Wiping out hard drive on older MACS

I'm dumping my Classic, Performa, iMac, and G4. How do I erase the hard drives?
Thanks

Boot from an alternate source of software. Run the appropriate Disk Utility. One pass of erase with Zero all data option and you are done for all but Nuclear secrets.
Beige Macs with diskette drive can boot from Disk Tools diskette, contains Drive Setup.
Early iMac and most G4 can boot from OS 9 System/Install CD, which contains Drive Setup in the Utilities folder.
Late G4 would need to boot from the Mac OS X Installer CD, but do not install. Choose Disk Utility off the Menu and select your Hard Drive and erase with Zero all data option.
I highly recommend installing an Operating System on each Mac after erasing. This will show that it is still alive, and may save it from the landfill.

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Migrating Information in Target Disk Mode Wiped out hard drive

I just helped a friend install Leopard on her new MacBook (it came with a drop in disk of Leopard). After the install, I started her previous 3-year old MacBook in target disk mode to migrate over old system settings. During the migration, the new MacBook froze up and forced me to do a hard restart. After restarting the computer, it would no longer recognize the old MacBook that was still in Target Disk Mode.
After awhile I finally decided to pull the hard drive out of the old MacBook and hook it up to my WiebeTech DriveDock. I now get a disk insertion error telling me that the drive is not readable. I have tried DriveGenius, but I cannot rebuild or repair the drive because it doesn't even pop up.
Has anyone heard of the migration assistance wiping out the drive you were attempting to migrate from? And also, does anyone know of a way to fix this?

She backed up with Retrospect a couple weeks ago, so not much would be lost if I wasn't able to resurrect this drive. The feeling of accomplishment from tackling this problem is the only truly important thing that would be lost.

Re-installing FCP & Wiping Out Hard Drive, Worried about Losing Project

Ok so computer needs a factory re-install, need to clean it out and re-install FCP and everything. I have projects I've been working on in Final Cut Pro and I'm worried even though I save all the raw footage, rendered files, and project files on external hard drive, that when I go to put it back on my computer it's going to get all screwed up and mixed up, is there any easy way to do this? Or should I just finish my projects first and then re-install everything on my computer?

If you do decide to re-install and have never used Media Manager. Here is an excellent video on how the use Media Manager from PixelCrop/MacBreak:
http://pixelcorps.cachefly.net/mbks025_540ph264.mov

Computer wiped out hard drive, did I loose everything?

I am hopeing that there is some way to recover from this.

Once you can get iTunes installed again and working, just login with the AppleID you used to purchase things before, and you should be able to re-download all you previously purchased content from your purchase history.
P.S. http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2519
And you have my sympathy - I've been through the nightmare of reinstalling Windows and dealing with the nearly endless list of updates/reboots (why don't they offer something like Apple's Combo-updaters? Since they seem to have a dozen security updates every week, there should be a better way to start from scratch with Windows).

Can i recover photo files lost when i wiped out my hard-drive and reinstalled mac os x?

Can i recover photo files lost when i wiped out my hard-drive and reinstalled mac os x? I know that when a computer is wiped cleaned that the info is still on the hard drive, how do I access it? Can I pay someone to access it? Long story short, everything was saved to my external hard drive except my photos, by mistake of course.

You have to stop using the drive immediately. Completely stop. Do not boot the computer from the drive.
File recovery software: Try using an application such as Data Rescue 3 - http://www.prosofteng.com/products/data_rescue.php or FileSalvage - http://subrosasoft.com, or one of the ones listed in the (old) link below. Some have free trial versions that let you see if the software will help before you decide to buy. You will also need a second hard drive equal to or larger in size than your first drive as a destination drive for recovered files.
http://data-recovery-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-recovery-software
It is critical that you do not use the computer or even turn it on until you have rescued your files. Files only have the directory reference to them removed when you empty the trash or otherwise delete them from a computer (unless you use secure erase, in which case they are gone forever or can only be potentially be recovered by very expensive means) and are still present on the computer. However, their space is marked as available to any other file creation done on the computer (even done by you booting the computer) and there is risk that your files will be overwritten by the computer.
Even if the above works, do not expect the results to be pretty or even 100% successful. Files will often lose their names and you will have to re-name them one by one.

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

Hi can i put a ps3 hard drive in my mac mini its is the newest model before the new mac mini came out thank you

hi can i put a ps3 hard drive in my mac mini it was the newest model before the thinner mac mini came out thank you

Yes. You will have to reformat it with the disk utility though.

Can I install Mac OS X 10.5 on a Powerbook G4 already running Mac OS X 10.6? I lost my disc of 10.6 and can only find my 10.5 disc as I'm selling my MacBook and wiping the hard drive for a complete reset.

