[jesset]

I bought a new HD for my Powerbook G4 but I'm having a hell of a time installing leopard onto before I stick it in my computer. I'm using a USB HD enclosure to format it and install leopard before I put it in the computer.

I format it seemingly successfully as a Apple Partition Map with 1 partition. I put in the Leopard DVD and restart the computer. When it comes to selecting the external HD it has an exclamation point on it and when I select it it says something about my Mac not being able to boot from this drive.

Anyone run into this before? From all that I've read online I'm doing this right. Help please!

[zombie punk]

The G4's can't boot from USB drives. They need firewire.

[jesset]

Would that stop me from being able to install Leopard onto it? I'm not looking to boot from it, just install leopard onto it so I can put it in my Mac and have it actually start up.

If you have another suggestion on how to get an empty drive working in my Powerbook, I'm all ears.

[besson3c]

Why do you want to install the OS before you've installed the drive into your PB?

[zombie punk]

Besson is right - swap the drives over and then boot from the leopard dvd and use migration assistant to transfer the old one.

[jesset]

So, swap out the drives. Put the computer back together. Startup holding down the "C" key and let Leopard DVD do the rest?

Last time I tried that my computer got the spinning loading icon while at the grey apple screen and never let up. I'll give it a whirl.

[zombie punk]

I'm not sure why your computer would not start from the leopard dvd - are you sure you have the correct disc, and that your drive is working properly? Since you can boot from the leopard drive to try to format the external, that suggests that all is well.

You should be fine booting from the dvd with blank drive installed - just take your time - it's a ticklish process to replace the drive.

[seanc]

I recommend using a guide from ifixit.com and the screw guide for the process. Using the screw guide will ensure that you put the screws back in the right place and that they all go in. Make sure you tape them down.

Be careful when removing cables as they can sometimes tear or take the sockets with them if you pull too hard.

Also, I've never opened an Albook so I'm not sure how easy the case deforms, but be careful when prizing it apart.

Installing Leopard from the DVD should work fine, unless your optical drive is broken. You could always just clone your existing install to the new drive using Carbon Copy Cloner rather than re-installing.

[chris v]

Originally Posted by seanc 

Also, I've never opened an Albook so I'm not sure how easy the case deforms, but be careful when prizing it apart.

The worst part is the little latch that holds the bottom shell on by the DVD drive slot. Mine wasn't where the guide said it was, and I fished around for a good while, got frustrated and just about bent the bottom shell (it's thin there, above the CD slot) trying to see where the hell it was. Turned out it was about 1/2 an inch nearer to the latch than the ifixit guide said, and I couldn't get to it from the CD slot at all.

Other than that, it went fine, though it takes time. A HD replacement is a good 2 hours, the first time.