How to clean up hard drive

I'd like to cleanup my hard drive. I saw a post about disksweeper and was wondering if that's the best choice. I'm a novice Mac user. thanks, Lin

IMO... 3rd party Cleaning software is not necessary...
Mac OS X tends to look after itself...
To keep your Mac Happy... See Here...
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1147
http://www.thexlab.com/faqs/maintainingmacosx.html
Mac OS X: About background maintenance tasks

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How to 'clean' the hard drive before selling

I just bought a MBP and plan to sell my black MacBook. Is there any way I can be sure all my personal info and settings are set as default. I will transfer my files to the new computer, but what about the settings like network passwords, internet files, etc... Is there an Apple tool to do this? Thanks a lot!

HI,
If you have purchased items from the iTunes store on the MacBook, make sure and go online with it, launch iTunes and from the Menu Bar, click Store/Deauthorize computer.
*Erasing disks securely*
Usually when you erase a disk or volume, Disk Utility only erases the information used to access the files on the disk, not the actual files. Because of this, the erased files can be recovered.
If you want to erase the files so that they cannot be recovered, you can select security options to write zeros over the disk space. To make it more difficult to recover the files on the disk, you can specify doing this once, seven times, or 35 times. If you have a large disk, overwriting the free space several times can take a long time.
In Disk Utility, select the disk you want to erase and click Erase.
Specify a volume format and name for the disk.
Click Security Options and select the option you want to use. Click OK.
Click Erase.
If you select your startup disk, the buttons are dimmed because you can't erase your startup disk. To erase your computer's startup disk, you must start up from another disk. You can use your Mac OS X Install disc or the Software Restore disc that came with your computer.
Carolyn

How do I clean my hard drive to re-sell without a working disc drive?

I have macbook pro snow leopard. I wanted to clean my hard drive so all my files, informaion, and password get deleted so I can re-sell it. The problem is even though I have the installation disc, my disc drive isn't working... I tried putting my usb disc drive I got from apple, but the computer can't recognize it.
Is there anyway I can clean my hard drive without having to use a disc drive?

The easiest way to erase the HDD on the older MBP is to connect it to your newer MBP with a Firewire cable and set up Target disk mode. Open Disk Utility>Erase on the controlling MBP and erase the Target MBP HDD.
http://support.apple.com/kb/ph3838
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1661
This way, no DVD drive, external or internal, is needed.
Ciao.

I dropped my macbook pro and the screen is broken can i still use it with an external monitor? Or can I or how do I transfer hard drive files to my mac mini?

I dropped my 17" macbook pro and the screen is broken. Can I still use it with an external monitor? When I plugged it into a monitor I had used it with before, I'm not able to see anything on the macbook screen to control it. It came on but I just got the blue screen with nothing else after typing in my password. (Didn't see the password form just assumed it was there somewhere and it did go from space to blue screen but no desktop icons, files, dock strip at top or anything else, just blank blue screen) so I can't access the system preferences.
Or can I / or how do I, transfer hard drive files to my mac mini? If not salvageable as is can I pull out the hard drive and make it an external harddrive? In otherwords is anything salvageable? It seems it's coming on I just can't access anything. BTW I was told it would cost aprox $1000 to replace the screen! I paid almost $4000 for this thing and it was running great - makes me sick to lose it!

I'd like to promise you that everything will be fine if you just get the monitor going - but it's hard to know what the hardware damage might be. It might be the monitor, or the damage might be greater.
Your best solution would be visit your local Apple Store and let them know what your situation is. They have access to diagnostics you don't, and they might be able to the best way to save your data and keep you computing. It's still not covered, but they can tell you what your current options are.
Um, you might consider investing in a backup drive.
And there other repair options, too. Powerbook Medic http://www.powerbookmedic.com/xcart1/pages.php?pageid=67 offers reliable repairs, and quotes prices well under Apple's.

On my macbook pro the hard drive icon is not on my desktop and I don't know how to find the hard drive or get the icon back on my desktop

on my macbook pro the hard drive icon is not on my desktop and I don't know how to find the hard drive or get the icon back on my desktop

Click on the Desktop. From the Finder menu select Preferences. Check the boxes for what you want on your Desktop. If they are already checked, then try unchecking and rechecking.

How big of a hard drive will a DV7-1150us support?

I have an HP Pavilion DV7-1150us that the hard drive failed in and needs to be replaced. How large of a hard drive will this PC support?

The largest listed as an order option is 320GB- but I would think at least a 500Gb could be used. The biggest issue you face, if using Vista Recovery Discs, is that most hdd's are now AF (Advanced Format) and they rarely (never) work with this type hdd. I would suggest searching around for non-AF hdd if you will be using Vista.
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**Click Accept as Solution on a Reply that solves your issue to help others**

How big a internal hard drive can I install in a G5 Powermac

Model Name:          Power Mac G5
Model Identifier:          PowerMac11,2
Processor Name:          PowerPC G5 (1.0)
Processor Speed:          2 GHz
Number Of CPUs:          2
L2 Cache (per CPU):          1 MB
Memory:          4.5 GB
Bus Speed:          1 GHz
Boot ROM Version:          5.2.7f1
How big a internal hard drive can I install in a G5 Powermac

2.1 TB for certain & some 3 TB drives work if Partitioned to less than 2.1 TB but then it must be GUID instead of APM, most important is if it is SATA I 1.5Gb/sec compatible.