Can I install Mac OS X 10.5 on a Powerbook G4 already running Mac OS X 10.6? I lost my disc of 10.6 and can only find my 10.5 disc as I'm selling my MacBook, and wiping the hard drive for a complete reset.

A PowerBook G4 can't run Snow Leopard OS 10.6, however, it can run Leopard OS 10.5. But you must use a retail (black) Leopard install DVD.
What does the selling of your MacBook have to do with installing Leopard on your PowerBook?
 Cheers, Tom

Wiping hard drive on 2012 Mac Mini, but need install ISO

Hello everyone,
if I were to wipe out the hard drive on my Mac Mini (2.3ghz, i7 4g ram), how would i reinstall Mountain Lion, as there is no install disc? Would I need to pay to download it and then mount it to an external drive?
Thank you in advance for the help!

powerlaces wrote:
I assume that I can do this unlimted times as needed?
That's correct. Remember that you're downloading it. Some people have download thresholds with their ISP and there's a cost after they go over their limit. ML is approximately a 4GB download. If this isn't a concern, you're good to go.

Working in adobe illustrator - computer crashed - will not soft boot or reset PRAM - should i reinstall from CD snow leopard 10.6.3? I have an extra hard drive in my MAC with time machine on it set to do auto back ups. How do i recover ?

working in adobe illustrator - computer crashed - will not soft boot or reset PRAM - should i reinstall from CD snow leopard 10.6.3? I have an extra hard drive in my MAC with time machine on it set to do auto back ups. How do i recover ?

Well first you have to figure out what is wrong with the machine and solve that problem first.
Your post is very vague on what occured, and there are many types of "crashes" it really depends upon what see on the screen and what the hardware does, we can't see it to tell you, so you have to tell us.
I suggest you run through these user tips and provide more information about your hardware.
Disconnect the TimeMachine drive for now
..Step by Step to fix your Mac
Help us to help you on these forums
Create a data recovery/undelete external boot drive
If this is going way over your head, there are local PC/Mac techs that will assist you for a fee, Apple only does hardware repairs and is advised to use them if you discover it is, especially if under warranty/AppleCare.
Hard drive and RAM upgrades can be handled yourself or by a outside tech in many older models of Mac, but don't expect Apple to cover the new parts.
Install/upgrade RAM or storage drive in Mac's

What is a recommended internal hard drive for a Mac Pro 1,1 (2006)?

What is a recommended internal hard drive for a Mac Pro 1,1 (2006) model? I would like to
add more hard drive space by utilizing the three available slots. However, from my understanding,
Apple does not produce hard drives for my older computer so I'll need to turn to a third party.

You are very much over-due for some new larger more efficient drives.
the most common best approach goes something like this....
SSD 120GB for system
WD Black 1-2TB for data (and put all your data and media files, all your home account sub-folders)
Backup. I use WD Green but use what you want. I have a small boot volume, TimeMachine, and 3rd that is a clone image of the boot drive volume.
Very fond of WD 10K VelociRaptor drives. Not much louder now than the WD Black 2TB, $100-200 for 250GB to 1TB.
You can use any size SATA 3.5" drive, most now are 1TB and up to 4TB.
You should have always bought Amazon or Newegg or outside of Apple, Apple can often charge 3x what those places charge.
Probably want to add or replace FBDIMMs you have, these are excellent and price in the last year has fallen.
2x2GB FBDIMM DDR2 667MHz @ $29
http://www.amazon.com/BUFFERED-PC2-5300-FB-DIMM-APPLE-Memory/dp/B002ORUUAC/
WD Black 1TB $93
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Internal-Desktop/dp/B0036Q7MV0/
WD Green 3TB $149 - backup
http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Caviar-Green-Desktop/dp/B004RORMF6/
WD VR 10K 250GB $103 200MB/sec boot drive :
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007V5A1BK/
Those last and last and make a nice boot drive.
SSD: Samsung 840 128GB
http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Series-120GB-internal-MZ-7TD120BW/dp/B009NHAF06/
Over-due to upgrade and replace the graphic card most likely it sounds like also:
ATI Radeon 5770
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC742ZM/A
http://www.amazon.com/Apple-ATI-Radeon-5770-MC742ZM/dp/B003Z6QH6M
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/726537-REG/Apple_MC742ZM_A_ATI_Radeon_HD_5 770.html
Your OEM 7300GT isn't helping now and with Lion or the X1900 dust magnet and out of date too. If you have a functional 8800GT still working you are lucky and no need.

