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Installing OS X 10.5 from USB

K

Knetto

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 11, 2014
13
0
Hello everybody.
I just got my hands on a Mac Pro 3.1 and I love it.
I am trying to reinstall the original OSX on my computer but
with no luck.
I have made a bootable usb with Tiger on it.
No matter what key I press, option, shift, etc no responce.
I have even tried the original discs......same there.

What am I missing??:(
 
Knetto said:
I have even tried the original discs......same there.
Click to expand...
The "original" disc as in the one that came with the MP (and not some other Mac)? It's typically very critical that the "original" disc matches the Mac you're installing it on. If it's a "retail" copy, then it shouldn't matter.

Here's an install guide for Leopard I cribbed from the web:
  1. Start your Mac while holding down the option key.
  2. Your Mac will display the Startup Manager, and a list of icons that represent all of the bootable devices available to your Mac.
  3. Insert the Leopard Install DVD into a slot-loading DVD drive, or press the eject key and insert the Leopard Install DVD into a tray-loading drive.
  4. After a few moments, the Install DVD should show as one of the bootable icons. If it doesn’t, click the reload icon (a circular arrow) that’s available on some Mac models, or restart your Mac.
  5. Once the Leopard Install DVD icon displays, click it to restart your Mac and boot from the installation DVD.

If that doesn't work, I don't know what else to suggest.
 
Thanks.
The problem is that nothing is happening when I press "option" :-(
 
ixxx69 said:
If it's a "retail" copy, then it shouldn't matter.
Click to expand...

No it would matter. If it's a 10.5.0 or 10.5.1 install disc, the machine will either not boot from it or have problems booting from it. Since the 3,1 shipped with a special build of 10.5.1, it would need a newer retail disc to install, in this case the 10.5.4 install disc. An original gray Apple restore disc would be needed to run 10.5.1.

OP, on the CD does it have a big black "X" on it with a purple background with stars, or is it gray with an Apple logo and say something along the lines of "Mac Pro Software Restore"? If it's the former, there will be a version number on the disc. It would be either 10.5, 10.5.1, 10.5.4 or 10.5.6. Version 10.5 and 10.5.1 cannot boot your Mac Pro. 10.5.4 and 10.5.6 will. If it's the latter, it might be a bad disc. If you are really adamant about getting 10.5 on there, I'd call AppleCare. They will still sell you original restore discs for your machine for about $20. They won't be gray like what it would have shipped with, but they will work (I bought the Leopard disc from AppleCare for my 4,1).
 
iamMacPerson said:
No it would matter. If it's a 10.5.0 or 10.5.1 install disc, the machine will either not boot from it or have problems booting from it. Since the 3,1 shipped with a special build of 10.5.1, it would need a newer retail disc to install, in this case the 10.5.4 install disc. An original gray Apple restore disc would be needed to run 10.5.1.
Click to expand...
Good point! I was referring to the terms "original" vs "retail", but yes, the point version would matter.
 
It´s a Mac keyboard (wired)

My discs are grey and it says:
Mac OS X Install disc 1 (and 2)
Mac OS version 10.5.2
 
But the biggest problem reamins:

Nothing happens when I press "option"
 
Yes, it was intstalled with Mountain Lion when I got it.
It starts fine from that hdd.

But pressing "option" or "C" doesn´t work, just a black screen
 
Knetto said:
Yes, it was intstalled with Mountain Lion when I got it.
It starts fine from that hdd.

But pressing "option" or "C" doesn´t work, just a black screen
Click to expand...

Start up from the hard disk, put the CD in and see if the disc pops up in the a Finder. Your CD drive might be going out.
 
The cd pops up fine, I can also click the install button and it says: "Click here to install.......the computer will restart" something like that. Doesn´t work.

The thing is. ML is working super, but with all my musical-plugins I need to intall SnowLeopard, since it only will work with SL.

When that didn´t work I tried to install the original.
 
Knetto said:
The cd pops up fine, I can also click the install button and it says: "Click here to install.......the computer will restart" something like that. Doesn´t work.

The thing is. ML is working super, but with all my musical-plugins I need to intall SnowLeopard, since it only will work with SL.

When that didn´t work I tried to install the original.
Click to expand...

Just by chance does it have any PCI cards installed? Sometimes this can cause errors while booting.
 
I can see the cd in "Startup disk" fine.

There is a network card in the pci, I will try and remove that.
I have also upgraded my videocard; could that be a problem?
I choose one from ebay that would be "mac-ok"

----------

...I have also put in more memory.
 
Knetto said:
I can see the cd in "Startup disk" fine.

There is a network card in the pci, I will try and remove that.
I have also upgraded my videocard; could that be a problem?
I choose one from ebay that would be "mac-ok"

----------

...I have also put in more memory.
Click to expand...

Just try removing the network card. The video card should be fine, which model is it do you know? It might not be fully compatible with 10.5/10.6, but it would at least boot you into the boot selector. If you select the disc from System Prefs and click reboot, will it boot from the CD?
 
That didn´t work either :-(

ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB Juniper XT GDDR5 DVI/DP/HDMI PCIe Video Card for Mac Pro

Maybe I have to ask a friend to do an install from his Mac instead.
That should be possible right?
 
Knetto said:
That didn´t work either :-(

ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB Juniper XT GDDR5 DVI/DP/HDMI PCIe Video Card for Mac Pro

Maybe I have to ask a friend to do an install from his Mac instead.
That should be possible right?
Click to expand...

Wait, wait. Is this a flash video card? If so that is why you are getting a black screen because flashed cards cannot show the boot selector or Apple logo at boot. They don't kick in until the machine reaches the log in window. Stick the disc in, hold C while booting, then release once you reach the install window. Normally its under 2 minutes but I have had it take 5+ minutes.
 
You are a star!!! I will try it.
Be right back :)

----------

...and VÒILA!!! IT WORKS :)
You have made my day Mr. Thank you so much.

Do you think it´s possible to install the SL directly instead of
the original disk?
 
Knetto said:
You are a star!!! I will try it.
Be right back :)

----------

...and VÒILA!!! IT WORKS :)
You have made my day Mr. Thank you so much.

Do you think it´s possible to install the SL directly instead of
the original disk?
Click to expand...

No problem! Just follow the same steps that I gave you but with a SL disc and you will be off and rocking.

Glad I could help!

PS: if you ever want to get the Apple logo and boot selector back, you need to pick up an Apple/Mac version of the card. Usually there are subtle differences between them, but when it boots you will know. I have the official Apple/ATI 5870 in my 4,1 and get the boot screen just fine.
 
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