I have experienced several problems with my school macbook that i have attempted to solve for almost a month now.
Mac OS X
Version 10.6.8
Processor: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Memory: 2GB 1067 Mhz DDR3
About a year ago I utilized bootcamp (already on the macbook when given to us) to create a partition and install Windows XP from a cd copy i owned. Although i dont remeber the process, it worked perfectly well and Windows XP was installed on a partition of approximately 80 GB. Some new terms and rules were established at my university and software such as bootcamp was no longer allowed and I was required to get rid of the Windows compenent of my computer. I used Disk Utility to delete the partition.
Disk utility at the moment shows;
250.06 GB Hitachi HTS5 (probably irrelevent)
Size 249.72 GB
Available space: 185.3 GB
Finder shows 105 GB left. I assume that I was supposed to use Bootcamp Assistant to remove Windows and the partition, and as a result lost around 80 GB using Disk Utility.
My first bet that a disc repair was necessary using my startup disc that came with the MacBook. Disk repair was not an available options in Disk Utility. Following instructions from hundreds of different sites, I;
-Placed cd in MacBook. Launched MacBook while holding c. Macbook would instead either stay permanently at a grey/white screen, or eject and go to the normal login screen.
-Held option while MacBook was turning on. Only option provided is to choose Mac OS X, no option to launch from disk is present.
-Tried tweaking Preference>Startup Disk to make the disk launch at startup, the disk does not appear in the list of options.
The install/startup disk is definately the one that came with the box. What i think may be a possible problem is that it is either;
-The wrong version. My MacBook is 10.6.8, whereas the disk shows 10.6.4.
-There is something wrong with my disk tray. I am not able to eject any disks normally and most/all disks are not recognised from what ive noticed. I can eject only when I use the ' option button while turning on method ' and pressing the eject button or waiting for the disk to eject randomly (when presented with launch options). I am not the only one that experiences this and that many more of my classmates have trouble ejecting disks.
I tried to install Windows XP again to be able to use windows-only software and perhaps fix the problem of the missing 80 GB if the option was available. I used bootcamp assistant to create a partition of 30 GB and once again inserted the Windows XP disc i had used previously. It loads for abit and then says Bootcamp Partition error: files cannot be moved.
Possible solution were;
-Repair the disk using startup disk (attempted).
-Defrag macbook (unattempted)
-Go into Disk Utility, drag the macbook partition to not use 30 GB. Let it load and finish. Once completed, drag the partition back to utilize full available space like previously. This apparently moves all the files so that the Bootcamp may create the partition. (unattempted).
Im not sure what to do. I do have experience with computers/techonology but properly using and fixing this crappy computer has proven a massive challenge.
Help would be greatly appreciated, as I've searched from every corner of the internet and have not reached a solution.
Help me facepunch, you are my only hope.
[editline]24th October 2013[/editline]
If it helps in any way. A full system restore is out of the question and my startup cd keeps randomly ejecting.
For the future, delete boot camp under the boot camp assistant instead.
Yeah, i learnt my lesson with that.
From what ive tried my best attempt in fixing anything is to actually get my installer cd working.
For now it rainbow-wheels evertime I'm in the language selection and wont let me continue. What do?
I dont think there is anything else i can do?
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