How do i erase my hard disk

How do I erase my hard disk to prepare for resale?

Prepare Your Mac for Sale
Boot from the OS X Installer Disc One that came with the computer.  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.  After DU loads select the startup volume from the left side list then click on the Erase tab.  Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) then click on the Options button.  Select the one pass Zero Data option and click on the OK button.  Then click on the Erase button.
Note: You can skip the Zero Data option if you are not concerned about removing sensitive personal data from the hard drive.  If you choose to skip this part of the process then it is possible for others to recover data from the hard drive.  The Zero Data procedure will prevent others from getting access to your personal information.
This process will take 30 minutes to several hours depending upon the size of the hard drive.  After formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer.  Now complete the OS X installation.  At the completion of the installation do not restart the computer.  Instead just shut it off.  The next user will be presented with the Setup Assistant when they turn on the computer just as it would if new out of the box.

Similar Messages

  • How can I erase my hard disk with OS X 10.8.2?

    How can I erase my hard disk with OS X 10.8.2?

    If you want to erase the hard disk and reinstall OS X, follow these steps:
    1. Back up your data to an external disk if you don't want to lose everything. When you erase a hard disk, everything is deleted.
    2. Press Command and R keys while your Mac is starting to start into OS X Recovery, and open Disk Utility.
    3. Select Macintosh HD on the sidebar, go to Erase tab and erase the disk.
    4. After erasing the disk, close Disk Utility and reinstall OS X, so OS X will be installed with factory settings.
    Don't forget to install iLife applications after the installation, if you need them. They come in the Applications DVD (if your Mac came with Snow Leopard or older), or open App Store > Purchases and download them

  • How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

    How do I erase my hard drive? My initial operating system was Snow Leopard but I have upgraded to Mavericks OS. My Snow Leopard install disk ejects when I try and use it.

    Do a backup,  preferable 2 separate ones on 2 drives. Boot to the Recovery Volume (command - R on a restart or hold down the option/alt key during a restart and select Recovery Volume). Run Disk Utility Verify/Repair and Repair Permissions until you get no errors.  Reformat the drive using Disk Utility/Erase Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then click the Option button and select GUID. Then re-install the OS.
    OS X Recovery
    OS X Recovery (2)
    When you reboot, use Setup Assistant to restore your data.

  • How can I erase My hard drive. Disk utility only gives me the option of erase free space. I have 27in iMac with Lion and 12 gb ram.

    How can I erase my hard drive? Disk utility only gives me the option to erase free space.
    Thanks for any assistance.

    Drive Preparation for Lion
    1. 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. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
    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 to return to the main menu.
    5. Select Reinstall Lion then click on the Continue button. You need an active network connection in order to download the Lion software.

  • How do I erase the hard drive on my mac mini with OS X lion

    How do I erase the hard drive on my mac mini with os x lion

    Restart with the Command and R keys held down and use the Disk Utility from there.
    (127020)

  • How can I erase my hard drive?

    I just sold my computer. How can I erase the hard drive? Thanks1

    To prepare it for sale you should follow these instructions:
    What to do before selling or giving away your Mac
    In addition to the above:
    If you enabled FileVault, disable it in System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
    "Deauthorize" your iTunes account. Same for Audible if you have one.
    System Preferences > iCloud > de-select "Back to My Mac" and "Find my Mac".
    Sign out of iCloud. Select "Delete from Mac" when it appears.
    Then:
    Start your Mac with its original System Installation DVD (if your Mac shipped with one) or OS X Recovery (if it didn’t).
    Remove any Open Firmware password if you created one: select Firmware Password Utility from the Utilities menu and remove it.
    Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
    Remove any partitions you may have created.
    Select the Mac's hard disk icon, then select the "Erase" tab.
    Select the "Security Options" button and erase the disk.
    The more "securely" you erase the disk, the longer it will take. The fastest method is sufficient since all but the most expensive techniques and equipment will be able to recover securely erased data.
    When it finishes, quit Disk Utility.
    Select Install Mac OS X from the Utilities menu. Do not create any user accounts.
    When it finishes, shut down the computer.
    If you want to install the bundled apps that were included with your Mac, restart by using your Applications DVD and install the bundled apps.
    Don't forget to include any DVDs that came with your iMac, your AppleCare certificate if you bought it, printed documentation, even the box if you still have it.
    Execute a bill of sale showing the Mac's serial number.
    Once no longer in your possesion, remove the Mac from your devices in My Support Profile.

  • How to reinitialize an external hard disk drive which serves for Time Machine?

    How to reinitialize an external hard disk drive which serves for Time Machine?
    Thanks for your answer.

    Everything you need to know about initializing (formatting) is here.
    http://pondini.org/OSX/DU1.html
    Lots of useful information on TM is here in the same place.
    http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html

  • With Lion, How Can I Erase the Hard Drive and Reinstall The System Software?

