Dad Threw Away DVDs - How to Erase Hard Drive?!

[Epsilon88]

Hi,

I'm in a bind. I want to sell my MacBook Pro, but my dad threw away the installation DVDs that would allow me to erase the hard drive. What's the best option here? I was thinking that I could purchase the upgrade version of Leopard on Ebay since it's cheaper than the full version of snow leopard... but would that allow me to erase the hard drive?

Is there a better way here that I'm missing?

Really appreciate your help.

- Epsilon

 

[teleromeo]

if you have an external drive, clone your system, start up from that drive and erase the internal drive.

 

[angelwatt]

One idea for you (that I haven't tried myself) is to download a Linux distro, which comes in a live CD/DVD version. Linux has options to erase the drive. This would be mostly free except for the cost of a CD/DVD. I'm sure there's tutorials on doing just this on the net.

 

[Yojiirill]

One idea for you (that I haven't tried myself) is to download a Linux distro, which comes in a live CD/DVD version. Linux has options to erase the drive. This would be mostly free except for the cost of a CD/DVD. I'm sure there's tutorials on doing just this on the net.

Linux is indeed beyond awesome, but I don't think that's what he is looking for

Also, are you blaming your dad for something that you did because you're embarrassed to post it online?

Just joking.

Really, I was in this situation before, and what I did was get another copy of the install discs on Ebay. You'll have to make sure they're for the Macbook Pro and your version, but otherwise, any disc will work on your Mac.

 

[Gregg2]

Sell it to your Dad, as is.

Or, tell him he has to fork over the dough for TechTool Pro. Install it and wipe the drive, unless it will let you do that from the disc. Keep TTP for your new Mac.

 

[panoz7]

Or contact apple, explain what happened, and they'll send you some reasonably priced replacement disks. I'd imagine the difference in selling price for a MBP with OS and disks versus one without an OS would be greater than the costs of the disks anyway.

 

[tempusfugit]

Don't download it from the internet. like from a torrent site or anything like that. just "don't". It will only result in solving all of your problems relatively hassle free.

you wouldn't want that, would you?

 

[eawmp1]

Or contact apple, explain what happened, and they'll send you some reasonably priced replacement disks. I'd imagine the difference in selling price for a MBP with OS and disks versus one without an OS would be greater than the costs of the disks anyway.

2+ It's not necessary, but it's always better to buy/sell a computer with the original disks. If someone wans to buy your mac, I would presume they would want to see it boot up on OS X...

 

[Shownarou]

Why not purchase the 30$ upgrade version of Snow Leopard, it's not violating the EULA, because you do technically have Leopard on your machine. It's $30, and you can do a clean install with it.

 

[AaronX]

Do you have another computer with Firewire? You can start in Target Disk Mode and erase everything. Your MB acts as an external drive in TDM.

 

[stridemat]

If you get into contact with Apple Customer services and explain what has happened, they will send you a set of disks for free. I think you have to pay the postage and packaging.

 

[jaw04005]

Last time I ordered replacement discs from Apple they were $9.99 per disc. I would go that route so the new owners will have a disc with iLife.

 

[Epsilon88]

Why not purchase the 30$ upgrade version of Snow Leopard, it's not violating the EULA, because you do technically have Leopard on your machine. It's $30, and you can do a clean install with it.

But I have Tiger on my computer, so that wouldn't work I suppose? Anyway, I think I'll just get the original disks on Ebay... they aren't expensive.

Also, are you blaming your dad for something that you did because you're embarrassed to post it online?

No, believe me, both my sister and dad are terrible when it comes to throwing my stuff away. Last year I was away for a couple of weeks, and I came back to find that my sister had cleared out the attic... including brand new model sets, books, and games. She even threw out my Risk board! wtf?! And she even refused to pay for any of it since she was "broke". Next time I plan to confiscate her DVD collection and sell off 2 DVDs a day until she pays me back. And my dad's excuse for recycling my Mac and Wii Box (which I want to sell) was: "There were so many boxes, so I had to get rid of them all." Grr!

 

[BlueRevolution]

I certainly wouldn't buy a Mac without the restore disks. The first thing I do when I get a new Mac is reformat and install everything. Hell, when I bought my used iBook, which had been a shared computer used by a school board, it had one of the teachers' bank statements. In PDF. On the desktop. And this was a school board, which should presumably have a competent tech department.

Anyway, yeah. Get the disks before you ship.

 

[jaw04005]

And my dad's excuse for recycling my Mac and Wii Box (which I want to sell) was: "There were so many boxes, so I had to get rid of them all." Grr!

Sounds like when I was still in high school living with my mother years ago. While I was gone one weekend, she took every DVD my brother and I owned out of its case and put them in one of those bulk sleeve binders/soft case (we’re talking 100+ DVDs). Then she threw out every DVD case and only kept the 'Disc 1' if it was two or three disc set. Keep in mind, these were stored neatly on my bookshelf in my bedroom. So, it’s not like they were spread out all over or something.

I was livid and didn’t speak to her for weeks.