Fresh installed, unformatted drive - how to format

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Level 1

4 points

Fresh installed, unformatted drive - how to format

I just bought a SSD and it will arrive in a few days, but I still can't find a clear answer about how to format an unformatted drive. The only answer I can find is to use the installaion disk, I don't have that. I am running mountain lion and can make a flash drive boot, but I can't figure out how to boot from flash. I wanted to know if anyone knew if I can boot by using CMD + R on an unformatted drive to format it? Or anybody know a command that I can use to boot from flash drive?

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2011), iOS 5.0.1

Posted on Apr 3, 2013 9:30 AM

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Answer 1

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:32 AM in response to techboy0099

Is your Mac no longer bootable normally?

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Answer 2

Niel

Level 10

741,911 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:32 AM in response to techboy0099

If your computer originally shipped with 10.7 or newer, install the drive, restart with the Command and R keys held down, use the Disk Utility to reformat the drive, and install an OS onto it. If it shipped with an older OS version, use the computer's original disks as described above.

(80071)

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Answer 3

techboy0099 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:34 AM in response to Csound1

Everything is running fine, I just want to improve performance.

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Answer 4

Csound1

Level 9

60,063 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:36 AM in response to techboy0099

Plug the drive in externally, use Disk Utility to format it, or use Neils' suggestion and do it from Recovery (if your Mac had Lion or Mountain Lion)

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Answer 5

techboy0099 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:37 AM in response to Niel

My Macbook Pro orginally came with Snow Leopard and DVD boot disk, but those are in storage and I can get to them. Is command + r still an option to format and unformatted SSD?

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Answer 6

Apr 3, 2013 9:38 AM in response to techboy0099

The easiest way is to get yourself an enclosure for the drive. Here's one example:

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=319523 3&CatId=2781

1. To begin temporarily install the ssd in the enclosure - it should just slide in. You now have an external ssd drive.

2. Connect it to your computer and use Disk Utility to format it as Mac OS Extended. (DU is in Applications / Utiities.)

3. Transfer whatever you want from the internal to the external using an app like Carbon Copy Cloner.

4. Check the external is bootable by looking at System Preferences / Startup disk.

5. Take the ssd out of the enclosure and install it in the Mac.

And you can put the original drive in the enclosure, as a bonus.

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Answer 7

techboy0099 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:42 AM in response to Eustace Mendis

Eustace,

Can the enclosure that my HDD after I'm done installing the SSD? It would be pretty cool to use my HDD as a portable storage...

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Answer 8

Apr 3, 2013 9:48 AM in response to techboy0099

Absolutely. Every drive I replaced with an SSD has ended up as a little portable. My local computer parts store has the enclosures for < $9.00 !!

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Answer 9

techboy0099 Author

Level 1

4 points

Apr 3, 2013 9:50 AM in response to Eustace Mendis

Thanks, I just got it on Amazon for $8.99

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