reformating

Hi Dave,

We might fix your problem(s) easier, but if you have no data you need to save on that HD, then...

1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc that came with your computer, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
*Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
3. Click the Erase tab.
4. Click the disclosure triangle to the left of the hard drive icon to display the names of your hard disk volumes and partitions.
5. Select your Mac OS X volume.
6. Highlight the drive, select Erase Tab, then Format type... MacOS Extended Journalled, select the Security Options button, choose Zero Out Data, Erase... after completion hopefully you'll be able to install.


About the Archive and Install feature...

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=107120

Dave:

It is not necessary to reformat a Mac every now and then. Many Mac users have never reformatted their HDD unless they have serious directory issues. Instead we use maintenance. Indeed, if the computer has Mac OS X installed, it does some of its own maintenance.

If you are working on someone else's computer it is especially important to be careful, since you do not know exactly what is on the HDD, what needs to be preserved, what kind of backup system there is, if any etc. If you are experiencing difficulties with the computer, please post specific questions about the issues instead of taking a shotgun approach.

😉 cornelius

Dave:

Thanks for your response. If there is nothing on the computer you need to save, below are directions for reformatting and installation. If you do have information that is not backed up, please post back. Below are directions for reformatting and installation.

Formatting, Partitioning Erasing 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.)
• Click on Options button
• Select Apple Partition Map (PPC Macs) or GUID Partition Table (Intel Macs)
• Click OK
• Select number of partition in pull-down menu above Volume diagram.
(Note 1: One partition is normally preferable for an internal HDD.)
• 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 (indented) under Manufacturer ID (usually Macintosh HD).
• Check to be sure your Volume Name and Volume Format are correct.
• Click Erase button
• Quit Disk Utility.

Installation Process
While still booted from the install disk
• Open Installer and begin installation.
• Select installation option
• Choose to Customize and deselect Foreign Language Translations and Additional Printer drivers.
Optional: Check box to install X11 (Tiger) BSD Subsystems (Panther & earlier).
• 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 10.4.11 Combo update (PPC) (Tiger) or
10.3.9 Combo Update (Panther)
Computer will restart.
• Repair Disk Permissions as previously.
• Go to Apple Menu > Software Update.
• Install all updates.
Computer may 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.

😉 cornelius

Dave:

You are very welcome. Congratulations on a job well done.

Do post back should you have further questions.

😉 cornelius

cornelius, was reading your very useful responses about reformatting and had a few questions, the first one being very silly:
1) a buddy of mine has given me one of his 2 identical imacs as a gift. i want to erase all his data and start with a new machine. he has given me the original install discs from both his imacs, but he doesnt know which ones belong to his imac and which ones to the one he gave me. how can i determine which ones i should use? i put them both in and they have the same files. i dont want to go any further as i dont want to mess something up. is there an easy way to tell?
2) i was planning to do an erase and install, as i have already copied his photos and music(all that he wanted, really) and given them to him. he told me he had erased some files(not sure why, but he was deleting files individually,not just erasing the entire content), but wasnt sure if he had erased something necessary. the machine seems to work fine, but i wanted to start from scratch. there is definitely no content on the machine that i need, so i was wondering if you think i could mess something up by erasing it all and re-installing from scratch? or am i better off just deleting his photos and music and hoping he hadnt deleted any necessary systems files?
any advice would be greatly appreciated.
thanks, david

David:

Welcome to Apple Discussions.

how can i determine which ones i should use?

First we need to determine exactly which iMacs you have. If you can post back with the processor speed, display size and anything else that will help identify the computers it will be helpful.

a buddy of mine has given me one of his 2 identical imacs as a gift.

If both iMacs are identical, that is, if they have the same specs then the disks should be identical. Look on the install disk for an identifying code such as (5P63),(6R42, 6R49, 6R52) etc. we can identify it more closely.

i was wondering if you think i could mess something up by erasing it all and re-installing from scratch? or am i better off just deleting his photos and music and hoping he hadnt deleted any necessary systems files?

Actually, if there is no data on the computer which needs to be preserved, and if you have the install disks, I suggest that you just clean everything out and start over. This means reformat, erase and re-install. I am posting step by step directions. Look them over and post back with further questions, as well as with the information requested earlier in this post.

Formatting, Partitioning Erasing 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.
• With computer shut down insert install disk in optical drive.
• Hit Power button and immediately after chime hold 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.)
(Where available)
• Click on Options button
• Select Apple Partition Map (PPC Macs) or GUID Partition Table (Intel Macs)
• Click OK
• Select number of partition in pull-down menu above Volume diagram.
(Note 1: One partition is normally preferable for an internal HDD.)
• 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 (indented) under Manufacturer ID (usually Macintosh HD).
• Check to be sure your Volume Name and Volume Format are correct.
• Click Erase button
• Quit Disk Utility.

Installation Process
• Open Installer and begin installation.
• Select installation option
• Choose to Customize and deselect Foreign Language Translations and Additional Printer drivers.
Optional: Check box to install X11 (Tiger and later) BSD Subsystems (Panther & earlier).
• 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 10.5.5 Combo Update (Leopard) or
Mac OS X 10.4.11 Combo update (PPC) (Tiger) or
10.3.9 Combo Update (Panther)
Computer will restart.
• Repair Disk Permissions as previously.
• Go to Apple Menu > Software Update.
• Install all updates.
Computer may 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.

😉 cornelius

cornelius, thanks for your quick response. the following is the info on my imac. not sure if you need anything else? the sofware version i have is os x 10.4.11

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac6,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2.16 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per processor): 4 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Bus Speed: 667 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM61.0093.B01
SMC Version: 1.10f3
Serial Number: W8644 *VGN

NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT:

Chipset Model: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT
Type: Display
Bus: PCIe
PCIe Lane Width: x16
VRAM (Total): 128 MB
Vendor: NVIDIA (0x10de)
Device ID: 0x0395
Revision ID: 0x00a1
ROM Revision: 3021
Displays:
iMac:
Display Type: LCD
Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Depth: 32-bit Color
Built-In: Yes
Core Image: Hardware Accelerated
Main Display: Yes
Mirror: Off
Online: Yes
Quartz Extreme: Supported

i am at the office and dont have the install discs with me but will send the codes as soon as i can.

is there anything specific i actually need from the users folder before erasing everything, as the machine has no info of mine? ie is it necessary to make a copy of users folder before i start?

thanks again, david

David:

Thanks for posting back with the specs on the iMac. The original is Mac OS X 10.4.7 (8K1123) and later Mac OS X 10.4.8 (8N1430). Your disk should be one or the other of these two.

😉 cornelius

cornelius, the disc says the following: mac os version 10.4.7
aht version 3A113 disc version 1.0 2Z 691-5861-A.

still cant find anything like those codes you indicated previously.

do you need me to send any other info?

thx for all the help, david

cornelius, forgot to tell you, but my buddy also purchased the family upgrade to leopard for his machine. he thinks that since he only used it for one machine(he says it works for up to 5 machines) that it should also work for mine too? is that right? or do i need to buy it separately?
thx, david

David:

Your buddy is right. The family pack comes with 5 licenses.

😉 cornelius