Can't Wipe Hard Drive of iMac G4 Running OS 10.2 Upgrade

Question

Hi,
I've been a Mac user for 7-8 years now, currently with a first generation MacBook (Black) from 2006 (2 GHz Core Duo).
My question, however, deals with an older Mac I have. I originally began using Macs on one of the earlier generations of domed, white iMacs in 2002. The specs are as follows for it:
iMac (version 2.1)
700 MHz G4 processor
512 GB memory
Running Mac OSX 10.2 Upgrade
My question deals with wiping the hard drive clean. I want to resell my iMac, to try and get something (though I know not much) for it, and so before I do it I want to not simply erase the hard drive but also write over it/completely wipe it so as to make sure sensitive information is fully deleted.
I found out that you can do this (i.e., writing over the hard drive multiple times) by using the startup disk beginning with OSX 10.2, but my problem stems from the fact that my startup/install disk for 10.2/Leopard is an upgrade, and not a full disk. When I bought the iMac in 2002, I did so right before Leopard came out, and so I bought the upgrade rather than the full package, and for some reason when I use the startup/install disk for it, I can't access the ability to wipe the hard drive clean (i.e., the "options" part, wherein I could choose to write over the hard drive and not just do a simple erase, doesn't appear when Disk Utility is brought up when restarting with the startup/install disk for 10.2 in the computer).
So my question is, how can I thus do a full wipe/write over of the hard drive, to securely, completely erase it, since the 10.2 upgrade disk isn't giving me that capability? Is there any possible way to do this, or do I have to somehow possess a full copy of 10.2 or later OS? (Also, FYI: I forgot to mention, I have no full copy of 10.4, since the startup/install disk for it included with my MacBook wasn't the full version on the black-colored disk, but the not-for-resale version on the gray-colored disk.)
I know this is my first time posting, so if I haven't been clear, please let me know. I'll be quick to answer back. Thanks, in advance.
Message was edited by: ayjayf

Answer 1

ayjayf wrote:
Hi,
I've been a Mac user for 7-8 years now, currently with a first generation MacBook (Black) from 2006 (2 GHz Core Duo).
Running Mac OSX 10.2 Upgrade
What is the 10.2 (Jaguar) and upgrade from?
My question deals with wiping the hard drive clean. I want to resell my iMac, to try and get something (though I know not much) for it, and so before I do it I want to not simply erase the hard drive but also write over it/completely wipe it so as to make sure sensitive information is fully deleted.
the fact that my startup/install disk for 10.2/Leopard is an upgrade, and not a full disk.
10.2 is Jaguar or do you mean Leopard?
When I bought the iMac in 2002, I did so right before Leopard came out
That had to be Jaguar then, right? Did you have the PUMA install disk or OS9? >and so I bought the upgrade rather than the full package, and for some reason when I use the startup/install disk for it, I can't access the ability to wipe the hard drive clean
I remember that being the case with upgrade disks. Those options are not available if I remember right.
Is there any possible way to do this, or do I have to somehow possess a full copy of 10.2 or later OS?
Not if you have an earlier OS disk for that Mac.
You should be able to erase it, any way you want, using Target Disk Mode.
Then use Disk Utilty on your MacBook to do the erase on the iMac.
(Also, FYI: I forgot to mention, I have no full copy of 10.4, since the startup/install disk for it included with my MacBook wasn't the full version on the black-colored disk, but the not-for-resale version on the gray-colored disk.)
No, you can't use that disk...iMac is PPC based and MacBook is Intel plus it's a machine specific disk.
I know this is my first time posting, so if I haven't been clear, please let me know.
You are fine, except for the Jaguar/Leopard issue.
Let us know if you need more help!
Dale