Force formatting my harddrive

[Shotglass]

My internal hdd has a botched partitioning table that I need to clear (i need a single mac os x partition), so I cloned the startup volume partition to my LaCie. Now, I want to completely format that harddrive. Not just one volume of it, but the whole thing. Now, since the other partition is formatted in Linux Swap, I can't do that. Is there a way to force format the whole drive?

 

[JNB]

Disk Utility, erase the entire drive. The formatting of individual volumes is immaterial.

 

[Shotglass]

Disk Utility, erase the entire drive. The formatting of individual volumes is immaterial.

The attached screenshot will explain why I said force format.

 

[JNB]

Since I don't read Germanic languages to save my life, I'll have to presume that there's either an error message indicating the reason or the grayed out options are preventing the operation. I neglected to mention (though I thought it should have been a given--my bad) that you have to boot from another volume--the Leopard (or Tiger) install DVD is easiest--and run Disk Utility from there. Sorry! **slaps forehead**

 

[Shotglass]

Been there, done all that, and yes, the grayed out buttons are the problem. I cloned the internal to my LaCie, booted from the LaCie, and still, System Preferences says the internal is the startup volume. I'm not a computer illiterate or anything, but this is quite a pickle. Maybe there's something in the terminal that I could do?
Thanks for all the help so far.

 

[MacPadawan]

If your screenshot is how it shows up with your external (the LaCie) hard drive mounted than something is wrong. As the drive is not listed as you can see, not to mention it being the boot volume. In this config as shown in the screenshot the options cannot help but being grayed out.
You sure that the cloning didn't get wrong and the system IS booting from the external drive?

 

[sushi]

IYou sure that the cloning didn't get wrong and the system IS booting from the external drive?

According to the screen shot, it is booting from the Internal.

Look at the lower part of Disk Utility.

If your screenshot is how it shows up with your external (the LaCie) hard drive mounted than something is wrong. As the drive is not listed as you can see, not to mention it being the boot volume. In this config as shown in the screenshot the options cannot help but being grayed out.

Agreed.

Both the internal and external HDs should be showing in Disk Utility.

Be sure the external drive is connected and turned on. Open System Preferences>Startup Disk and select the LaCie drive to boot.

If that doesn't work, and you can see both the internal and external LaCie drive, then try booting while holding down your OPTION key. Then select the LaCie to boot from. Once there you should be able to erase your internal HD. If the saw partition remains, try changing the format to DOS, or one of the other non-Mac ones, then if it works, reformat to the Mac one that you want.