How do I format my harddrive?

[supercooled]

Ok, so it's a little more convoluted than the title suggests. I am preparing my MBP for resale and I need to get it wiped clean with Guttman's 7-pass (I did the 35 pass on a 1TB drive and it took 3 days. This time around, I do not have 3 days so I opting for the 7-pass wipe. I popped the Tiger disc in and it didn't give me any option for secure wipe, just reinstallation of OSX.

Is this even possible?
Thanks

 

[aross99]

I think you can access disk utility from the Install DVD. It's under one of the initial menus, but that is only a format, and will not allow you to access your utility.

Another option is to boot from an external drive with your utility, and then format the drive and run the utility on the internal drive.

 

[gr8tfly]

Run Disk Utility from the Install Disk. Once you get past the language select screen, the menu bar will be active, and you can find it there.

 

[supercooled]

I think you can access disk utility from the Install DVD. It's under one of the initial menus, but that is only a format, and will not allow you to access your utility.

Another option is to boot from an external drive with your utility, and then format the drive and run the utility on the internal drive.

If I understand it correctly, you're saying I have to install another partition of OS X on an external drive then boot into that and delete my internal drive? Is this a proven method? It would be perfect since I have a FW drive.

I got nothing to lose so I'll give it a shot.

Thanks

 

[rickvanr]

If I understand it correctly, you're saying I have to install another partition of OS X on an external drive then boot into that and delete my internal drive? Is this a proven method? It would be perfect since I have a FW drive.

I got nothing to lose so I'll give it a shot.

Thanks

That would work, but the easiest method would be starting up from a Mac OS X install disk, opening the disc utility app, and erasing the drive.