Clearing out my hard drive and starting over

I'd like to basically wipe my macbook clean and start over from scratch. There was a user on it who is no longer using it, and his logins are taking up a lot of space. Any tips on how to do this?

Put in your install disk and boot from it. Then do an erase and install.

Similar Messages

  • Want to format hard drive and start over but do not have original disks

    Hey guys I want to format my hard drive however I messed up my mac partition and also I do not have my original install disks so I can not do it either. The only working OS i have is Windows right now. how can I format the drive and instal an OS X. I have leopard 10.5.7

    Snow Leopard is just US$29. Or Apple can send you new Install disks for your model for a nominal fee.
    Dah•veed

  • Purchase Adobe Acrobat XI, had to wipe hard drive clean & start over, need to reload it. Can u Help ?

    Purchase Adobe Acrobat XI, had to wipe hard drive clean & start over, need to reload it..Can u Help ?

    Hi greg v.p44270855,
    We would love to help. What part are you having trouble with? For starters, please make sure that you're logged in as an administrator, and temporarily disable any antivirus software. If you don't have the Acrobat installer, you can download Acrobat from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat.html.
    If you're running into a particular problem with the installation, please provide some specifics about the problem (error messages, operating system and version, and so so).
    Best,
    Sara

  • Both of my computers crashed nearly simultanesously due to mal-ware, had to erase hard drives to start over, did not have chance to de-activate either Acrobat or Creative Cloud before they crashed.  I need you to retroactively deactivate these two previou

    Both of my computers crashed nearly simultanesously due to mal-ware, had to erase hard drives to start over, did not have chance to de-activate either Acrobat or Creative Cloud before they crashed.  I need you to retroactively deactivate these two previous computers (one Dell desktop, another a Dell laptop from my university, the University Of Missouri_KC), so that I can re-install on my laptop (which has been repaired by UMKC), and the other on my new private desktop (which replaces my previous desktop, which cannot be salvaged).  I have the serial numbers of my two products, if Adobe could request them
    Please respond as soon as possible.  - Marc Garcelon, [email protected], UMKC email address: [email protected]@

    Hi Marc,
    Please refer to the help document below for deactivation:
    Activation & Deactivation Help
    Also, the creative cloud membership can only work on 2 machines. You will receive an error automatically on the third machine.
    Regards,
    Sheena

  • I need to erase my hard drive and start anew, will time Machine(external drive) and all the discs I got with my computer be enough to restart things

    I need to erase my hard drive and start anew, will time Machine(external drive) and all the discs I got with my computer be enough to restart things.  And secondly does RAM memory cards go bad.  Here's the info on my IMac:
    Model Name:          iMac
      Model Identifier:          iMac6,1
      Processor Name:          Intel Core 2 Duo
      Processor Speed:          2.16 GHz
      Number Of Processors:          1
      Total Number Of Cores:          2
      L2 Cache:          4 MB
      Memory:          3 GB
      Bus Speed:          667 MHz
      Boot ROM Version:          IM61.0093.B07
      SMC Version (system):          1.10f2

    I need to erase my hard drive and start anew
    Why do you feel you need to do this? That is such a 'Windows thing' to do!
    And secondly does RAM memory cards go bad
    Very rarely, but nothing in life is guaranteed (except death and taxes)! If you purchased RAM from a reputable source like Crucial or OWC it will carry a lifetime warranty.

  • How do I go about wiping my drive and starting over?

    how do I go about wiping my drive and starting over?

    1. Startup from your 10.5 install DVD and go to Utilities > Disk Utility.
    2. Highlight the HDD in the list of drives and select the Partition tab.
    3. Under Volume Scheme select 1 Partition and click on the Options... button.
    4. Select GUID Partition Table in the drop down window and click OK.
    5. Set the Format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and click the Apply button.
    6. Once thats done Install OS X from the Install DVD and update..
    To update the fresh OS X, use the > Mac OS X 10.5.8 Combo Update

  • Can i recover photo files lost when i wiped out my hard-drive and  reinstalled mac os x?

    Can i recover photo files lost when i wiped out my hard-drive and  reinstalled mac os x?  I know that when a computer is wiped cleaned that the info is still on the hard drive, how do I access it?  Can I pay someone to access it?  Long story short, everything was saved to my external hard drive except my photos, by mistake of course.

    You have to stop using the drive immediately.  Completely stop.  Do not boot the computer from the drive.
    File recovery software: Try using an application such as Data Rescue 3 - http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php or FileSalvage - http://subrosasoft.com, or one of the ones listed in the (old) link below. Some have free trial versions that let you see if the software will help before you decide to buy. You will also need a second hard drive equal to or larger in size than your first drive as a destination drive for recovered files.
    http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-recovery-software
    It is critical that you do not use the computer or even turn it on until you have rescued your files. Files only have the directory reference to them removed when you empty the trash or otherwise delete them from a computer (unless you use secure erase, in which case they are gone forever or can only be potentially be recovered by very expensive means) and are still present on the computer. However, their space is marked as available to any other file creation done on the computer (even done by you booting the computer) and there is risk that your files will be overwritten by the computer.
    Even if the above works, do not expect the results to be pretty or even 100% successful.  Files will often lose their names and you will have to re-name them one by one.

  • When you upgrade from Lion to ML, do you need to erase your external backup drive and start over in Time Machine, or does it just automatically pick up from where it stopped with Lion?

