Mac Pro 1,1 - Snow Leopard install will not work

[inglesworth]

I purchased a Mac pro 1,1 from someone who had previously done an upgrade that allows it to run OS 10.9.5. I'm not sure exactly how they did it, but it has been running 10.9.5 flawlessly for a while now.

I have an application for which having 10.6.8 would be handy, and realized that there shouldn't be any hardware restrictions with installing 10.6 on this machine - except for the fact that the super drive has been removed before I purchased it. I have a .dmg for 10.6.7 install, which I restored to a usb stick, and can boot the installer from there. As soon as I select a language, I receive an error message that:
"Mac OS X Can't be installed on this computer." I am given an option to restart, or to restore from a time machine backup. If I select the time machine backup, it will allow me to access the command bar at the top and I can get in to Terminal, Disk Utility, etc.

(system info and error message screenshots attached)

I am unsure if the issue is caused by whatever process made it so that the machine can run 10.9. But anyone who may have any ideas on what to try, your input is greatly appreciated.


Here are the things I have attempted:
Cleared PRAM/NVRAM
Removed all hard drives except for the empty drive to install 10.6 on
Removed the EFI partition from the disk using disk utility debug mode after the drive was formatted in 10.9
Still didn't work, so I...
Reformatted using disk utility on the 10.6 installation boot disk
- partitioned to have a partition less than 1TB (400GB) and made sure that it was GUID
Attempted running the installation with only 4GB of RAM in the machine

I am at a loss here. I am generally pretty savvy with computers, but some of the real heavy stuff goes over my head. If someone has any directions I can follow, I can easily do that.

Is there any reason why Snow Leopard won't install on a Mac Pro 1,1?
Is it possible that the EFI partition on the USB stick that was formatted with 10.9 could be an issue? I don't think I can remove that and boot from it, correct?

 

[inglesworth]

UPDATE:
I didn't get that specific installer to work, but I did accomplish what i wanted.

I had a .dmg forS 10.6.3 installer. I restored that to the usb stick, and the installer ran from there just fine. I then went and downloaded the combo update for 10.6.8, and it seems to be working now.

 

[weckart]

10.6.3 was the last generic retail release for Snow Leopard. I would assume that 10.6.7 was a machine specific release, which is why it refused to install on the Mac Pro.

 

[Synchro3]

10.6.3 install DVD still available: http://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

 

[Malaquias]

Hello i see same error help need install
i try Mac_OS_X_Install_DVD_10.6.3.dmg

 

[MIKX]

To install Snow Leopard I booted in with the now Leopard 10.6.3 DVD and then ran Terminal to change the Date.

Terminal : Date 1104211137 = around the release date for Snow Leopard.

After the 10.6.3 install I could upgrade to 10.6.8 using that Combo.

Having said that first I had to use an EFI flashed HD5770 for the whole process as Snow Leopard knows nothing about my current MSI Armor RX 580 8gb.

 

[skizzo]

To install Snow Leopard I booted in with the now Leopard 10.6.3 DVD and then ran Terminal to change the Date.

Terminal : Date 1104211137 = around the release date for Snow Leopard.

After the 10.6.3 install I could upgrade to 10.6.8 using that Combo.

Having said that first I had to use an EFI flashed HD5770 for the whole process as Snow Leopard knows nothing about my current MSI Armor RX 580 8gb.

hmm I tried to reinstall Snow Leopard for giggles the other day. I put in my old Snow Leopard reinstall disc that came with my Mac Pro and I got the same error window as the OP. However, my investigation seemed to determine due to hacking my 2009 4,1 to a 5,1 model identifier....this means the CD will not work on a 5,1 since that system was released after Snow Leopard. So I am curious, did you get Snow Leopard to install via the CD on a 1,1 system, 4,1 system, 4,1 hacked to 5,1 system? I read there is some difference between the included Snow Leopard CD that would have came with my 2009 mac pro and the RETAIL CD of Snow Leopard. And that the included CD will never work on a hacked 4,1 and I would need to buy a retail copy in order to utilize the workaround methods. It sounded rather convoluted for what I was trying to gain, so I eventually gave up. However, I don't recall reading about making changes to the Date through terminal...maybe this is the key to getting it to work?!

 

[crjackson2134]

Never mind. I read the post wrong... Sorry