How to I "wipe" a computer's drive?

I have upgraded to a new laptop and want to donate the old one, but need to make sure the drive is completely clean. I have re-install disks. Do I need additional specific software?

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.

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I think i have a virus on my Macbook Pro, OS X Yosemite, how do i wipe my computer clean without erasing photos and music etc?

i think i have a virus on my Macbook Pro, OS X Yosemite, how do i wipe my computer clean without erasing photos and music etc?

The update alerts are fake, and are intended to dupe you into installing malware or disclosing private information so that your identity can be stolen.
You might get the alerts when visiting a website that has been hacked. Don't visit the site again. If applicable, notify the site administrator of the problem, but don't send email to an unknown party.
If you get the alerts when visiting more than one well-known website, such as Google, YouTube, or Facebook, then they may be the result of an attack on your router that has caused you to get false results from looking up the addresses of Internet servers. Requests sent to those sites are redirected to a server controlled by the attacker. It's possible, but less likely, that the DNS server used by your ISP has been attacked.
Back up all data.
Unlock the Network preference pane, if necessary, by clicking the lock icon in the lower left corner and entering your password. Cllck Advanced, open the DNS tab, and change the server addresses to the following:
          8.8.8.8
          8.8.4.4
That's Google DNS. Click OK, then Apply.
In Safari, select
          Safari ▹ Preferences... ▹ Privacy ▹ Remove All Website Data
and confirm. If you’re using another browser, empty the cache. Test. If the fake update alerts stop, see below. Otherwise, ask for instructions.
The router's documentation should tell you how to reset it to the factory default state. Usually there's a pinhole switch somewhere in the back. It may be labeled "RESET." Insert the end of a straightened paper clip or a similar tool and press the button inside for perhaps 15 seconds, or as long as the instructions specify.
After resetting the router, quit the web browser and relaunch it while holding down the shift key. From the Safari menu bar, select
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and confirm. Do the equivalent if you use another browser. Open the Downloads folder and delete anything you don't recognize.
Then go through the router's initial setup procedure. I can't be specific, because it's different for every model. The key points are these:
1. Don't allow the router to be administered from the WAN (Internet) port, if it has that option. Most do.
2. Set a strong password to protect the router's settings: at least ten random upper- and lower-case letters and digits. Don't use the default password or any other that could be guessed. Save the password in your keychain. Any password that you can remember is weak.
3. If the router is wireless, or if you have a wireless access point on the network, use "WPA 2 Personal" security and set a different strong password to protect the network. If the router or access point doesn't support WPA 2, it's obsolete and must be replaced.
During the time the router was compromised, you were redirected to bogus websites. If you ever connected to a secure site and got a warning from your browser that the identity of the server could not be verified, and you dismissed that warning in order to log in, assume that your credentials for the site have been stolen and that the attacker has control of the account. This warning also applies to all websites on which you saw the fake update alerts.
Check the router manufacturer's website for a firmware update.
If you downloaded and installed what you thought was a software update, ask for instructions.

How can I wipe my imac hard drive if the imac is not recognising my keyboard

I fell into the same trap many others have with installing Windows via bootcamp & not setting up the hard drive formatting properly. So I've got a "Disk error. Press any key to restart message."
I've tried pressing command to get it to boot into OS and using 'c' to get it to boot from the OS cd. But my mouse and keyboard are not being recognised so these don't work.
I'm thinking that there must be a way to wipe the hard drive so I can reinstall OS. I thought it may work to connect it to another computer in target disk mode, but the iMac won't recognise me pressing T. Would anyone know whether there is any other way I can wipe the hard drive or otherwise get OS back running?

If your keyboard is a wireless one, wait until the startup chimes sound and then immediately press the appropriate key.
If your keyboard is a non-Apple one, then startup commands may not be embedded. In this case, using an Apple keyboard should work, such as the original one that came with the machine.
The key to hold down to bring up Startup Manager during booting is the Option key, not the Command key.

How can I securely erase my hard drive and reinstall OS X Mountain Lion?

Hi, I am selling my MacBook and I was wondering if there's a way I can securely erase my hard drive, (... 7 pass, 35 pass) using these steps: http://www.mactip.net/how-to-securely-wipe-your-mac-hard-drive-before-selling-it /
and also reinstall OS X Mountain Lion afterwards.
Thanks in advance. 

Boot into recovery mode by holding the command and r keys down during boot. Bring up Disk Utility and do the security erase you want to do. When done, choose to download Mountain Lion.

How do i change my computer hdd from time machine backup to normal so i can install mavericks

How do i change my computer hard drive back to normal cant install mavericks on it HELP !!!

Welcome to Apple Support Communities
You have got the "Backups.backupdb" folder in the root level of the hard drive. This is the folder used by Time Machine to save backups to, and the Mavericks installer has detected that your hard drive is the Time Machine disk when it's not.
To fix this, open a Finder window, select the Go menu (on the menu bar) > Go to Folder, and type:
Then, delete the "Backups.backupdb" folder and empty the Trash. Finally, open the OS X Mavericks installer again and follow the steps

How do I transfew all of my music from my iPod to my iTunes? I had to wipe my computer because my hard drive crashed and it will only let me sync my iTunes to iPod.

