I dont want to use disk utility i want to try to use DBAN i burned a disc both types power pc and intel the power pc one didnt work at all and the intel one booted up and then after you type in autonuke or any other command it starts to work and then it says it failed from non fatal errors. I need a program that will wipe the crap out of this macbook or figure out how to get DBAN to work thanks
DBAN is for corporations and recyclers to rapidly wipe many, many hard drives quickly. Bootable CDs of MacOSX used to be hard to create, and the documentation of DBAN is unclear. It seems reasonable to me that it would commonly be run on a Windows machine, and wipe MacBooks in 'Firewire Target Disk Mode'. There could be problems with a Mac version, for it would seem little tested. What also isn't clear is why you want to wipe a MacBook's hard disk. Why? It has an Intel processor, I assume. (If so, the Mac version, for PPCs, hadn't a chance.) 1. A new partition and format will leave old data only in empty space reserved by the partition table. Only an expert could read this. 2. If you don't want to leave this information, you can use a Linux CD to partition it differently, then re-partition it GUID with a MacOSX disc. When you build your CD, add the package 'hdparm' if it isn't already there. You can also build a Linux USB flash drive. Linux on a CD This will leave information only on those blocks or clusters that were detected corrupt, and marked so. Only spies read these. Arcane methods are needed to remove this data. However, if your Linux CD contains 'hdparm', you can really 'nuke' it. In the rare instance that you built a Linux USB flash drive without 'hdparm' (usually in /usr/bin/ or /usr/sbin/, you can find it here. hdparm from sourceforge Having a Linux boot drive with 'hdparm', you can truly 'nuke' your hard disk. Scrub your Hard Disk Clean Only ATA discs that permit a firmware password can be totally cleared in this manner. Read all the details. Remember to remove your password (disable security) before you reboot, or the drive will never be usable again. Unless you have a high security clearance with the US Department of Defense, and work alone, this method should not be necessary.
ok well i need this disk to be like new because i am reselling the computer so after reading you post (thanks btw) it seems i really a few options: 1) plug into my computer using firewire method 2) make a linux cd is that right? i really know nothing about linux so can you explain the basic method for doing this to me like im a 4 year old please
Oh that's alright. My six-year old granddaughter built this computer. I take it you're not familiar with Macs? The only way of selling a Mac is to identify it, know its history, and know its condition. Look beneath for the model & serial numbers, and sell it with a clean install of its original software. These should help. Information from Model Number Information from Serial Number 1. The original CDs or DVD can be read by the optical drive. Start your Mac, press a key to open the drive, insert your install disc, close the door. 2. Your Mac should automatically mount the optical disc, then run the initial program. Tell it to restart, booting the optical disc. [If it doesn't boot from the hard disk, more work is need to repair it. But, you can open the drive with a paperclip, insert the Install disc, close the drive. Hold the 'c' key and press the power button. During the blue screen, you should hear the optical drive spin. After a few moments of spin, release the 'c' key. The install disc should boot the computer.] 3. Pick your language, and don't install. Choose a drop down window for 'Utilities' (I think - its been about a year), then choose 'Disk Utility'. Choose your computer's hard disk, or drop down and choose the two largest partitions. Examine the security options button and the erase tab. Use 'Help'. Write zeros over your entire hard disk. 4. Exit 'Disk Utilities' and the utilities menu. Install the original MacOSX from the optical disk(s). The first account, automatically created, is an administrator's account. Use a password such as 'password'. Check current prices on eBay stores or used Mac stores. Write back if your optical drive doesn't work. The MacOSX install discs are pressed. Even bad scratches can be polished. It's just as easy to re-build your computer from an external optical drive with Firewire (if it has a PPC processor) or USB (if it has an Intel processor). It's just as easy to re-build it from the optical drive on another Mac, if both have Firewire. You're selling your Mac before trying it? If it boots from the hard drive now, click the mouse on 'About this Mac' to get all the information you would ever want. It's necessary for selling. The 'Help' menus are very good. Macs 101 My used Quicksilver had been bought with MacOSX 10.4, and it came that way. The seller had a photo ID and lived locally, so I bought it sight unseen off of Craig's List. If I hadn't traced every detail of his life beforehand, I should have run a hardware check (with the provided disc), booted it from my own optical disc, examined the interior carefully, and have the police run a check on its serial number before buying. Good luck.
Yes, the drastic steps of the first reply. However, a computer 'like new' came with a MacOSX operating system already installed, which ran it, and optical discs necessary to maintain it. So, if you use the drastic steps you'll have just a stripped hard drive to sell as a part. Older versions of MacOSX, the one that came with that model of Mac (or a more recent one that will run it well), are still for sale on eBay & elsewhere. Apple stops selling them when a new version comes out. So, once you buy the right version, and follow the instructions above, the computer is complete. Otherwise, you have only a very, very empty hard disk, which is what you first asked for. Sorry. It seems a good investment to me. Macs and MacOSX go together 'like peas and carrots'.
