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I broke my OS X Leopard , 10.5.8... can anyone help me fix it without format?

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ediflorianus

macrumors regular
Original poster
Apr 4, 2010
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Hello folks, I did a few stupid things last 6mo or so, mainly brakeing my OSX 10.5.8 instalation on my 4TB sshd hybrid drive... I moved the drive(w/ working osx)from my G5 to my 2009 Mac Pro, started fine, then I had a few missteps there, on other drives and long story short I was only able to load the drive in single-user mode ,mount-uw &start commands,last time,on The Mac Pro, so I got frustrated and moved the drive back to the G5, it turns out you can't do that, so now, after trying the basesics I can't boot from it(the drive) the leopard,on either machine.
(First aid gives error, fixing permissions give error, so not working)....
I can't make heads or tails of the event.... formating the drive is not a priority or option...
I can access drive from diffrent hdd if I boot...(like from Sierra on mac pro or leopard disk on powerpc g5)...
I tried as last resort to graft the original files so it boots but I ended up making it worse,not able to fix permissions...
Now it hangs,on mac pro, or locks up/not finish loading on PowerMac G5 in verbose mode....
I-am kind of lost ... feels like a bad year... especially for me to mess-up my old main drive....

Any assistance is appreciated...Thank you
(I read there may be a way to upgrade the install?or recovery install without loosing user/files/etc)....

P.S.The initial install... back in cc 2009 was the modded osx10.5.4 dmg floating around online for lower end g4's ,if it makes any difference...(I can post link to machgarden or archive if need-bee)
 

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You should try reinstalling from a Leopard installer.
Here's a download source for an ISO that you can use to burn to a dual-layer DVD-R (won't fit on a single layer DVD-R), or, you could make a bootable installer on a thumb drive.

Mac OS X for PPC (Mac OS 10) - Macintosh Garden

Mac OS X Internal Edition - (Download #1) Mac OS X Public Beta System clock must be set before May 2001. Mac OS X Cheetah 10.0 - (Download #2 - #5) 10.0?
macintoshgarden.org macintoshgarden.org
(scroll down to #36 --- that's a good one that I have used a number of times to make Leopard installers.)
 
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DeltaMac said:
You should try reinstalling from a Leopard installer.
Here's a download source for an ISO that you can use to burn to a dual-layer DVD-R (won't fit on a single layer DVD-R), or, you could make a bootable installer on a thumb drive.

Mac OS X for PPC (Mac OS 10) - Macintosh Garden

Mac OS X Internal Edition - (Download #1) Mac OS X Public Beta System clock must be set before May 2001. Mac OS X Cheetah 10.0 - (Download #2 - #5) 10.0?
macintoshgarden.org macintoshgarden.org
(scroll down to #36 --- that's a good one that I have used a number of times to make Leopard installers.)
Click to expand...
Won't it move all my users &3.8tb files into old?I already used a 10.5.6 dual layerd disk to no avail, it wants me to format the hdd... i can share a photo with this
I think I already replaced part of the /system folder, I will try again, main issue is it needs to be entirely permission fixed....after....
 
Makes sense. You're trying to install 10.5.6 (an older release) on top of 10.5.8 (a newer release), no wonder the installer is prompting you to wipe it.

Your best out here is probably to make a backup of your data and start over as it says.
 
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Doq said:
Makes sense. You're trying to install 10.5.6 (an older release) on top of 10.5.8 (a newer release), no wonder the installer is prompting you to wipe it.

Your best out here is probably to make a backup of your data and start over as it says.
Click to expand...
Yes, it would be a option if I could enter the OSX and run mac migration or time machine, then again I would no be facing these issues...I set asside the drive for now until I could find a good , feasible solution.
 
ediflorianus said:
Yes, it would be a option if I could enter the OSX and run mac migration or time machine, then again I would no be facing these issues...I set asside the drive for now until I could find a good , feasible solution.
Click to expand...
Try connecting the drive to another machine? If the filesystem is still good it should pop right up.
 
Doq said:
Try connecting the drive to another machine? If the filesystem is still good it should pop right up.
Click to expand...
That is not the issue,issue is unable to repair the permissions & first aid... the drive shows up fine next to my sierra drive in mac pro, all files ok, but no method to properly migrate the files for a future restore to as initially was, just to copy...(or use from a diffrent install like sierra).
 
ediflorianus said:
That is not the issue,issue is unable to repair the permissions & first aid... the drive shows up fine next to my sierra drive in mac pro, all files ok, but no method to properly migrate the files for a future restore to as initially was, just to copy...(or use from a diffrent install like sierra).
Click to expand...
Right, and I'm saying if your system is this hosed, your best bet is to just copy your data off and start over. I understand this is the opposite of what you want, but it's for the best and will avoid any future issues with trying to reuse a potentially permanently broken system.

I'm confused as to how you managed to get it to boot on a Mac Pro at all. Far as I know, no Mac Pro has ever been able to boot from an APM-formatted disk, and your make of G5 can't boot from a GPT-formatted disk.
 
