Yosemite installation faliure

[gavspen]

So, after months of procrastination I finally decide that I'm falling a bit behind and perhaps it's time to move to Yosemite from Snow Leopard. Happily even I'm not dopey enough to do this on my main drive, so I put it on another internal drive which also had Snow Leopard on it (10.6..

I got no error messages during the installation, and so I get to the "your computer will now restart, it may do this more than once" screen. Understatement. It did it for about 10 minutes till I finally gave up and option-booted to get back to my main drive. I then switched back to the Yosemite disc in "safe" mode (in System Preferences; shift-boot wouldnt work while in the reboot loop, although option-boot did), hoping to see some document/install-log type thing on the desktop, telling me what the conflict was, but nothing. I then took a look at "About This Mac" and it says that I'm still running 10.6.8! So even though the Yosemite installer clearly did something, it didnt install Yosemite.

All that was yesterday. Just now I booted from the "Yosemite" disc (I'll call it that, even though Yosemite's not actually on it) and it did not enter the endless reboot mode, but booted up fine.....in 10.6.8, according to "About My Mac". I then tried the Yosemite installer again. It went through the paces, just as before, and entered endless reboot mode, just as before. Option-boot took me back to my main disk again. (By the way, the Yosemite installation/non-installation took about two minutes, if that tells you anything. Seems a bit quick, doesnt it?)

Anyone have any clue what's going on here, and what to try? Someone told me that Yosemite is still in beta mode, to all intents and purposes, and he's heard of many problems. Is that so? There're up to 10.10.4, for goodness sake! I did search around here but couldnt find anything about endless reboots. I had wanted to try Mavericks first...baby steps...but I couldn't find that anywhere.

Thanks,
Gavin

[bayswater]

(By the way, the Yosemite installation/non-installation took about two minutes, if that tells you anything. Seems a bit quick, doesnt it?)

It suggests nothing was installed. The installer takes a few minutes setting things up, and then it restarts the computer before is actually installs, and then it takes a lot more than two minutes.

[mikehalloran]

MacPro 2x2.8 Quad,

What version? 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 or 5.1? It will say so in About This Mac. If a 1.1 or 2.1, there's your problem. Yosemite requires a 3.1 or later. There are some workarounds but they aren't pretty.
http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/200 ... e.1740775/

If you have a 3.1 or later:

Step one: reset the NV RM (PRAM). That usually works unless it' any of the following:

How is your HD formatted? Open Disk Utility and click on the Volume. It should say Mac OS Extended. If not, that can be the problem.

Do you have anti-virus software that needs to be disabled first?

What is the health of the drive? Does Verify Disk from Disk Utility run clean?

Have you used Onyx or one of those other "toolkits" to make system changes that are now turning on you?

These are a few issues that I have seen.

The usual culprit: a bad stick of RAM that will no longer pass verification.

How old is the NV RAM battery? If five or more years, get a CR2032 battery. It will replace the original BR2032 with no problems.

[gavspen]

(By the way, the Yosemite installation/non-installation took about two minutes, if that tells you anything. Seems a bit quick, doesnt it?)

It suggests nothing was installed. The installer takes a few minutes setting things up, and then it restarts the computer before is actually installs, and then it takes a lot more than two minutes.

It does indeed...except something happened, or my Mac would be starting up just as before, n'est-ce pas?

[gavspen]

MacPro 2x2.8 Quad,

What version? 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 or 5.1? It will say so in About This Mac. If a 1.1 or 2.1, there's your problem. Yosemite requires a 3.1 or later. There are some workarounds but they aren't pretty.
http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/200 ... e.1740775/

If you have a 3.1 or later:

Step one: reset the NV RM (PRAM). That usually works unless it' any of the following:

How is your HD formatted? Open Disk Utility and click on the Volume. It should say Mac OS Extended. If not, that can be the problem.

Do you have anti-virus software that needs to be disabled first?