My hard drive crashed and I had to wipe my computer. When I plug my iPod into my computer, it asks if I want to sync my (empty) iTunes account to my (full) iPod, but doesn't give me the option to put my iPod music onto my empty iTunes account. All I want to do is put my iPod's music back into my iTunes account, but can't figure out how to do it. I had some music backed up, but when I put it into iTunes, it won't play the songs (has an ! next to it) even though I purchased the songs from iTunes. I've tried authorizing my account, but nothing brings my old account back. Any help would be appreciated.

It has always been very basic to always maintain a backup copy of your computer for just this reason.
Use your backup copy to put everything back.
If for some reason you have failed to backup ( not good), then you can transfer itunes purchases from an ipod: File>Transfer Purchases

I have 4 devices on an iTunes whose computer hard drive is dead. How do I get my devices on a new iTunes on a different computer and not wipe out my contents?

I have 4 devices (iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4s, iPad2, Mini iPad) on an iTunes whose computer hard drive is dead. How do I get my devices on a new iTunes on a different computer and not wipe out my contents?

This should be of great help to you.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3991
Or this one.
https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-3141

Help needed. I have a 3TB external hard drive partitioned into 1TB's. I used one partition as backup for the main computer hard drive. But now it is greyed out as shown in the disk utility and its name changed, i dont know how that happened, i tried verif

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Looks bad. I would strongly advise backing up the stuff on the other two partitions as soon as possible in case the rest of the drive goes wrong.
Beyond that, Disk Utility has limited abilities to repair disks, DiskWarrior uses a different approach and might, emphasis might be more successful. It has certainly done the job for me in the past when Disk Utility could not.
See http://www.alsoft.com/diskwarrior/

I have 5 computers authorized to use my iTunes. 2 of those computers do not exist and have had their hard drives destroyed. How do I remove those computer from my iTunes account?

I have 5 computers authorized to use my iTunes. 2 of those computers do not exist and have had their hard drives destroyed. How do I remove those computer from my iTunes account?

Begin by opening the iTunes program and going to the iTunes Store via the iTunes Store button in the top right.
Once you're at the iTunes Store, click on the Sign In button at the top left corner (if you're not signed in) or on your account name in the same location (if you're already signed in).
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A window will pop up asking you to confirm that this is what you want to do. Continue.
In just a few seconds, all 5 computers on your account will be deauthorized.
Now, re-authorize just the computers that you still use and you'll be all set.

HT4528 Had to wipe my computer clean and my itunes will no longer sync with itunes because the phone is looking for the old computer... how do I fix this?

Had to wipe my computer clean and my itunes will no longer sync with itunes - I don't want it to wipe out the information I already have on my iphone? Can this be fixed?

See:
Syncing to a "New" Computer or replacing a "crashed" Hard Drive: Apple Support Communities

Hard drive failed on windows computer. all data lost. backed up most itunes on an older model my passport ultra external hard drive. How do I transfer from external hard drive to new computer hard drive?

The hard drive on my windows computer failed and the data is not retrievalbe.
I had a new hard drive installed.
I had backed up on a older model my passport ultra external hard drive my itunes up to about a year ago.
How can I move the back up extenal drive Itunes data onto my new hard drive- will it work on itunes?
===========
Meanwhile my ipod has all my music and podcasts up till a month ago. What will I lose if I put my external drive music back on?

Hi Perilman,
Welcome to the Apple Support Communities! I understand that all of your iTunes media is on an external hard drive and you would like to move that media onto your new Windows computer hard drive. The following article has step by step instructions for this specifically. Part 5 in the External drive section is probably what is going to be most relevant to you.
iTunes: How to move your music to a new computer
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4527
Part 5: Copy music to your new computer
To copy all your music files (including the library file that holds all your playlists and other settings) to your new computer:
I hope this helps,
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Installing Adobe Creative Suite - NEW 21" late 2012 iMac - Don't want to buy superdrive!! How can I trick the computer into thinking the USB drive is a CD?

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Your question makes perfect sense to me. I would contact Adobe Supptrt Services from the contacts listed here:
http://helpx.adobe.com/creative-suite/kb/install-creative-suite-5-cs5.html
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I hope you'll post here with your results. I've interested know what happens.

How do I get the computer to automatically eject a drive before it enters Sleep?"

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Hello,
http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20120211184732735
http://irwinkwan.com/2013/06/27/eject-all-mac-os-x-disks-with-a-script/

I have a computer with a "partitioned" hard drive. The "C" does not have enough space to backup and upgrade my iPhone 4. How can I backup to my "E" drive instead of my "C"?

I have a computer with a Partitioned hard drive... the "C" drive, where everything defaults, is almost full and will not allow me to back up and update my iphone 4... can you tell me how to back up to my "E" drive?

Format the HDD in Disk Utility>Erase to Mac OS Extended (Journaled) and the open System Preferences>Time Machine and set up the external disk as the Time Machine HDD. Then look at the Options, and exclude what you do not want backed up.
Ciao.

How to I "wipe" a computer's drive?

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