TITLE
    Mac OS 9: Troubleshooting Before or During Installation
Article ID:
Created:
Modified: 		60493
9/30/99
3/31/00
TOPIC

    This article provides troubleshooting tips for common installation questions.

DISCUSSION

    Your Computer Doesn't Have a CD-ROM Drive.
    You can install the Mac OS using a CD-ROM drive attached to another Macintosh. Connect both computers to a network, then use file sharing to access the CD from across the network. See the onscreen Help for information about using file sharing with your computer.

    To ensure a trouble-free installation, turn off any disk security or virus-protection software you have installed. Then use the Extensions Manager control panel to turn off non-Apple extensions and control panels. Make sure you have AppleShare extension 3.6.4 or later (a copy is available on the Mac OS CD; install it if necessary). See the onscreen Help for information about using the Extensions Manager control panel.

    After you've turned off the extensions, restart your computer, then open the Installer and install the Mac OS. Following this process will help ensure that incompatible extensions don't interfere with the installation process.

    After the installation is finished, you can turn on your extensions and virus-protection software.

    You Can't Start Up the Computer Using the Mac OS CD.
    With the CD inserted, open the Startup Disk control panel and click the CD icon in the Startup Disk window. Then restart the computer and install the Mac OS. After installation, use the Startup Disk control panel to reselect your hard disk, then restart your computer.

    The Installer Cannot Repair Your Hard Disk.
    • If you see a message that the disk can't be fixed because a file is open, quit all programs. If file sharing is on, turn it off, then try installing again.
    • If you still get the message, use Disk First Aid, provided on the Mac OS CD, to see if it can repair the disk.
    • If Disk First Aid is unable to repair the disk, try a third-party disk repair utility, if you have one. Make sure you're using the latest version of the utility.
    • If you don't have a third-party utility, or if that utility can't repair the disk either, you may need to reinitialize the hard disk. First, back up your hard disk because reinitializing erases all the files on the disk. Then use the Drive Setup utility program, provided on the Mac OS CD, to reinitialize the disk. For help with Drive Setup, open the program, then look in the Help menu. After you've reinitialized the disk, use the Mac OS Installer to reinstall system software, then reinstall your application programs and your documents from the backup copies you made before you reinitialized the disk.

    You See a Message About Updating the Firmware.
    Some computers require a firmware update before installing the Mac OS. Firmware is control software that's built into your computer. Make sure your computer started up from the hard disk, then follow the instructions for updating firmware in the CD Extras folder on the Mac OS 9 CD before proceeding with the installation. The Installer cannot update the hard disk driver.

    The Installer Cannot Update Non-Apple Hard Disks.
    Use the disk utility recommended by the manufacturer of your hard disk to update your drivers before installing the Mac OS. Make sure to get a version of the utility that is compatible with the software you are installing. An old utility will not be able to update your disk with the most current driver.

    You See a Message That There's Not Enough Memory to Use the Installer.
    Make sure you've started up your computer from the Mac OS CD. If you can't start up from the CD, quit all open applications and make sure you've followed the steps described in "You Can't Start Up the Computer Using the Mac OS CD" above.

    You See a Message That There's Not Enough Disk Space.
    Make more space available on your hard disk by removing some files from the disk. Copy the files you want to keep to another disk, then drag them to the Trash and choose Empty Trash from the Special menu to delete the files. You don't need to quit the Installer before you remove files from the disk.

    You See a Message That the System File Cannot Be Modified.
    Make sure that you've started up your computer using the Mac OS CD. If you can't start up from the CD, make sure any security and virus-protection software is turned off.

    You See a Message That an Item Cannot Be Replaced.
    The Installer is attempting to replace a file, but there is a folder on the disk that has the same name as the file being replaced. (Files cannot replace folders.) Find the folder on your disk and rename it, then try the installation again.

    You See a Message That the Installation Was Not Successful.
    Make sure that you've started up your computer using the Mac OS CD. If you can't start up from the CD, make sure any security and virus-protection software is turned off.

Document Information
Product Area: Mac OS System Software
Category: Mac OS 9.0
Sub Category: Troubleshooting
Keywords: kmos90

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