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Doq said:
Right, and I'm saying if your system is this hosed, your best bet is to just copy your data off and start over. I understand this is the opposite of what you want, but it's for the best and will avoid any future issues with trying to reuse a potentially permanently broken system.

I'm confused as to how you managed to get it to boot on a Mac Pro at all. Far as I know, no Mac Pro has ever been able to boot from an APM-formatted disk, and your make of G5 can't boot from a GPT-formatted disk.
Click to expand...
Nonsense, Mac pro 4.1 boots fine APM 10.5.8.(universal binary)or so I toght, issue is going back to G5 or back&forth.... yeah I will just put asside the old main drive untill this issue is fixed, I already used 3x DL dvds to try and fix the issue without success... I have to order more for any future endeavors. I need to find a drive empty so I can mount the dmg to it ,boot from it externally and copy system folder as above suggested... that is my future move... it seems my dvd with diskwarrior just won't boot, I wonder why.... B.T.W on G5 I get full fans and "still waiting for root device" so it's not locked up but it's not moving forward in the osx boot sequence...
 
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Dronecatcher said:
Wouldn't it be far more reassuring to copy user files and do a clean install - anything else will leave the nagging feeling that something left behind might still cause problems?

View attachment 2530453
Click to expand...
It may be... how should I proceed it's 3.6Tb of files... I don't really have sutch a big drive empty... just smaller ones... (as for a clean install thats not a issue, saving the old users&folders and moving them that may be)
How do I initiate a backup time machine or migration without entering the broken os x?
 

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ediflorianus said:
It may be... how should I proceed it's 3.6Tb of files... I don't really have sutch a big drive empty... just smaller ones... (as for a clean install thats not a issue, saving the old users&folders and moving them that may be)
How do I initiate a backup time machine or migration without entering the broken os x?
Click to expand...
I see your problem. Isn't there a subset of files that you absolutely must keep and only back them up (manually?)

Then, via another computer, delete all the OSX system files and create a 20Gb partition, rename the larger existing partition, install Leopard onto the new one and hopefully all your user files will still be intact?
 
Dronecatcher said:
I see your problem. Isn't there a subset of files that you absolutely must keep and only back them up (manually?)

Then, via another computer, delete all the OSX system files and create a 20Gb partition, rename the larger existing partition, install Leopard onto the new one and hopefully all your user files will still be intact?
Click to expand...
Well, at last I concluded the entire drive is locked in read-only mode.(unable to do anything about that).
It took me 3x dvd's with tech-tool-pro's and other disktool testing-soft, and a fresh copy (not install) of the 10.5.6 for g4+update to 10.5.8 on a ssd that I plugged next to the 4tb sshd. I could not even test "probably replace the /System folder with a fresh copy" suggsted by f54da
 
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Project Alice said:
A lot of early Intels can boot APM, while likewise a few late 2005 PPCs can boot GPT.
Click to expand...
I

huh??

Yes I knew that late '05 PPCs can boot from a GPT disk. My assertion that OP's specific G5 could not was based on what was listed in their signature (2x2GHz and AGP/DDR1 indicate to me an A1047 and not an A1117).

What do you mean early Intels can boot from an APM disk?
 
Doq said:
I'm confused as to how you managed to get it to boot on a Mac Pro at all. Far as I know, no Mac Pro has ever been able to boot from an APM-formatted disk, and your make of G5 can't boot from a GPT-formatted disk.
Click to expand...
Doq said:
Yes I knew that late '05 PPCs can boot from a GPT disk. My assertion that OP's specific G5 could not was based on what was listed in their signature (2x2GHz and AGP/DDR1 indicate to me an A1047 and not an A1117).

What do you mean early Intels can boot from an APM disk?
Click to expand...
Early Intel Macs can boot from APM (Apple Partition Map) disks. I'm not actually sure when they stopped being able to do it.
I have a FW drive with Tiger and Leopard on it, which is APM and was setup for PPC Macs. It boots on my Mac Pro 3,1. I believe I also used it on one of my 2009 4,1s I'm pretty sure, before I turned them both into 5,1s with dual 6 cores. The 5,1 firmware still sees it as bootable, but Leopard KPs due to it having a modern GPU.
My assumption is that any Intel Mac that officially supports Leopard can boot from APM.
 
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Anyway, updates... I'm so close to restauration it's palpable... managed to unlock drive,(from read-only) then lost the mounting, but somehow managed to check it with TTPro, (also did a permissions check), rebooted to ssd and no more errors, I copied a test image file, and now I am copying the system folder of the 4tb. into a zip archive backup (sadly I do have occasional errors in packing the old system folder... to zip,on new ssd). Hopefully tomorrow I can try copying the system folder of the new install onto the old 4tb ...."grafting" maybe a boot....fingers crossed...

