MacPro won't boot from install DVD

[leighno5]

I recently acquired a Mac Pro without a hard drive. I installed a 500 gig SATA and I'm trying to install Snow Leopard from the retail install DVD but I'm not having any luck getting the Mac Pro to boot from the DVD. The Mac Pro is from "early 2008" and I think it may have come with 10.5.x. I have the install DVD in the drive and I hold down "c" when I power it up, and I can hear the DVD being accessed, but it just goes to a grey screen with a blinking folder with a "?" on it. Anyone know how I can get this thing to boot off a standard, $30 retail Snow Leopard (10.6) install DVD?

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Have you tried booting via holding down the OPTION key.

 

[leighno5]

No I haven't - what is the option key on a non-Mac keyboard? I have a regular Dell keyboard here

 

[simsaladimbamba]

no i haven't - what is the option key on a non-mac keyboard? I have a regular dell keyboard here

alt.

 

[leighno5]

So I just tried that, by holding down the option key, and that brought me to a screen with a padlock and a password entry field. No idea...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

So I just tried that, by holding down the option key, and that brought me to a screen with a padlock and a password entry field. No idea...

That is a firmware password. Do you have it by any chance?
You may need to reset it.

 

[leighno5]

That worked. I was able to reset the PRAM to bypass the firmware password, then holding down "option" as opposed to "c" was able to recognize the Install CD - thank you very much