Please help, I'm desperate! Accidently overwrote HD

Perishingflames · #1 January 10th, 2008, 10:17 PM

Please help me, please, please, please.

I was running Leopard and I was trying to install Boot Camp. I followed through using the guide, *edited* THE *edited* GUIDE, and the installation would always repeat itself when trying to format the drive.

Eventually I couldn't take it anymore and help option key during restart and lo-and-behold there were two choices: Windows and my Lacie backup hard-disk. *edited* I had accidently overwrote my HD when installing, that retarded guide.

So now here I am, booted from my backup hard disk that contained a bootable backup of Mac os x Tiger (10.4) before I had installed Leopard. Fortunately, I think my backups.backupbd can help? How can I overwrite my Windows (which I originally set to a 10 MB partition) with the correct files from my latest time machine backup?

Please help, I am literally crying right now. Please, please help.

eric2006 · #2 January 10th, 2008, 10:28 PM

Quote:

How can I overwrite my Windows (which I originally set to a 10 MB partition) with the correct files from my latest time machine backup?

Do you mean 10 GB partition?

Quote:

Restoring your System

If you need to install Leopard again and you’ve created a Time Machine backup, use the
Restore Utility to restore everything on your computer to its previous condition.

Step 1: Insert the Mac OS X Install disc
Double-click the Install Mac OS X icon, and then click Restart. The installer opens
automatically when your computer restarts.

Step 2: Choose Restore System From Backup
Choose Restore System From Backup from the Utilities menu, and then click Continue
on the screen that appears.

Step 3: Select a backup source
Select the volume that contains the Time Machine backup you want to restore, and
then click Continue.
After you restore your system, your computer restarts using the volume on which you
restored your settings and data.

WARNING:
Restoring your system erases all the contents of the volume you select.

http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/Leo...tall-Setup.pdf

Boot Camp info:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=303572

Perishingflames · #3 January 10th, 2008, 11:00 PM

You do not seem to understand. I am now booted in my Lacie Backup HD because now there is NO other hard disk. None in finder that shows up, when I hold option during restart this is the only one, my hard disk has dissapeared.

Are you sure that solution will work? It says it will erase all contents of the volume you selected, it will erase all of my backup hard disk?

I know right now at least I have all my files here on this. If I do like you said, it will erase this, and there's no guarantee that that solution will work, especially considering it seems I now have no hard disk.

Thanks for your continued support.

eric2006 · #4 January 10th, 2008, 11:11 PM

I'm not sure what you mean by "there is NO other hard disk". If it's not showing up in the bootup options, you may just have a bad install, and a restore will get you to your last backup. If it's not showing up in Disk Utility, you may have a dead disk, and you'll need a new one before restoring.

If you have a Time Machine backup on the external HD, you can restore it to the internal drive. This will erase the internal drive. The external drive will remain intact - it won't wipe over itself.

Perishingflames · #5 January 11th, 2008, 02:58 AM

Okay. So, I restore my external HD to my regular one? I have nothing to lose if all that is lost is absolutely nothing considering the HD won't even show up.

But, what if I proceed but have a dead disk? Will anything bad happen?

BTW, last time I held down option during restart, it went direcvtly to Windows. I got some black screen with text saying like no bootable disk. Ever since then, the 'Windows' or former Macintosh HD has not showed up during restart (with option key).

Thanks for your continued help.

eric2006 · #6 January 11th, 2008, 03:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perishingflames

Okay. So, I restore my external HD to my regular one? I have nothing to lose if all that is lost is absolutely nothing considering the HD won't even show up.

But, what if I proceed but have a dead disk? Will anything bad happen?

The worst that can happen is that the restore will fail. Your backup will remain unaffected. In fact, if you have a bad disk, you probably won't be able to complete the restore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perishingflames

BTW, last time I held down option during restart, it went direcvtly to Windows. I got some black screen with text saying like no bootable disk. Ever since then, the 'Windows' or former Macintosh HD has not showed up during restart (with option key).

Thanks for your continued help.

It looks like the Boot Camp agent installed, but XP failed. If the restore works, you will be able to attempt a reinstall of XP, which should resolve these error messages.

If you disk is bad, you can get it replaced for free by Apple if your computer is under a year old, or three with AppleCare. If you're not covered, installing a new hard drive is a relatively simple process.

Perishingflames · #7 January 11th, 2008, 07:23 AM

More information in case it helps:

When I do option on startup, it will only show the Lacie hard disk, but if I just shut down and turn back on, it will auto come up to a screen that says "The device can not be booted. Please insert a boot disk" Is it asking for the Windows boot disk?

Also, when I log on, even though I do not have a cd in or anything, it will give me an error saying: "The device was not readable by the computer."

Is it hinting towards a bad disk?

And I do not have applecare and it is not under 1 year, it is say about 2 1/2

Thanks

Perishingflames · #8 January 11th, 2008, 07:24 AM

Also, can I insert a Leopard installation disk instead of the Windows disk or will that cause problems since the Boot Camp agent already installed? It would be like trying to emulate mac on a mac hehe.

Because I would be fine with a fresh install of Leopard since it is asking for a bootable drive or whatever. Then I could copy over my files from the Backups with your or whoevers help.