Doq, it doesn't matter, I have the dual also, it worked fine moving from 2003 G5 to MacPro(4,1), moving back was the issue that ruined my days. Now I'm on a late 1.6 2003 G5, because I had some cpu issues with the 2.0.(I don't own any ddr2-Pciexpress G5's) (yes we are all talking about APM, gpt was not important to me,and entire event started by trying to install the new open core legacy stuff on separat drive,same machine,Mac pro 4,1, that made me convert the gpt main drive to the new apple scheme(APFS) for nvmes that borked everything backwards...)FWI, Tiger install is unbootable on MacPro4,1(not-seen), and on PowerMac, under Tiger, the APM 10.5.8 partition (of the 4tb), was not recognized. Some info people should know...(I may need to baktrace this,because I think before issues arised, 4tb,may have been accessible from tiger...not sure) I had tiger on secondary 2tb drive... there just as a small backup, for well over a decade on the PowerMac.
 
Last edited:
ediflorianus said:
Hello folks, I did a few stupid things last 6mo or so, mainly brakeing my OSX 10.5.8 instalation on my 4TB sshd hybrid drive... I moved the drive(w/ working osx)from my G5 to my 2009 Mac Pro, started fine, then I had a few missteps there, on other drives and long story short I was only able to load the drive in single-user mode ,mount-uw &start commands,last time,on The Mac Pro, so I got frustrated and moved the drive back to the G5, it turns out you can't do that, so now, after trying the basesics I can't boot from it(the drive) the leopard,on either machine.
(First aid gives error, fixing permissions give error, so not working)....
I can't make heads or tails of the event.... formating the drive is not a priority or option...
I can access drive from diffrent hdd if I boot...(like from Sierra on mac pro or leopard disk on powerpc g5)...
I tried as last resort to graft the original files so it boots but I ended up making it worse,not able to fix permissions...
Now it hangs,on mac pro, or locks up/not finish loading on PowerMac G5 in verbose mode....
I-am kind of lost ... feels like a bad year... especially for me to mess-up my old main drive....

Any assistance is appreciated...Thank you
(I read there may be a way to upgrade the install?or recovery install without loosing user/files/etc)....

P.S.The initial install... back in cc 2009 was the modded osx10.5.4 dmg floating around online for lower end g4's ,if it makes any difference...(I can post link to machgarden or archive if need-bee)
Click to expand...

ediflorianus said:
Anyway, updates... I'm so close to restauration it's palpable... managed to unlock drive,(from read-only) then lost the mounting, but somehow managed to check it with TTPro, (also did a permissions check), rebooted to ssd and no more errors, I copied a test image file, and now I am copying the system folder of the 4tb. into a zip archive backup (sadly I do have occasional errors in packing the old system folder... to zip,on new ssd). Hopefully tomorrow I can try copying the system folder of the new install onto the old 4tb ...."grafting" maybe a boot....fingers crossed...

Doq, it doesn't matter, I have the dual also, it worked fine moving from 2003 G5 to MacPro(4,1), moving back was the issue that ruined my days. Now I'm on a late 1.6 2003 G5, because I had some cpu issues with the 2.0.(I don't own any ddr2-Pciexpress G5's) (yes we are all talking about APM, gpt was not important to me,and entire event started by trying to install the new open core legacy stuff on separat drive,same machine,Mac pro 4,1, that made me convert the gpt main drive to the new apple scheme for nvmes that borked everything backwards...)FWI, Tiger install is unbootable on MacPro4,1(not-seen), and on PowerMac, under Tiger, the APM 10.5.8 partition (of the 4tb), was not recognized. Some info people should know...(I may need to baktrace this,because I think before issues arised, 4tb,may have been accessible from tiger...not sure) I had tiger on secondary 2tb drive... there just as a small backup, for well over a decade on the PowerMac.
Click to expand...
Here's what I would do.
Back up your home folder, and your installed applications (if you have 3rd party ones). Once those are backed up somewhere, format and reinstall. Make a user that is the same name, including the case of your current user. You'll most importantly want the short names to match.
Then update to 10.5.8. Then move your home folder back, replacing all the contents of the new one completely. Copy back and install your apps as needed.

That will effectively give you a working install without losing any of your stuff, unless you're using that 4TB drive for a bunch of other stuff. In that case, it would be best practice to have that stuff backed up somewhere else anyway.
 
Doq said:
I

huh??

Yes I knew that late '05 PPCs can boot from a GPT disk. My assertion that OP's specific G5 could not was based on what was listed in their signature (2x2GHz and AGP/DDR1 indicate to me an A1047 and not an A1117).

What do you mean early Intels can boot from an APM disk?
Click to expand...

Project Alice said:
Here's what I would do.
Back up your home folder, and your installed applications (if you have 3rd party ones). Once those are backed up somewhere, format and reinstall. Make a user that is the same name, including the case of your current user. You'll most importantly want the short names to match.
Then update to 10.5.8. Then move your home folder back, replacing all the contents of the new one completely. Copy back and install your apps as needed.

That will effectively give you a working install without losing any of your stuff, unless you're using that 4TB drive for a bunch of other stuff. In that case, it would be best practice to have that stuff backed up somewhere else anyway.
Click to expand...
I am not sure is that simple, however I can try changing home folder if the system thing not working (doing the copy now)
 
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