    I plan on buying a used iMac with a Core 2 Duo so that I can run Lion.  Since Lion can only be purchased at the Mac App store what if I needed to erase my hard drive and re-install the system software.  How can I do this without a DVD with the OS on it like I have for Snow Leapard.  I suppose that I could boot from my Snow Leapard DVD and do the erase.  Then, I supposed I would be able to download Lion again from the Mac App Store without paying for it again.  But, how would you erase a hard drive and reinstall the system software when purchasing a new Mac with Lion already installed and no DVD at all with the OS on it?
    -- Kaydell

    When someone purchases any Apple computer with a DVD Drive, they should have recieved two DVDs... One contains the Operating System (up to Snow Leopard, Lion no longer ships on DVD) and the other contains the SYSTEM SOFTWARE (i.e. iLife and iWork). To install the software, they just insert the DVD with the SYSTEM SOFTWARE into any compatible Mac and run the installer. There is no need to erase the hard drive to install SYSTEM SOFTWARE. Maybe a friend can let you borrow the SYSTEM SOFTWARE DVD. The other option is to purchase the software via the App Store.
    FYI... App Store purchases are linked to the PURCHASER'S APPLE ID. So if you buy a used Mac from a friend and that Mac already has Lion installed on it,that Lion purchase is linked to YOUR FRIEND'S APPLE ID, not yours. So if you want to download Lion again, you will have to enter your FRIEND'S APPLE ID AND PASSWORD. You can always have your friend re-download Lion and make you a DVD copy.

  • Hi . i have Intel based iMac. i erased whole hard disk. now it flashes folder icon with question mark... i have no internet or orginal dvd.... i want to clean install any mac osx..friend got mac book pro and osx in dmg format . what are my options?

    hi . i have Intel based iMac. i erased whole hard disk. now it flashes folder icon with question mark... i have no internet or orginal dvd.... i want to clean install any mac osx..friend got mac book pro and osx in dmg format . what are my options?

    On your friend's computer with an internet connection, log into the Mac App Store with your ID and download Yosemite from the Purchases section of the Mac App Store. The make a bootable USB install media using
    http://liondiskmaker.com/
    Then boot from that on your computer and install
    You need an internet connection to install via Recovery mode

  • How to transfer video from hard disk to i tune?

    how to transfer video from hard disk to i tune? can any one please?? help me also in guiding if  anything else is required to be done to transfer the content to ipad....

    Drag it into the open iTunes application window. You may need to use a product such as MPEG Streamclip to convert it to MPEG-4 first.
    (59829)

  • I disabled my Macbook  Hard Disk and lock the settings, after i try to reboot, the system wouldn't come up. It refuses to read instructions from the hard disk. How can i enable the hard disk when the system wouldn't come up?

    I disabled my Macbook  Hard Disk and lock the settings, after i try to reboot, the system wouldn't come up. It refuses to read instructions from the hard disk. How can i enable the hard disk when the system wouldn't come up?

    How do you disabled it if running the same?

  • How to install the second hard disk (HP ProBook 6560b LG658EA) ?

    How to install the second hard disk (HP ProBook 6560b LG658EA) ?

    Hi,
    You can install a second HDD in the Upgrade Bay - this is detailed on Page 67 of your Maintenance & Service Guide.
    Regards,
    DP-K
    ****Click the White thumb to say thanks****
    ****Please mark Accept As Solution if it solves your problem****
    ****I don't work for HP****
    Microsoft MVP - Windows Experience

  • How can i get my hard disk cable replacement

    how can i get my hard disk cable replacement in Ghana

    Remove or rename a folder on the root level probably called something like Private or Video or DCIM.

  • How do I fix Your hard disk does not have enough free space?

    How do I fix Your hard disk does not have enough free space?

    Select the icon of your startup volume ("Macintosh HD," unless you renamed it) in the sidebar of a Finder window, and open the Info window. How much space is Available? Specify gigabytes (GB) or megabytes (MB).

  • Why can't I erase my hard disk?

    I want to reformat my iMac, but disk utility won't let me highlight the drive. I have a 2010 Intel Core i3 and I'm running Mountain Lion. I do not have the OS disk that came with the computer. Any ideas?

    OS X Mountain Lion includes OS X Recovery, that allows you to reinstall OS X without needing any DVD. Read > http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
    Start your computer holding Command and R keys. Then, open Disk Utility and you will be able to erase the hard disk. You have to choose your OS X partition in the sidebar, not the whole hard disk. That's caused because OS X Recovery is a partition stored in the hard disk, so you can't erase the hard disk if you are using a volume

Maybe you are looking for

  • BAPI Table Input not passing to R/3 Backend

    Hello Experts, I am having trouble populating a Table input in my Web Dynpro Java application.  I have tried researching this issue on SDN and have attemped many of the solutions with no luck.  Here is my code:           Bapi_Order_Input NewOrder = n

  • Problem trying to update to iPhone OS 3.1.3 and issues with paid apps

    Hi, I bought my iPhone 3GS when my old dumbphone died and have thouroughly enjoyed the experience. I've been having a couple of minor issues which I've been wondering about of late: 1) I know the 3.1.3 update came out some time ago, but I sync my iPh

  • TS1907 Are there any additional steps I should try?

    I have tried all of these but continue to have the problem-- i.e., some messages that I did not delete and that should be in my inbox are not appearing in my Apple mail inbox on my iMac.  The missing messages do, however, appear in my iPhone and iPad

  • Do I have to upgrade? I'm still on iOS 5.1.1

    My phone still works fine with iOS 5.1.1. The only problem is that some apps seem to require 6 or 7 now. With all of the negative discussions out there, I'd be fine sticking with 5. Should I upgrade just to be able to use a few new apps? Am I missing

  • Silent installation parameters bug?

    Hello everybody! I have silently installed XE using the following command: oraclexe.exe /s /f1"c:\xe\silentinstall.iss" /f2"c:\xe\result.txt" But it fails when I try to run oraclexe.exe /s /f1"silentinstall.iss" /f2"result.txt" without specifying the