Erase hard drive without install disc

I had to replace my MacBook Pro for a variety of reasons, one of which was that the optical drive was shot. Now I want to erase the HD. How do I do this without the install disc?

As you are running OS X Mountain Lion, you can use OS X Recovery to erase the hard drive. Read > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
Hold Command and R keys while your MacBook Pro is starting to start in OS X Recovery, and open Disk Utility. Then, choose Macintosh HD in the sidebar, go to Erase tab and erase the drive. If you want, you can choose one of the security options if you don't want that your files could be recovered

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How to install a new hard drive without bootable disc/usb

Hi- my hard drive has totally failed and although I can get into disk utility it won't let me create images and keeps coming up with input/output errors when I try.
I don't have another mac to work from and have no discs whatsoever even for older OS versions
I've ordered a new hard drive(a seagate 750GB 7400rpm one) but how do I get mountain lion on the new hard drive without any discs? If I just put in my new hard drive will it come up with an option? I have a mid 2009 MBP if that helps

I have a mid 2009 MBP if that helps
Here is how it helps:
You need the Utilities from Recovery_HD. Your broken Mac can boot from a Thumb drive.
Use this article to download this Utility to copy the Recovery_HD from your older, working Mac to a minimum 1GB USB thumb drive:
OS X: About Recovery Disk Assistant
Then boot the new mac with the thumb drive by holding down Alt/Option, wait wait wait while it draws an Icon for each bootable Volume, choose the Recovery_HD, choose proceed arrow, and use Disk Utility to erase the drive and create GUID partition Map, 1 partition, Mac OS X Extended (journaled). Then install Mac OS X by download.

Can I transfer a Time Machine backup to a new empty hard drive, without installing Mountain Lion again?

Can I transfer a Time Machine backup to a new empty hard drive, without installing Mountain Lion on that new hard drive?

Yes - I just did it the other night. Took five hours, but it finally finished and is working great.
I sort of followed the instructions found here -->> http://pondini.org/TM/18.html.
Also, if you want to have dual backups, see -->>
http://pondini.org/TM/27.html.
I say 'sort of' because I used Carbon Copy Cloner to do a block-level transfer. I just didn't want to get hung up with a Finder copy.
Give CCC a try - you have to enable the block copy in Preferences before using this method, but I was quite happy with it. I used it to move over 1TB of TM backups from a FireWire 800 drive to a 2TB Thunderbolt drive. 5 seconds short of taking 5 hours.
It should work well for you.
Clinton

Erasing Hard Drive without video

My video card failed (or so Apple told me), and so I can no longer see what's happening with my iBook. Since I'd like to get rid of it or donate it, is there a way to securely erase the hard drive without being able to see the screen? I've found instructions for erasing, but they require you to select from onscreen choices. Thanks.

Hi, Jason. Welcome to Apple Discussions.
Do you have access to another Mac with FireWire? If so, you may be able to get the iBook to remain responsive in FireWire Target Disk Mode so you can erase the hard drive by this method:
If the iBook is on, shut it down and wait 30 seconds (or longer). Pick it up in your left palm to the left of the trackpad and squeeze the case there between your palm and left thumb as you push the power button and key combination to start up in FireWire Target Disk Mode. Do not let up the pressure on the case. Continue applying this pressure as you erase your drive from the other Mac. If you let up and the iBook dies or freezes, you will have to start over, allowing it to rest several hours or overnight before beginning again.
If at first you don't succeed, allow the iBook to sit overnight, and try again. It is more apt to start up after a long rest.
Let us know how things go.

How do you erase and reinstall a hard drive without a disc? I bought this mac book pro under a year ago and am pretty sure i downloaded mountain lion from the app store. Basically Im having startup issues and this is the final step Ive reached

when I start my laptop it loads a third of the way and shuts down automaticallyI've tried to safe boot, repairing discs and clearing RAM but nothing has worked. basically I've come to the final step of having to a erase my hard drive and reinstall mountain lion however Apple support suggest that I install from a disc however I installed mountain lion from the App Store. can anyone help me go about this?

Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the
      left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on
        the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on
      the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible
            because it is three times faster than wireless.

How to install operating system on new hard drive without installation disc on macbook pro 2011

My macbook pro 2011 does not come with a recovery disc or any disc at all, my hard drive recently failed and i have no backup. i have replaced the hard drive but don't know how to install the operating system on the new hard drive.

If it originally shipped with 10.7 or newer, connect the computer to the Internet and start it up with the Option, Command, and R keys held down. You'll be able to install an OS.
If it shipped with 10.6.8 or earlier and wasn't upgraded to use Apple's Internet Recovery system, phone AppleCare and order the disks.
(109822)

Erasing Hard Drive Using Install Disks?

I am selling one of my older Macbooks to someone soon. I was curious if using the install disks to erase the hard drive would be a secure way to erase? Any suggestions to make this process quick and secure? Thanks!

evan127 wrote:
So erasing from the install disk is a secure way to clear the hard drive? I just don't want anyone recovering my files.
There are some things that you just can't do from a system drive. One is erase the system volume by itself, and the other is to repair a volume by itself (although I heard rumors that it might have changed to some degree). If you wipe the drive, you're basically leaving it without an operating system.
And yeah - erasing from the system disc is secure. If you want maximum security, then you have it to a 7-pass erase or greater. I forgot exactly what the options are, but the last time I checked it was a 7-pass and another setting with more passes. What this will do is alternate writing 0s then 1s then 0s, etc until 7 passes erasing the drive with the same data. This is often nicknamed a "government wipe" because a multi-pass erase is claimed to be required for US governement contractors getting rid of hard drives that once contained US gov't information. This is in a manner which even espionage agencies might have difficulty trying to recover.