How big of a hard drive for 15" G4 667

I have a 15" G4 667 and it has a 30gb... how big of a hard drive can i install in it... i would like to install a 160gb

Hi, letmeno. If your 667MHz Powerbook has a DVI video-out port, it will format a nominal 160GB drive to its actual capacity (about 149GB) and use it happily, without any other limitations.
If you have the 667MHz model with a VGA video-out port, only 127-128GB of a 160GB drive can be recognized in it, and the last 20GB of the drive's actual capacity will be unavailable. Partitioning the drive has no effect on this hardware limitation.
A 120GB drive (the next size down) has a formatted capacity in any machine of about 111GB, so a 160GB drive actually provides a significant increase even in a Powerbook that can't use the whole drive. If you have the VGA model, and the difference between 111GB and 128GB is worth the difference in price between a 120 and a 160GB drive to you, go ahead and install a 160. Otherwise, even a 120 would certainly be a huge improvement over a 30.
If you do buy a 160, any later Powerbook or other recent Mac model will be able to reformat it to its full capacity. Whenever you move on to a newer Mac, you can just mount the 160 in an external enclosure for continued use, put the 30 back into the Tibook, and sell it or give it away.

How large of a hard drive can i put in my Macbook Pro (early 2011)

how large of a hard drive can i put in my Macbook Pro (early 2011) and where can i get one?

You can find answers to both at OWC as well as installation tutorials. I think you will find 1 to 1.5 TBs are the largest.

How big of a hard drive can I stuff in my 13" white mac book?

Hi,
I have a (june 2007) 13" 2.16 GhZ, 2 GB RAM Intel Core 2 Duo white macbook with a 120 GB hard drive. The hard drive is about 3/4 of the way full and I am starting to shop around for an upgrade. According to apple, my macbook is upgradable to 250 GB but I have found a WD 320 GB drive that is supposedly compatible here
http://eshop.macsales.com/MyOWC/Upgrades.cfm?model=265&type=DataStorage&TI=2824&shoupgrds=ShowUpgrades
My question is, how big of a hard drive can I fit in my little macbook? I just want to be sure before I buy.
Thanks!

I installed the 320 GB Western Digital drive in my BlackBook and it runs great. I checked it against my 80 GB drive with XBench and it has better response time.
While your in the buying mood you might want to consider a OWC Hard Drive Enclosures. I picked up one to install my old drive in so I could use it to help recover my system and to use for storage,

How to change a hard drive in a first generation intel Imac?

My hardrive cratered today on my first gen intel. where can I find the info for How to change a hard drive in a first generation intel Imac?

Go to http://www.ifixit.com/Browse/iMac_Intel , choose your system, and choose hard drive replacement to see how to do that.

How to wipe the hard drive on a screen-dead Powerbook G3?

The display on my 1998 G3 Wallstreet Powerbook recently went black and the computer made a noise that I understand is called The Chimes of Death, although the hard drive still makes whirring noises. My local and trustworthy Apple repair service assures me the Powerbook wouldn't be worth repairing even if they could get the parts for such an old machine.
Is there a way to wipe the hard drive and make my data irretrievable before disposing of the computer?
If there's no way to wipe the hard drive, I'd like to find out: (1) How to remove the hard drive. (2) The best way to destroy the hard drive or at least make it forever unreadable (can my shredder eat it?). (3) The correct way to dispose of a Powerbook that has heard the Chimes of Death. (From what the repair service says, I assume nobody would want it as a donation.)

Turtlewiz,
I would not be so quick to pronounce it dead:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14438
I would try the suggestions in the above article. Will it boot to a CD?
As far as wiping the drive, it is easy as long as you can see a display so you can follow the steps necessary. You just open Drive Setup in the Utilities Folder on the CD > select 'zero all data' in the Initialization Options; do it a few times if concerned.
Removing the HD is relatively easy: Just lift off the keyboard and the heat sink, then remove the HD.
http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/3.0.0.html
Hit the HD a few times with a hammer and nobody will bother with it...it has a glass platter.
Nothing to offer on the recycling except Good Will may still take it as "non-working" since there are Mac users looking for such bargains.

How to reinstall a hard drive on a mac pro that was accidentally dragged out of Finder

How to reinstall a hard drive on a mac pro that was accidentally dragged out of Finder? I have files on this drive that I don't want to loose or corrupt.

If you mean you dragged the hard drive shortcut out of the sidebar of a Finder window, you're quite all right - that's just a shortcut and you haven't lost any files. You can get it back by going to Finder preferences (the Finder menu, then Preferences), click Sidebar, and tick the "hard drives" box fully to show all hard drives.
Post back if you did something different though.
Matt

How to connect a hard drive on Airport Extreme (second edition)

how to connect a hard drive on Airport Extreme (second edition)? Does it need a special format? It is now fromat on FAT32, but i don't see it ??

The USB port your Mac is high powered. The port on the AirPort Extreme is not.
So, it tends to be borderline as far as its ability to supply sufficient power to a hard drive...even if the hard drive has its own power supply.
Often, users...including me....need to use a powered USB hub when they attach any drive to the USB port on the AirPort Extreme.
You might want to give that a try. Double check to make sure that the drive is formatted in FAT32 as well, since Windows NTFS or exFAT will not work with the AirPort Extreme.
Powering down and restarting the entire network.....modem first, then router, etc.....is something that you would always want to do after any change or addition to a network.

How to use external hard drive and iTunes together?

how to use external hard drive and iTunes together?

Yes I did get to that part.... I went trough external to retrive itunes folder... When I selected the folder, it said that it was locked, choose another folder... I then went to my external again to my itunes folder and and used command I to see if folder was locked and it wasn't.... it was suggested on another forum to reboot.. which I did and still same problem... All I want to do is link my external hard drive that has my itunes playlist from another Mac to my new one.. and to also use the external as the main source for adding new songs to my playlist...

How to clean up hard drive

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