Why can't I erase my hard disk or install Snow Leopard?

I have a 2010 imac Intel Core i3 running OS X. The computer has been running really slow lately, presumably because the hard drive was nearly full. I backed up and deleted most of my data on an external hard drive.
I would like to reformat, but I haven't been able to. When I use disk utility, the option to erase the hard drive is not available (it is in grey). When I try to install Snow Leopard from the desktop using the DVD, it says "Cannot install Snow Leopard on this computer." When I boot from the Snow Leopard disk holding C upon startup, it gives me the same message.
This may not be related, but I lost the Install DVD that came with the computer. I downloaded an ISO for Snow Leopard and burned it on to a disk. There don't seem to be any problems with this disk, though.
I appreciate any help that anyone can offer.
-Tom

I downloaded an ISO for Snow Leopard and burned it on to a disk.
I would not trust this disk to work, even if your Mac seems to be able to read it. There has never been an official, downloadable version of Snow Leopard. I suspect the ISO image lacks something necessary to OS X, causing it to fail when you run it. Someone other than Apple created that download and it's a pirated copy of OS X. (sorry to have to say that, but it is.)
My suggestion is to buy a legitimate copy of Snow Leopard on eBay or from Apple or an Apple reseller. Snow Leopard is still available from Apple ($19.99 USD).
The 2010 i3 iMacs came with 10.6.3 pre-installed. Generally speaking you cannot install a version of OS X that is earlier than what was factory pre-installed on the Mac. The OS X installer checks for this. The version of Snow Leopard delivered on the retail packages varied over time as updates were released, but at this time a new Snow Leopard package is most likely to be 10.6.8.
One final thing you might try - install CarbonCopyCloner and clone your hard drive to an external hard drive. Once the clone is complete, boot from the external hard drive. If everything works fine from the external drive you can use it to erase/reformat the internal drive in the iMac and then reverse clone your system back from the external drive. IMPORTANT NOTE: As far as I know, using CCC to "self-clone" the drive you are booted from will work, but I have never done it this way myself. I have always booted from an external drive that already had OS X installed on it so that the source drive I was cloning was NOT the same drive I was booted from at the time. It may work or not, but there is no harm in trying.

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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

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I'm trying to erase an 80GB internal hard drive that came with my MacBook. However, the erase button is completely greyed out. I have an external drive connected waiting with Leopard on it and it recognizes that so why can't I erase this thing? I don't think it's damaged because it works perfectly aside from this.

Hi,
I think your problem is that you are booting from the disk you are trying to erase. If you have an external disk with Leopard, go to the startup disk preferences (under System Preferences) and choose to boot from the external disk. After installing from the external disk you should have the option to erase your internal disk.
I'm sure you know that, but I thought it worth mentioning that erasing your disk will cause your system not to be able to boot from this disk (which in many cases is the default option).
Ziv

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Security Update 2012-001 Bricks Rosetta programs
Restore method.
#1 Backup your personal data off the machine.
Backup files off the computer (not TimeMachine). If you don't have a external drive, get one and connect to the USB/Firewire port and simply drag and drop copy your User folder to the external drive, it will copy all your files. That's all you need to do at this time, disconnect all drives now to prevent mistakes.
#2 Try Restoring from a TimeMachine or option bootable clone
If you have TimeMachine drive, or a hold the option key bootable clone use that to erase and restore from.
Note: A TM restore can take a awfully long time, a clone restore takes under 2 hours in most cases.
#3 Reinstall OS X 10.6 from disk
If no TM or bootable clone then:
Get out your 10.6 install disk and make sure it's clean and polished (very soft cloth and a bit of rubbing alcohol, no scratches) If your disk is borked, you'll have to order a new one from Apple with your serial number.
Hold c boot off the 10.6 disk (wired keyboard, internal optical drive), use Disk Utility to >Repair Disk and Permissions (do not format or erase!!), Quit DU and simply re-install 10.6.
Note: If Disk Repair gives a error that is not repaired, then you have to consider erasing the drive (with Zeros) and try reinstalling 10.6 fresh or replacing the drive.
Note: Simply reinstalling 10.6 version from disk (without erasing the drive) only replaces 10.6.8 with 10.6.x and bundled Apple programs, won't touch your files (backup anyway) or most programs, unless they installed a kext file into OS X itself. (only a few on average do this)
#4 Update to 10.6.8 without Security Update 2012-001
Reboot and log in, update to 10.6.8 via Software Update, but EXCLUDE THE Security Update 2012-001 by checkinig the details and unchecking the blue check box.
#5 Reinstall any non-working third party programs
When you reboot, make sure to reinstall any programs that require kext files installed into OS X, you'll know, they won't work when you launch them or hang for some reason.
If you get gray screen at any time when booting (possible it might occur when you reinstall old programs), hold the shift key down while booting (Safe Mode, disables kext files) and update your installed third party software so it's compatible with 10.6.8.
Further Reading below:
#6 Learn how to have a OS X drive restore ability using TimeMachine or cloning software
Learn how to clone here
http://www.bombich.com/get_ready_for_lion.html
TM help here
http://pondini.org/OSX/Home.html
#7 Make copies of your original Snow Leopard
Learn how to make copies of your 10.6 disks here
http://www.walterjessen.com/make-a-bootable-backup-snow-leopard-install-disc/
Learn how to make a bootable SL USB
http://www.maciverse.com/install-os-x-snow-leopard-from-usb-flash-drive.html
#8 Deciding on upgrading to Lion?
Learn which programs ARE NOT compatible with Lion
http://roaringapps.com/apps:table
#9 Unverified hacks
Note: You may see a "hack" for this issue floating around, it has had mixed results as people's software is different.
You may want to try it, but it's at your own risk. It has worked fast for some and not at all for others, hopefully over time it will work for all.
The above methods I outline are Apple approved restore methods + based upon experience here and not a quick fix, but are sure to work as Apple recommends such steps themselves.
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS2570
If at any time you feel this is beyond your capability, please seek local professional assistance before you lose your data.
If you don't have any backup, please maintain at least a TM drive, just hook up a new blank external drive and TM will ask you to make a backup, takes some time so let it work.
If your a bit more skilled, a option bootable clone is much superior than TM drive.
Good luck
<Edited by Host>

