WHAT can't be installed on my Mac?
It's a little disconcerting to see a message like this on a MacBook Pro:
I got this when I attempted to use a Mac OS X 10.4 install DVD while upgrading the hard drive this past weekend.
At the moment, Mac OS 10.4 is the only operating system Apple supplies for this Mac. The Mac shipped with 10.4.5, and this was a 10.4.6 disk. So, um, WTF?
It turns out that even though Intel Macs were introduced at the beginning of 2006, and even though Apple sent me this Mac OS X install disk in July 2007 (when I renewed my ADC membership), it's still a PowerPC-only install DVD. I'm not sure why they'd still be shipping those DVDs that long after Intel came around, but that's life.
I even got it back togetherIncidentally the upgrade went flawlessly. I replaced the stock 100GB drive with a Hitachi Travelstar 5k250-- 250GB, 5400RPM. I needed the space, but I didn't need the speed enough to put up with the power draw of a 7200RPM drive. The MacBook Pro isn't hard to work on-- harder than my Titanium G4 PowerBook was, but nowhere near as difficult as the various iBooks I've disassembled at one time or another.
Two days later and all's well. I've had good luck with Travelstars in the past, so I'm hoping my lucky streak continues.
