# How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181



## joe7dust

*How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*

I searched the Internet for hours trying to find this elusive holy grail of computing. Most said it cannot be done. Some said that it can only be done on computers with "Disable SMART" option in BIOS. (and of course, Macbooks have no BIOS)

Well it turns out there is a little trick you can do to make Disk Utility "forget" about the annoying "S.M.A.R.T." bit flag. Very useful since in my experience "SMART" errors rarely correlate with actually defective drives. I've used supposedly failed drives for years either by external USB or just closing the silly Windows Vista nag-boxes about it repeatedly. (with no ill-effects)

When I first booted this OSX 10.6 Retail disc, it told me that I needed to format it to a GUID Partition Map before Snow Leopard could be installed on it. When I opened up Disk Utility to fulfill this request, I was met with a screen that said something to the effect of, "SMART FAILURE DETECTED, WE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO FORMAT THIS DRIVE... SORRY." (OK, so I embellished a little on the "sorry" part --it wasn't apologetic in the slightest)

As I proceeded to hunt down a solution, my little Macbook A1181 went to sleep several times. (all that HDD self-assessment is hard work I guess!) Now I don't know if it was dumb luck, or it had something to do with the fact I am running it off the cord with the battery removed, but somewhere along the 3rd or 4th return from sleep of several minutes or more I noticed the red text for the HDD model had changed to black. I eagerly hit ctrl+click on the drive and selected "partitiion'. Sure enough, it no longer was blabbing about "SMART" this and that, and I was able to format the drive as I pleased. Then I was able to completely install Snow Leopard on this drive. 

*Sure its not 100% safe, but I got the thing to STFU and let me have control over my system. Winning!*

And the nicest thing of all is I didn't have to learn a new programming language (FORTH) and tinker with the alpha software, REFIT. Didn't see anywhere in the documentation about disabling SMART check via EFI with this tool anyhow.

Now if someone out there knows a way to get Windows 7 to install to a "SMART fail" HDD on a laptop (because laptops rarely have 'disable smart' in their tiny BIOSs), that would be icing on the cake for today!


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## sobeit

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*

word of caution, there is a reason for those smart errors. There is a good chance that by continuing using a drive that has errors, it could mean you could lose important files because the drive would be undependable.


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## joe7dust

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*



joe7dust said:


> Very useful since in my experience "SMART" errors rarely correlate with actually defective drives. I've used supposedly failed drives for years either by external USB or just closing the silly Windows Vista nag-boxes about it repeatedly. (with no ill-effects)


And of course, just in case my luck runs out and I feel like putting anything important on my little toy I will... BACKUP, BACKUP, BACKUP!


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## macbth

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*

I had smart errors - Apple came over and replaced the drive the next day.
Apple does not replace hardware unless it is completely necessary.
You are playing with fire. The time you put into maintaining the HD is a waste of time. 
It's going to fail..with some of your data.
HD do not cost that much to replace.


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## joe7dust

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*



joe7dust said:


> ... in my experience "SMART" errors rarely correlate with actually defective drives. I've used supposedly failed drives for years either by external USB or just closing the silly Windows Vista nag-boxes about it repeatedly. (with no ill-effects)



...


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## EdPsycho

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*

OK I did this and it work for me:

On disk util you can check what disk has asigned to your HD, i.e. disk0
unmount any partition from that disk

Open terminal and format that disk just like this:

diskutil eraseDisk HFS+ MacintoshHD disk0

then go back to the instalation window, it now may say somethig diferent, use the disk util (graphic, not in terminal) to erase the new partition and voila

you can install Mac OS

worked for me, and the trick that joe7dust works too, but i tried just one time and never can get to the install again.


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## sinclair_tm

*Re: How to Install OSX 10.6 onto a HDD with "S.M.A.R.T failures" --Macbook A1181*

Um, please don't post in threads that are two and a half years old.


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