What is the health of the drive? Does Verify Disk from Disk Utility run clean?

Have you used Onyx or one of those other "toolkits" to make system changes that are now turning on you?

These are a few issues that I have seen.

The usual culprit: a bad stick of RAM that will no longer pass verification.

How old is the NV RAM battery? If five or more years, get a CR2032 battery. It will replace the original BR2032 with no problems.

I have a 3.1 (I did do my homework ) Thanks for all this, I will look at it all in detail tomorrow.

[mikehalloran]

I expected that you had a compatible Mac. Otherwise, you should have gotten an error stating that the installer could not run.

There's always the possibility that you have a corrupt download. If that's the case, you can download it again from the App Store -- it will show up in your Purchased list. It downloads to your Applications folder and you can run it as a stand alone installer.

[bayswater]

Doesn't the installer run a checksum on itself before it runs?

[gavspen]

Doesn't the installer run a checksum on itself before it runs?

I'm not sure what that is, but it just basically just goes straight into the installation. It doesn't "verify" itself or anything like that.

[gavspen]

MacPro 2x2.8 Quad,

What version? 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 4.1 or 5.1? It will say so in About This Mac. If a 1.1 or 2.1, there's your problem. Yosemite requires a 3.1 or later. There are some workarounds but they aren't pretty.
http://forums.macrumors.com/threads/200 ... e.1740775/

If you have a 3.1 or later:

Step one: reset the NV RM (PRAM). That usually works unless it' any of the following:

How is your HD formatted? Open Disk Utility and click on the Volume. It should say Mac OS Extended. If not, that can be the problem.

Do you have anti-virus software that needs to be disabled first?

What is the health of the drive? Does Verify Disk from Disk Utility run clean?

Have you used Onyx or one of those other "toolkits" to make system changes that are now turning on you?

These are a few issues that I have seen.

The usual culprit: a bad stick of RAM that will no longer pass verification.

How old is the NV RAM battery? If five or more years, get a CR2032 battery. It will replace the original BR2032 with no problems.

1) PRAM zapped both before and after another attempt to reinstall, no effect.

2) HD properly formatted (Mac OS Extended)

3) No anti virus software

4) Disk Utility says there are no problems with the disk.

5) No Onyx or anything like it

6) All RAM is being recognized according to "About This Mac"

7) Ok the battery is old....but, I mean, come on, the battery? Really?

Jeez...Its years since I did any kind of major upgrade to this rig, and the first thing that happens/doesnt happen is....well, you all know how that goes....

Thank for trying Mike...any other thoughts?

[cuttime]

How did you get the upgrade? Did you do it through the App Store? Try re-applying it with the combo updater:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1820?locale=en_US

[gavspen]

How did you get the upgrade? Did you do it through the App Store? Try re-applying it with the combo updater:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1820?locale=en_US

I got it through the App Store but it isnt called "combo". The file is called "Install OS X Yosemite" whereas what I'm downloading with your link is called "osxupdcombo10.10.4".

However, what I downloaded first (Install OS X Yosemite) is 5.68 GB, whereas "osxupdcombo10.10.4" is only 1.92 GB. Doesnt that suggest that "osxupdcombo10.10.4" is only to update from, say, 10.10.1, or something, whereas "Install OS X Yosemite" would be to update from 10.9 or earlier ?

Thanks though, and I will try it; what do I have to lose?

[gavspen]

How did you get the upgrade? Did you do it through the App Store? Try re-applying it with the combo updater:
https://support.apple.com/kb/DL1820?locale=en_US

I got it through the App Store but it isnt called "combo". The file is called "Install OS X Yosemite" whereas what I'm downloading with your link is called "osxupdcombo10.10.4".

However, what I downloaded first (Install OS X Yosemite) is 5.68 GB, whereas "osxupdcombo10.10.4" is only 1.92 GB. Doesnt that suggest that "osxupdcombo10.10.4" is only to update from, say, 10.10.1, or something, whereas "Install OS X Yosemite" would be to update from 10.9 or earlier ?