Installing new hard drive without install disk

I just recently purchased a 500gb 7200rpm 2.5" seagate momentus for my macbook and my install disk doesn't work. Is there anyway to get OS X off my old hard drive onto my new one?

Why doesn't the install disc work?
Most drives are pre-formatted to work with windows.
Is your new drive formatted for Mac use? That's OSX Extended (Journaled).
Al

Erase Hard Drive without original disk

Hi, I've got a 2006 macbook pro with intel processor. I want to delete all the info on this computer but I can't find the disks that came with it. I do have the new snow leopard install disk. Can I use disk utility to erase everything on the hard drive, then use this snow leopard disk to install an OS on this computer?

Yes, you can. You obviously have to use the copy of Disk Utility on the install disk (ie, boot from the DVD, and run DU from the Utilities menu).
Matt

Mac will not boot from hard drive or install disc

Hello All
In dire need of advise...my intel Mac will not boot, even tried booting to the Snow Leopard install disc and all I'm getting is the white screen, apple logo and the wheel.
Just before this happened there was a buzzing sound like the fan was about to fail but that is only a guess on my part. Is there a keyboard shortcut to boot to a terminal window or similar to force the computer to boot from the install disc.
Thanks in advance for any help offered.
Warren

Hi Warren
Try holding the Option key and see if it will boot into Startup Manager, where you should be able to choose from a good Drive or your install Disk.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1533
or the D key and run the Apple Hardware Test.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1509
Also note: key commands may require a USB Keyboard if your using a wireless and it has become unpaired.
Dennis

Erasing hard drive to install data from old computer to mac mini

I have a mini running OS 10.4 and I wish to erase all my data and replace it using Migration Assistant with all the data from my daughter's iMac. I have tried selecting the hard drive in Disk Utility but so far have only succeeded in clearing the free space. Urgent help needed as my daughter will arrive in 3 hours clutching her old computer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Make a new Admin Account in Accounts, log into that new account, then delete your old account.

I erased by Hard drive without backing up. Now, when I put the install disc one inside, it says that Mac os x cannot be installed on this computer. The computer was running Mac os x 10.5.8. Any help?

I erased by Hard drive without backing up. Now, when I put the install disc one inside, it says that Mac os x cannot be installed on this computer. The computer was running Mac os x 10.5.8. Any help?

Boot from your DVD by switching on the Mac & inserting the disc, restart it & hold the "C" key. Once the installer window loads & you have selected your language, choose Disk Utility from the Utilities Menu. You will then need to select your disk from the menu within Disk Utility & choose how you wish to format. It should be formatted Mac OS Extended (Journaled).
Once it has formatted, you should then be able to install the OS.
PLEASE REMEMBER...that formatting a disk will completely erase it's content. Be sure that you don't wish to recover any of your previous content before doing any of the above.
Ben

TS1600 I received a 2008 Imac with erased hard drive. I have the two discs to install OS X but when it tries to boot just comes up Mac OS X cannot be installed on this computer. Is there anything I can do to get this running

I rceived a 2008 Imac with erased hard drive. They gave me the two install discs but it keeps coming up cannot install OS X on this computer.
Is there anything to do. Thanks hopefully

Well, Apple would probably point out that what you are trying to do violates the EULA.
Technically speaking, however, the issue is that the install/restore DVDs that ship with Macs do not carry all the drivers, or even all of the various versions of libraries that support all of the various models of Macs. The come-with-your-Mac disks are different than the retail versions of the OS (also, the come-with-your-Mac ones bundle iLife, which the retail ones don't).
Because the come-with-your-Mac disk contains only the drivers specific to that generation and model line of Mac, it contains a stub of code that verifies that your hardware matches the driver set on the install/restore DVD.
Your friend has a different model of Mac, with different hardware, so her install/restore disk won't work in yours. Solution: go get the retail boxed version of Leopard.

Need to erase hard drive and reinstall system on iMac but have misplaced original install disks. Tried to use a my copy of Snow lepord 10.6 from my Mac pro but will not boot. Can original install disks be replaced. Thanks

Need to erase hard drive and reinstall system on iMac but have misplaced original install disks. Tried to use a my copy of Snow lepord 10.6 from my Mac Pro but will not boot. Can original install disks be replaced. Thanks

Yes the original Install Discs can be replaced for a nominal fee. Call AppleCare, you will need a credit card and the serial number of the machine. You can use the AppleCare Contact Info for the phone number on your part of the planet.

After erasing hard drive and re-installing Lion, is there anyway i can tell if all my files are gone?

Hey guys.
Basically i have sold my iMac after buying a new Macbook Pro. I erased hard drive in disc utility then reinstalled Lion from disc.
When i turn on the iMac now it does the usual welcome video, then proceeds to try and set up the machine. Which i dont want to do as i have sold it and he will want to do that himself.
Dont personally know the guy ive sold it too so basically i want to know how i can check to see if my files have actually been deleted?
Just so all my personal information isnt accessed by someone else.
Thanks a lot

If you erased the disk, the data is gone. If you want to be sure, you can open Disk Utiility again and erase the disk using a special method (select the hard disk > Erase > Security Options) before installing Mac OS X

Erase hard drive without install disc

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