Need help installing Snow Leopard or Lion on 2006 Macbook

[IJustWannaTalk]

Hi! I'm currently in possession of an old laptop from a client...whose son erased it and then passed away before using such.

I have absolutely no way of figuring out the user password, though I have no data to save because his family is positive he never actually used it.

Anyway, I'm looking to wipe and install Lion on it, but cannot seem to get it to recognize the USB key upon startup.

I've followed all the Disk Utility (wipe/erase, partition GUID) and the Terminal commands to create the disk...
sudo /usr/sbin/asr imagescan --source /Users/tylerhurst/Downloads/InstallESD.dmg
sudo /usr/sbin/asr restore --source /Users/tylerHurst/Downloads/InstallESD.dmg --target /Volumes/MyVolume --erase

But I CANNOT get the Macbook to recognize the drive as bootable upon startup (holding option does bring up the HD).

I've already reset the PRAM.

Anything else I may have missed in the process?
I've reinstalled this way a bunch of times and have never run into this wall.

Help!

 

[Bigwaff]

Anyway, I'm looking to wipe and install Lion on it, but cannot seem to get it to recognize the USB key upon startup.

2006 MacBook or MacBook Pro? You may need a real USB 1.1 flash drive, not a newer one that falls back to 1.1.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

2006 MacBook or MacBook Pro? You may need a real USB 1.1 flash drive, not a newer one that falls back to 1.1.

2006 Macbook. White.

Sounds like you're saying the USB drive I have isn't old enough, correct?

 

[weckart]

2006 Macbook. White.

Sounds like you're saying the USB drive I have isn't old enough, correct?

You shouldn't need to dig out an old USB drive. Apple had switched to USB 2.0 with the first Alu 15" Powerbook G4.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

You shouldn't need to dig out an old USB drive. Apple had switched to USB 2.0 with the first Alu 15" Powerbook G4.

Okay. I know i've used this exact drive to install other OSes, but never this old of a computer or OS.
I would have used a firewire drive back then.

Pretty sure we're talking High Sierra and newer for most of my USB install stuff.

Anyway, this is frustrating. It is recognized just fine by my 2014 Mac Mini, so I know the drive itself is good.

 

[weckart]

Stupid question, I know but are the USB ports on your Macbook OK? Try attaching a USB keyboard and see if it responds when you hold the Option key down at boot.

 

[IJustWannaTalk]

Stupid question, I know but are the USB ports on your Macbook OK? Try attaching a USB keyboard and see if it responds when you hold the Option key down at boot.

I didn't even think to check. I DID attempt a few times on each port.

Will obtain a wired keyboard and report back.

UPDATE: Both USB ports recognize the wired keyboard on startup and register holding down option to get to the startup screen.

So it's NOT the ports, either the install or the USB key.