wipe erase the root drive. but durring the process of erasing ... the process fail. and the HDD cant be detected anymore...

so what i did, since im a linux user i put a Gparted disk and completely wipe the HDD drive and format it with hsf+

reboot and the HDD is detected again on the Osx installation disk. so i did a choose again the journaled one and install the snow leapard.

then durring the process of installation it fail. with an error of canot copy somehing.... (cant remember exactly waht it says) but i did it over and over still i cant get it to install.

i need some help what am i doing wrong?

i did do my HW reading ... the system is intel based and the installer is intel based too... i tried aldo putting my external HD on the usb hoping maybe i can try to install it there but the disk utility cant detect it... ?

really need a help on this. now im having doubts on buying a Mac book Pro... Im planing to buy a mac book pro in the next coulple of weeks but this scares me...

 

[TEG]

When you get repeated errors when reading or writing to the hard drive, as you are when installing the OS, then the error is likely a bad hard drive. The iMac uses a standard SATA hard drive, and can easily be replaced, but due to some special concerns with some of the internals (like the power supply not being covered inside), it would be best to get an authorized repair center or certified technician to replace the hard drive. Then you should be able to use the machine just fine.

TEG

 

[iceman600]

When you get repeated errors when reading or writing to the hard drive, as you are when installing the OS, then the error is likely a bad hard drive. The iMac uses a standard SATA hard drive, and can easily be replaced, but due to some special concerns with some of the internals (like the power supply not being covered inside), it would be best to get an authorized repair center or certified technician to replace the hard drive. Then you should be able to use the machine just fine.

TEG

i got an answer fast... liking this community =)
i searched about how to replace a HDD on iMac and i think i can manage to do it... but my anly concern is what if its not the HHD is the problem? Thats what concerns me... how will i know if that is really the problem... coz after doing the Gparted formating and inserting the intallation disk the HDD is detected again.. and doing a verification and repair on the disk utility, im having greens...

im also concern if i have the right disk? (installation disk) for this type of machine. its a an intel machine so did i purchase the right installation disk?
the system req maches ... but failing on installing

 

[biggd]

i got an answer fast... liking this community =)
i searched about how to replace a HDD on iMac and i think i can manage to do it... but my anly concern is what if its not the HHD is the problem? Thats what concerns me... how will i know if that is really the problem... coz after doing the Gparted formating and inserting the intallation disk the HDD is detected again.. and doing a verification and repair on the disk utility, im having greens...

im also concern if i have the right disk? (installation disk) for this type of machine. its a an intel machine so did i purchase the right installation disk?
the system req maches ... but failing on installing

Its a bad hard drive sir. It can be nothing else

 

[iceman600]

Its a bad hard drive sir. It can be nothing else

Thank you biggd...
im gonna shop around now for a HDD

 

[iceman600]

i did it... now its working great... i did fix the fist mac i handle... definitely im buying a mac book pro next week.

one question tho... im not familiar about the registration of the software.
when i installed the snow leopard i skip the part of the sofware registration anly because its not my iMac.

is the registration like the one in windows like you have to put a serial number ans stuff? the installation CD that i bought (snow leopard is just for a single device as stated on the box) but since i skiped the registration process is it possible that the istallation CD can still be used on other Mac computers?

 

[biggd]

is the registration like the one in windows like you have to put a serial number ans stuff? the installation CD that i bought (snow leopard is just for a single device as stated on the box) but since i skiped the registration process is it possible that the istallation CD can still be used on other Mac computers?

There's no code to enter.
And yes it could be used again, however.. Because apple is a cult we would never dishonor Steve Jobs. We would buy another disk