Suddenly can't import photos from SDHC card after installing Snow Leopard

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OT
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Can't see my printers ... jst installed Snow Leopard

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Sig
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Hi Loner T,
Here is what I get.
I'll also put a picture up of what I'm seeing in disk utility...
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:          Apple_CoreStorage                         499.2 GB   disk0s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s3
/dev/disk1
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:                  Apple_HFS Untitled               *498.9 GB   disk1
                                 Logical Volume on disk0s2
                                 4306F405-E4CD-46A4-A31E-7D7BC1199F32
                                 Unencrypted
/dev/disk2
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.1 GB   disk2
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk2s1
   2:          Apple_CoreStorage                         499.1 GB   disk2s2
   3:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             784.2 MB   disk2s3
Chris-Prendergasts-MacBook-Pro:~ chrisprendergast$

Will iLife be deleted when I erase my hard drive and reinstall Snow Leopard and the Applications with the disks that came with the computer?

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Yes, they are, unless you have a machine which shipped with Mac OS X Server, in which case you wouldn't have them to begin with.
(58656)

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Facetime works on Snow Leopard. But the specs say you need to be at least 10.6.6.
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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:
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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.
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b. Copy the "stuff" off that drive on to another drive. Partition the drive into at least 2 partitions; one for the boot and one for the "stuff". Install the OS into one of the partitions. Copy the "stuff" back to the other partition.
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Will it work to un-install Snow Leopard (booting from original disks) and then reinstall, then upgrade without erasing hard drive on iMac?

I have both a bootable backup exernal hard drive and the original system disks. I have read on these support pages that you cannot get snow leopard freshly installed without erasing the whole whole drive since the original installation disks are older than the current updated version. I have also read here that it is possible to get the system newly installed (though it's wise to have a back up of the rest of your files). I need to know which can work. Is there an un-install function after booting from a different source? If I can get the system filess off the main hard drive and then install Snow Leopard from my original disks, then go through the upgrades, and end up with the rest of my files intact, that would be wonderful. I have all the adobe design premium software on the system with their updates and would like to not spend hours and hours restoring it all. And since I don't know where all the little bits and pieces of the Adobe programs get installed, perhaps it won't work anyway?
thanks,
Kahty

I have read on these support pages that you cannot get snow leopard freshly installed without erasing the whole whole drive since the original installation disks are older than the current updated version.
That is incorrect. You can install an older version of the same OS over itself. With Snow Leopard and later, unless you intentionally select to erase the drive, the OS removes and replaces all remnants of the current OS and leaves all of your third party apps, personal files and settings intact.
I have also read here that it is possible to get the system newly installed (though it's wise to have a back up of the rest of your files).
That is the correct information.
Is there an un-install function after booting from a different source? If I can get the system files off the main hard drive and then install Snow Leopard from my original disks, then go through the upgrades, and end up with the rest of my files intact, that would be wonderful.
No, there is no way to remove just the OS files from a drive. At least, not in any manner you could call easy. There are thousands of hidden files and folders related to UNIX. Many apps won't even run correctly, or at all, if they're not on the same drive you are starting up to. So trying to separate your third party apps from the drive the OS is on is not a good idea.
I have all the adobe design premium software on the system with their updates and would like to not spend hours and hours restoring it all.
If your end goal is to simply get the contents of the external drive onto a new internal drive in a bootable form, you can use Disk Utility to clone the drive, or use one of two excellent third party apps; SuperDuper! or Carbon Copy Cloner.

Why can't I erase my hard disk or install Snow Leopard?

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