Complete Newbie Black Macbook question and OSX

[Todohogar]

Hello all

Despite being in PC land for many years, after endless years being being sold the message I have just returned to mac land

(I want to do home audio recording of me and pals playing the guitar and mix up drum tracks etc - via garage band?). Anyway, my chum gave me a non-booting mac book - I *think* it is this one

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/macbook/specs/macbook_2.0_black.html

My son put in a new hard drive (the old one was totally shot). Now it seems to working (insofar as an OS-free machine can be)

My questions are three fold...

Which version of OSX should I Install? I have no disks or anything else (I even had to buy a funny magnetic power supply cable thing). ..and is there likely to be a problem buying a used copy of say leopard off Ebay?

Can you get "old" versions of garageband and other music production software?

Finally - Will I need to do any sort of bios/firmware update? I don't want to install too much stuff on the machine (given its age) and dont esp want to even have internet access for it (the less on the better I think)

Many thanks from Sheffield UK

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Your MacBook can run the last version of Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6.x

Below are some useful links to get you started. GarageBand was a part of iLife 09.

Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard - Technical Specifications

Purchase Snow Leopard

Purchase Apple Mac Box Set iLife 09 From eBay

 

[Todohogar]

Many thanks!!!

Do you think more RAM would make my user experience more joyous?

(and how hard is to upgrade the ram in a MAcbook?)

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

Definitely look to see if it's got the max amount of RAM which is 2GB … this link has all the info you'll need

How do you upgrade the RAM in the "White & Black" MacBook models?

Any more questions, fire away!

 

[Todohogar]

Definitely look to see if it's got the max amount of RAM which is 2GB … this link has all the info you'll need

How do you upgrade the RAM in the "White & Black" MacBook models?

Any more questions, fire away!

 

[Todohogar]

Many thanks again

 

[Todohogar]

So if I bought something like this would it work ?ie I need a clean full install, not an "upgrade" to an earlier mac OS

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Apple-Mac-OS-X-10-6-3-Snow-Leopard-NEW-SEALED-/182139428953

 

[Todohogar]

OK here is my current problematic dilema

I have teh macbook 2006. The HD was dead so its got new one, and I have purchased a copy of OSX snow lep from the apple store.

When I try booting from the OSX it fails - I have tried holding down a suggested variety of keys while boot up takes place, but it nevergets to the point of selecting where to boot from (ie the DVD)

The only suggestion that I have found on the www is to do a internet install - command and R key while physically connected to my router with a cable.

Is this the only way forward?

Cheers


R

 

[Spawn_Dooley]

The HD was dead so its got new one, and I have purchased a copy of OSX snow lep from the apple store.

We need to check how you formatted the drive. Pop the disc in & go to Utilities ~> Disc Utility & check the format of the drive please. We can't progress until we work out that you've installed & formatted the drive correctly as Mac OS X Extended (Journaled)