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rsylve

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Macbook ejects installation dvd

Was given an old Macbook with only a Windows XP OS on it.  Trying to install "Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.3 DVD-ROM Full Version In Retail Box" I just purchased.  Problem is when I select the disk to boot from at startup it ejects itself.  What am I doing wrong or is this installation impossible?  It successfully reads this DVD & others in the windows environment.

2.16 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo - 1 GB RAM

I've tried resetting PRAM & SMC already with no success.

Thanks in advance.
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manuel_m
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Try booting you MacBook with DVD in the drive while holding the Option-Key of your MacBook. There should be a Snow Leopard installer as choice on the boot screen.

Select that disk and press Enter.

If that doesn't help and the DVD still ejects there might be a problem with the DVD itself (corrupt or something) or the drive is not reading properly.

Which Mac OS X version was installed before Windows XP? Do you know that?

Greetz,
Manuel
If this happens, there is something wrong with the DVD drive in most cases (at least this is my experience; it always worked after swapping the drive). Get an external USB DVD drive or boot from a bootable USB Stick.
But the following behavior is strange:
It successfully reads this DVD & others in the windows environment.

So I don't think the problem is with the DVD drive.
But a test will show it :-)
Of course, you're right! ;) (Reminder to myself: read questions more carefully)
Insert the disk. Boot while holding down the Option (alt) key. This should bring up the boot picker. Does the DVD show in the boot picker?

If it does, select it and continue the boot. If it then ejects it again, push it back in right away.

Let us know what happens.
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rsylve

ASKER

Boot picker appears and it shows the HD and the installation DVD.  Select the DVD, it then ejects & immediately boots to windows.

Not sure what the previous OS was on there as when I tried bootcamp to restart in MacOS none is found.  Asked previous owner which OS & her response was " the one that came with it."  :)
Can you try circumventing this by creating a bootable USB stick?
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ASKER

Can I create a Mac bootable USB stick using Windows?
Are you sure you have full retail (black) DVD and not an OEM (grey) one?
If the DVD is black, it is full retail. If it is grey it is OEM.
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ASKER

Ok cool.  Can you direct me to the right place to get the "real" retail version?  Amazon page states its retail version but the DVD I have is grey.
Someone has scammed you then. You should complain to Amazon.

I believe you can order one from Apple, but you have to telephone them for the link.
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ASKER

Put in a case with Amazon.  Is it possible to wipe the disk & start from scratch or am I pretty much SOL without the DVD?
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strung
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:(  Well looks like this will be a portable DVD player for the youngsters.  Appreciate the assistance.