Thanks though, and I will try it; what do I have to lose?

Neeeeeever mind....I just looked at the download page for "osxupdcombo10.10.4" again and it says this...

System Requirements
OS X Yosemite 10.10

[mikehalloran]

Yes, the battery, really. There are a number of threads where that was the culprit for some of the oddest problems. Yours is old enough. Replace it unless you've done so in the last three years or so. The original is a BR2032 -- a CR2032 is fine.

Problem RAM will generally pass verification in About This Mac. That doesn't mean a thing. There are good RAM verification tools out there -- the best is TechTool Pro. RAM problems manifest themselves most often in failed installations and failed cloning, both RAM intensive tasks.

5.68G is the correct size for the installer so that's ok. Once you get this working, run the Combo Installer also -- fixes a minor but annoying issue.

Check your Security settings in System Preferences. Set to Default if they aren't already. I assume you have run Repair Permissions -- takes forever in 10.6 but has to be done and could be the culprit. Since Permissions Repair is so fast in 10.8 and after, we often forget what a pain it is in 10.5-10.7, especially 10.6.

If I was working on your Mac, I'd have the installer working or would know the exact reason why. My toolkit includes TTP, CR2032 batteries and BR2032 for Macs known to run hot. Chances are good I'd have it diagnosed in 10 minutes or less (depending on how long Permissions Repair takes). But...

Unfortunately, I am not working on your Mac. The best I can do is list all the issues I know.

[gavspen]

Yes, the battery, really. There are a number of threads where that was the culprit for some of the oddest problems. Yours is old enough. Replace it unless you've done so in the last three years or so. The original is a BR2032 -- a CR2032 is fine.

Ok, ok, I'll change the battery

Problem RAM will generally pass verification in About This Mac. That doesn't mean a thing. There are good RAM verification tools out there -- the best is TechTool Pro. RAM problems manifest themselves most often in failed installations and failed cloning, both RAM intensive tasks.

I dont know what the hell I have around here to check RAM with...I think I had TechTool once upon a time but it's been years since I've needed it for anything. Have to hunt around.

5.68G is the correct size for the installer so that's ok. Once you get this working, run the Combo Installer also -- fixes a minor but annoying issue.

Check your Security settings in System Preferences. Set to Default if they aren't already.

I dont see any "Default" settings in Security. Under "general" there's some password stuff, there's a tab "FileVault"....no clue...and then "Firewall". I dont see a "Default" button anywhere.

I assume you have run Repair Permissions

Yes. Even I know about that

-- takes forever in 10.6 but has to be done and could be the culprit. Since Permissions Repair is so fast in 10.8 and after, we often forget what a pain it is in 10.5-10.7, especially 10.6.

No big deal. A chance to do my laundry.

If I was working on your Mac, I'd have the installer working or would know the exact reason why. My toolkit includes TTP, CR2032 batteries and BR2032 for Macs known to run hot. Chances are good I'd have it diagnosed in 10 minutes or less (depending on how long Permissions Repair takes).

To quote George to Jerry, "We'll arent you something".. haha

But...

Unfortunately, I am not working on your Mac. The best I can do is list all the issues I know.

Yes, that is unfortunate....... how soon can you get here?

I appreciate it Mike, I really do. At least I can do the battery thing at the Duane Reade. Do you know which machines are known to run hot, and thus need the BR2032?

G.

[mikehalloran]

Do you know which machines are known to run hot, and thus need the BR2032?

I do.

2011 and later iMacs should use the BR2032. Same goes for the 2013 and later Mac Pro. As much of a PIA those are to tear down, I wouldn't chance using anything else.

Here's a chart that I trust:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Newer%20 ... gy/CR2032/

Some of the Macs not listed take the old 3.6V ER14250 that looks like 1/2 a AA cell.