Restoring powerbook to factory settings

tommy:

If you don't mind my asking a few questions before giving you step by step directions:
1. Apart from intellectual curiosity, is there a particular reason for wanting to do this? That is, are you currently experiencing difficulties with your computer that you think might be remedied by completely wiping the disk and starting over?
2. Do you have much data on this computer, and do you have it backed up?
3. If you have third party software on the computer do you have install disks for them all, e.g. Microsoft Office?

I hesitate to go any further at this point before knowing more about your computer. Completely wiping the HDD and re-intalling the OS is the ultimate intrusive procedure and is not recommended except in cases where all other approaches are ineffective. So I will await your response before I continue.

Good luck.

cornelius

tommy:

Although I favor dealing with the issues that trouble your computer, I will assume that the Apple techs figured your volume was too damaged to repair. I suggest that you completely re-format your HDD, zero all data to spare out bad blocks and then re-install and restore your data. Here are some step-by-step directions:
Formatting, Partitioning Zeroing a Hard Disk Drive

Warning! This procedure will destroy all data on your Hard Disk Drive. Be sure you have an up-to-date, tested backup of at least your Users folder and any third party applications you do not want to re-install before attempting this procedure.
Boot from the install CD holding down the "C" key.
Select language
Go to the Utilities menu (Tiger) Installer menu (Panther & earlier) and launch Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in left side bar.
Select Partition tab in main panel. (You are about to create a single partition volume.)
Select number of partition in pull-down menu above Volume diagram.
(Note: 1 partition is normally better for an internal HDD. External HDDs usually have more than one)
Type in name in Name field (usually Macintosh HD)
Select Volume Format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled)
Click Partition button at bottom of panel.
Select Erase tab
Select the sub-volume under Manufacturer ID (usually Macintosh HD).
Check to be sure your Volume Name and Volume Format are correct.
Select on Security Options button (Tiger) Options button (Panther & earlier).
Select Zero all data. (This process will map out bad blocks on your HDD. However, it could take several hours. If you want a quicker method, don't go to Security Options and just click the Erase button.)
Click OK.
Click Erase button
Quit Disk Utility.
Open installer and begin installation process.
Choose to Customize and deselect Foreign Language Translations and Additional Printer drivers.
Check box to install X11.
Proceed with installation.
After installation computer will restart for setup.
After setup, reboot computer.
Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in left side bar.
Select First Aid in main panel.
Click Repair Disk Permissions.
Connect to Internet.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.4.9 Combo Update (PPC) or 10.4.10 Combo update as you choose.
Computer will restart after updates.
Go to Applications > Utilities > Disk Utility.
Select your HDD (manufacturer ID) in left side bar.
Select First Aid in main panel.
Click Repair Disk Permissions.

If you have questions about anything in the above directions, or you run into a snag in the procedure, please do post back with your questions.

Good luck.

cornelius

If you really want to start from scratch, I suggest when you do the reformat and subsequent installation of your Mac OS X version (whichever it may be), to make sure to do a CLEAN INSTALLATION.

If you really want to start from scratch, I suggest when you do the reformat and subsequent installation of your Mac OS X version (whichever it may be), to make sure to do a CLEAN INSTALLATION.

Don't ARCHIVE AND INSTALL.

Also, when you boot up for the first time, don't use MIGRATION ASSISTANT to transfer files just yet. See if your problems have disappeared.

From experience, doing anything but a ZERO DATA OUT and then a clean installation will bring back your "bugs" with you.

What you can do as an option is setup two user accounts. One primary that you leave as is, and then the secondary (set as administrator too) you can migrate your old data onto that user account.

That way, if anything comes back to haunt you, it will only happen (should happen) to that local user account. In this case, the secondary one. That way, all you have to do is delete that user account and your primary account will be (should be) fine.

Which beats having to do all of it over again (like I had to do) which takes time and is a headache. Erase, migrate, transfer, install, etc. Then repeat. Ugh!

Unless your problem isn't software related and is definitely hardware related, where in that case, the suggestion would be to get a brand new HD.