I need to buy some new hard drives for my Mac Pro

I had an extra internal hard drive in my Mac Pro, a Seagate one, that suddenly stopped working and I needed to send it to a data recovery company, so...
Now I'd like to
- Install a new internal HD
- Install a NAS with two/three disks. (Hitachi if possible, as I have read are the ones that last longer, more reliable than WD and by far more than Seagate).
But to do that I'd like to know how to find out the right type of disks for my computer.
I'd be very gratefull if anyone would tell me where to look it up.
Thank you in advance
In case any of you can help with this, these are the details of my Mac Pro
thanks again
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.5 (11G63b)
2 x 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Memory 7GB 667 MHz DDR2 FB-DIMM
Model Name:          Mac Pro
Model Identifier:          MacPro1,1
Processor Name:          Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed:          2,66 GHz
Number of Processors:          2
Total Number of Cores:          4
L2 Cache (per Processor):          4 MB
Memory:          7 GB
Bus Speed:          1,33 GHz
Boot ROM Version:          MP11.005D.B00
SMC Version (system):          1.7f10
Serial Number (system):          Not Available
Hardware UUID:          00000000-0000-1000-8000-0017F20F9F40
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The only HD now
Intel ESB2 AHCI:
Vendor:          Intel
Product:          ESB2 AHCI
Link Speed:          3 Gigabit
Negotiated Link Speed:          3 Gigabit
Description:          AHCI Version 1.10 Supported
ST3250824AS P:
Capacity:          250,06 GB (250.059.350.016 bytes)
Model:          ST3250824AS P
Revision:          3.BQK
Serial Number:                      9ND1P4X7
Native Command Queuing:          Yes
Queue Depth:          32
Removable Media:          No
Detachable Drive:          No
BSD Name:          disk0
Medium Type:          Rotational
Bay Name:          Bay 1
Partition Map Type:          GPT (GUID Partition Table)
S.M.A.R.T. status:          Verified
Volumes:
disk0s1:
Capacity:          209,7 MB (209.715.200 bytes)
BSD Name:          disk0s1
Content:          EFI
HD INTERNO PRINCIPAL:
Capacity:          249,2 GB (249.199.591.424 bytes)
Available:          37,91 GB (37.914.918.912 bytes)
Writable:          Yes
File System:          Journaled HFS+
BSD Name:          disk0s2
Mount Point:          /
Content:          Apple_HFS
Recovery HD:
Capacity:          650 MB (650.002.432 bytes)
BSD Name:          disk0s3
Content:          Apple_Boot

NAS is of course external and depends on how you access it. And then t he ideal for RAID5 for instance woudl be WD RED series, but those do not work inside Mac tower.
Look up "TLER" regarding WD drives and RAID.
Apple does not endorse or anything, not in decades and when there were problems - G5 and early adoption of SATA and changing standards and features, it was users that did the troubleshooting.
So unles you are using Apple's PRO RAID card, which I don't think anyone would or should and which is limited to 2TB drives and only instance of a ceiling on supported drives (it is req'd for SAS though), use your own research.

Had to install a new hard drive on my mac book how do I get my music from my classic ipod to transfer to my new hard drive on the mac book?

had to install a new hard drive on my mac book how do I get my music from my classic ipod to transfer to my new hard drive on the mac book?

See this older post from another forum member Zevoneer covering the different methods and software available to assist you with the task of copying content from your iPod back to your PC and into iTunes.
https://discussions.apple.com/thread/2452022?start=0&tstart=0
B-rock

How do I transfer a specific backup from my external hard drive to my mac book air?

How do I transfer a specific backup from my external hard drive to my mac book air? I downgraded my mac's software from Mavericks to Mountain Lion because of the computer's limations so I need to transfer all the info I had when Mavericks and down to Mountain Lion. I already went to the Apple Genius Bar and they helped me downgrade, but I want to transfer information from a specific backup on my external hard drive?

time machine backup? Go into the backups.backupdb (time machine) and extract out the specific files, drag them to your desktop etc.
consider in the future additional backup methods than time machine for easy file extraction.
Methodology to protect your data. Backups vs. Archives. Long-term data protection

Hi All, I recently bought a Mac Book Pro and transferred all my photos from my hard drive onto the Mac. I realised that there were some folders which didn't have the camera information embedded in the files and these files refuse to open on iPhoto. HELP!!

Hi All, I recently bought a Mac Book Pro and transferred all my photos from my hard drive onto the Mac. I realised that there were some folders which didn't have the camera information embedded in the files and these files refuse to open on iPhoto. I know that the folders that have the problem were not transferred to the hard drive via a photo transfer application (I have a Canon camera) but I simply copied them out of the photo card and onto my old PC.
Is there some way I can open these pictures on my Mac? They work fine on a PC.

Thanks for your reply.
The files don't open in preview either. In preview I get the error message 'The file "xxxx_xxx.jpg" could not be opened. It may be damaged or use a file format that Preview doesn't recognize'. The folders with these un-openable pictures do not even get imported into iPhoto. When I try to import them I get an error message about the files being unreadable.
The color profile information on the un-openable files is not visible but I see that all the other files from my old drive are RGB.

Wiping out hard drive on older MACS

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