P. Comeau
Level 1 (20 points)
Mac OS X

Q: "Wipe clean" hard drive

I was about to "wipe clean" my G5 iMac for resale or give away with Installer Disc.  However, the only disc I can find reads, "iMac G5 Additional Software & Apple Hardware Test" .  Can I erase the drive with this disc?  If not, how?  HELP!


~Neophyte NaNa~

iMac, Mac OS X (10.5.8)

Posted on Mar 2, 2013 10:39 AM

by rccharles,Solvedanswer
rccharles rccharles
Level 6 (8,496 points)
Classic Mac OS
A:

Doubtful. Very.

 

You can define a new user & delete old users.  Then, zero out free space.

 

Restore Tiger 10.4 & Leopard 10.5  DVDs are available from Apple by calling 800-767-2775 as of January 20, 2013.  There is a small fee.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4720126?tstart=0

 

--------------------------------------------------------------

 

Zeroing out free space.

 

mac hd > Applications > Utilities >Disk Utility

For this example, my startup drive is Ext-Remainder

1) Click on your startup partition.
  It's a little confusion which to click on.  There is the harddrive and under the harddrive name, the partition name or names.


You want the name of your startup partition.

Picture 6.png

Click on this name.

 

Picture 7.png

 

 

2) click on the erase tab.

 

 

3) Click on Erase Free Space button at the bottom mid-left of erase panel.

Picture 10.png

in this panel.

 

Picture 11.png

 

4) You will be asked how many times you wish to erase.  One time takes the last amount of time.

Picture 9.png

 

4) Erasing more than once will take a long time.

Posted on Mar 3, 2013 12:57 PM

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P. Comeau

Q: "Wipe clean" hard drive

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  • Helpful answers

  • by rccharles,Solvedanswer

    rccharles rccharles Mar 3, 2013 12:57 PM in response to P. Comeau
    Level 6 (8,496 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Mar 3, 2013 12:57 PM in response to P. Comeau

    Doubtful. Very.

     

    You can define a new user & delete old users.  Then, zero out free space.

     

    Restore Tiger 10.4 & Leopard 10.5  DVDs are available from Apple by calling 800-767-2775 as of January 20, 2013.  There is a small fee.

    https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4720126?tstart=0

     

    --------------------------------------------------------------

     

    Zeroing out free space.

     

    mac hd > Applications > Utilities >Disk Utility

    For this example, my startup drive is Ext-Remainder

    1) Click on your startup partition.
      It's a little confusion which to click on.  There is the harddrive and under the harddrive name, the partition name or names.


    You want the name of your startup partition.

    Picture 6.png

    Click on this name.

     

    Picture 7.png

     

     

    2) click on the erase tab.

     

     

    3) Click on Erase Free Space button at the bottom mid-left of erase panel.

    Picture 10.png

    in this panel.

     

    Picture 11.png

     

    4) You will be asked how many times you wish to erase.  One time takes the last amount of time.

    Picture 9.png

     

    4) Erasing more than once will take a long time.

  • by P. Comeau,

    P. Comeau P. Comeau Mar 3, 2013 2:51 PM in response to rccharles
    Level 1 (20 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 3, 2013 2:51 PM in response to rccharles

    Thank you RCC ! Following your directions, it's in the process of "erasing" (approx. 8 hours) and a restore 10.5 disc is on the way from Apple. 

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Mar 4, 2013 10:23 AM in response to P. Comeau
    Level 6 (8,496 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Mar 4, 2013 10:23 AM in response to P. Comeau

    Great!

    it's in the process of "erasing" (approx. 8 hours) and a restore 10.5 disc is on the way from Apple. 

    But, you should do the zeroing as the last step.  When you delete a file, the data becomes like a needle in a haystack.   It's hard to find, but with enough searching, it may be found.  Techniaclly, the pointer is deleted, the data is left on the hd as is, and when more space is needed, the space get reused.

     

    Robert