    This is a 500 GB G-Drive mobile external hard drive that I've been using since I got my MacBook Pro in '09. So I've had it from Leopard through Lion. Should I have been erasing it each time a new operating system comes out and starting over?

    No - just continue to use Time Machine as you have always been.
    Not only is erasing it unnecessary, doing that would eliminate the only practicable way of undoing an OS X upgrade.

  • I swapped out my hard drive and need to get the new computer to recognize it

    my hp died, and i had to take the hard drive and swap it out to a new computer. Right now it is in an external case hooked up to laptop via USB - no expansion slots. .  the laptop will not recognize it, it only sees the recovery partition. How can i work around tyhios to get the files moved over?

    Hi,
    That's true because it still has some sorts of "signature" on it. My suggestion use other computer and reassign its C: to something then try again. I used to swap HDD's nearly every month and noticed this.
    Regards.
    BH
    **Click the KUDOS thumb up on the left to say 'Thanks'**
    Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply 'Accept as Solution' if it solves your problem.

  • How do I wipe my hard drive and start again iMac ?

    My hard drive is now full of junk and I want to wipe my hard drive and re-instal from time machine.
    Not quite sure how to start.

    Safari Bookmarks are in ~/Library/Safari/Bookmarks.plist

  • HP SimpleSave drive full, want to format drive and start over

    I have a HP SimpleSave 320GB that is full. Running Windows 7 I want to remove everything and start over. How do I do that? Also all I want to put back on the drive is pictures. How do I set it up to do that? Thanks

    I got this topic on a search, and it is just the right question: How to start over with hp simple save.  Where are the answers?  I am afraid of doing the wrong thing, but I only have two tools: format and reinstall.  Western Digital seems to have something for this, but I cannot get into the site.

  • Can I recover data from a reformatted hard drive?  I did not do a back up prior to talking to Apple Support and the guy having me delete the hard drive and start anew.  My bad but is all lost??

    Can I recover data from a reformatted hard drive?  I did not complete a back up prior to talking to Apple Support and the guy having me delete the hard drive (10.5.8) and start anew (10.6.3).  My bad but is all lost?? Years of very important information....

    You will need to purchase reovery sofware such as such as FileSalvage
    http://subrosasoft.com/software/filesalvage
    You can download a demo copy that will tell you what it can recover
    If you want to recover that you must pay for the software then
    When you do the recovery, you will need another disk drive to receive the recovered files
    Having install a new operating system on the disk after the retformat is going to gradually reduce the amount of data that this software will be able to recover for you
    Allan

  • Have a mac book pro that crashed. ran disk utility to repair. comp booted and ran for short time. then crashed. ran repair again. disk utility said it could not repair files and i needed to format hard drive and start again. now nothing works

    have a mac book pro that crashed. ran disk utility to repair. comp booted and ran for short time. then crashed. ran repair again. disk utility said it could not repair disk and needed to format and start again.
    comp said it could not unmount disk and now when comp trys to boot all i get is a question mark on the screen. help

    Erase and Install
    1. Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer Disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button.  When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
    2. After DU loads select your hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area.  If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing.  SMART info will not be reported  on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
    3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed.
    4. Quit DU after formatting completes and return to the installer. Install Snow Leopard.
    5. After restart into Snow Leopard download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.

  • I just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive and copied over a backup from time machine now I have a kernel panic message (you must restart) - what do I do now?

    i just replaced the hard drive on my macbook pro, reformatted new hard drive, installed a back up from time machine and now have kernel panic ( you must restart your computer) what do I need to do?

    If you're able to boot, launch the Console application in any of the following ways:
    ☞ Enter the first few letters of its name into a Spotlight search. Select it in the results (it should be at the top.)
    ☞ In the Finder, press the key combination shift-command-U. The application is in the folder that opens.
    ☞ If you’re running Mac OS X 10.7 or later, open LaunchPad. Click Utilities, then Console in the page that opens.
    Select the most recent panic log under System Diagnostic Reports. Post the contents – the text, please, not a screenshot. For privacy’s sake, I suggest you edit out the “Anonymous UUID,” a long string of letters, numbers, and dashes in the header and body of the report, if it’s present (it may not be.) Please don't post "shutdownStall" or "hang" reports.
    If you can't boot in the usual way, try a safe boot. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
    Be sure your Mac is shut down.
    Press the power button.
    Immediately after you hear the startup tone, hold the Shift key. The Shift key should be held as soon as possible after the startup tone, but not before the tone.
    Release the Shift key when you see the gray Apple icon and the progress indicator (looks like a spinning gear).
    During startup, you’ll see a progress bar, and then the login screen, which appears even if you normally log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
    Safe mode is slower than normal, and some things won’t work at all.

  • I would like to upgrade hard drive and start with clean OS how is this done?

    I have a mac book pro and would like to install a new hard drive with the latest OS. I dont care about previous data just a clean start. What is then best method to this approach?
    Thanks!!

    Command R you have access to Disk Utility and the OS install.
    http://mashable.com/2013/10/23/clean-install-os-x-mavericks/
    check your compatibility
    To install Mavericks, you need one of these Macs:
    iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
    MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
    MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later),
    MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later)
    MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
    Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
    Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
    Xserve (Early 2009)
    Your Mac also needs:
    OS X Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard v10.6.8 already installed
    2 GB or more of memory
    8 GB or more of available space

Maybe you are looking for