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Complete OS Reinstall

H

Habsman

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 7, 2009
6
0
Ok, as i am going from cracked software to legit, i want to completely reinstall my OS (Snow leopard) to make sure any registration files for programs and absolutely everything is gone.

Now ive never done this before on a Mac so im just asking id there anything i need to do to ensure that everything is lost in the reinstall?

Basically, i want it to be like a brand new Computer again with nothing left behind.

Also, will i need any license keys for the OS?

Happy Christmas!!:)
 
There is an option during installation called Erase and Install, which does what it says.
tigerupgrade.jpg


But know, that this erase procedure does not physically overwrite the HDD, just deletes the pointer, so it seems empty, and will be overwritten by all new data once you put it on that HDD.
 
spinnerlys said:
There is an option during installation called Erase and Install, which does what it says.
tigerupgrade.jpg


But know, that this erase procedure does not physically overwrite the HDD, just deletes the pointer, so it seems empty, and will be overwritten by all new data once you put it on that HDD.
Click to expand...

Thanks, would I format as Mac OS Extended (Journaled)?
 
When I was reinstalling my Snow Leopard I didn't notice any Erase & Intall option. I just inserted my disc with Snow Leopard and restarted my Mac holding "c". It launched Mac from disc and there on the upper bar I launched Disk Utility and just formated everything, as Mac OS Extended Jurnaled - everything gone, so I installed on clean, formated partiotion my Snow Leopard :).

Sorry for my English. I'm still learning :).
 
Habsman said:
Ok, as i am going from cracked software to legit, i want to completely reinstall my OS (Snow leopard) to make sure any registration files for programs and absolutely everything is gone.

Now ive never done this before on a Mac so im just asking id there anything i need to do to ensure that everything is lost in the reinstall?

Basically, i want it to be like a brand new Computer again with nothing left behind.

Also, will i need any license keys for the OS?

Happy Christmas!!:)
Click to expand...

No license keys required for OS X. Here's a good tutorial on doing a clean install of Snow Leopard:

Perform a Snow Leopard Clean Install
 
spinnerlys said:
There is an option during installation called Erase and Install, which does what it says.
tigerupgrade.jpg

...
Click to expand...

I want to perform a clean and install on my brand new MBA (2,1 rev. C), but
this option simply doesn't appear when I use the SL installation DVD. (This screen isn't even available under Disk Utility).

After the the language options, only "Install" is available. How do you get this window to come up using the installation DVD?

:confused:
 
breakfast said:
I want to perform a clean and install on my brand new MBA (2,1 rev. C), but
this option simply doesn't appear when I use the SL installation DVD. (This screen isn't even available under Disk Utility).

After the the language options, only "Install" is available. How do you get this window to come up using the installation DVD?

:confused:
Click to expand...

You have to boot from the SL DVD (not just insert it while running Mac OS X and then running the installer, as that will just Upgrade the system), and at one point, after the language selection, you get the opportunity to select Options/Customize as a button on the bottom left of that installer window.
 
spinnerlys said:
You have to boot from the SL DVD (not just insert it while running Mac OS X and then running the installer, as that will just Upgrade the system), and at one point, after the language selection, you get the opportunity to select Options/Customize as a button on the bottom left of that installer window.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Spinnerlys, but I think that's what I'm doing. I'm using a remote drive, and powering up with the drive connected (not inserting the disc when running).

Any ideas?
 
breakfast said:
Thanks, Spinnerlys, but I think that's what I'm doing. I'm using a remote drive, and powering up with the drive connected (not inserting the disc when running).

Any ideas?
Click to expand...

You can boot from the SL disc, open Disk Utility and format your hard drive, then install Snow Leopard.
 
breakfast said:
I want to perform a clean and install on my brand new MBA (2,1 rev. C), but
this option simply doesn't appear when I use the SL installation DVD. (This screen isn't even available under Disk Utility).

After the the language options, only "Install" is available. How do you get this window to come up using the installation DVD?

:confused:
Click to expand...

Those options existed in OS X versions prior to Snow Leopard. Apple simplified the main install screen to make it easier, but, you can still do an Erase and Install. This tutorial tells you how:

TUTORIAL: Preform a Snow Leopard Clean Install
 
Related Issue

Thanks, all, for the tips. Trying it now using the Disk Utility approach.

I clicked the right erase option, which erases the whole HD as opposed to just erasing the free space.

After the erasing is complete, the HD capacity states that 220MB are used. I thought that after erasing everything is gone, so the question I have is what is taking up that space?
 
breakfast said:
Thanks, all, for the tips. Trying it now using the Disk Utility approach.

I clicked the right erase option, which erases the whole HD as opposed to just erasing the free space.

After the erasing is complete, the HD capacity states that 220MB are used. I thought that after erasing everything is gone, so the question I have is what is taking up that space?
Click to expand...

Formatting takes up space. I believe that's what is using the space.
 
DewGuy1999 said:
Formatting takes up space. I believe that's what is using the space.
Click to expand...

Any drive that is formatted to be useable format (FAT, NTFS, HSF, ect) will have space taken up. You can format it as free space where absolutely nothing will be on the drive but the... it won't be useable ;)
 
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