how do i swipe my HD with no restore disks.

RAM (Random Access Memory) is not for permanently storing files, it's for applications and opened files to be stored, so access is faster. RAM will be emptied, when you shut down the computer.

You don't need extra software to delete files from your HDD, you just delete them using Finder by dragging them to the Trash or using CMD+Backspace when you select the files.
Then you have to empty the Trash.

You can also use Monolingual to delete all the unused languages, and Disk Inventory X for scanning your HDD to see where all the space is gone.
Also you can delete printers in Library/Printers if you don't need them.

Or get an external drive.

 

wow, 10gb. Im guessing you use nothing but internet and word processor?

 

you could either get an external hard drive, or you could go get a new hard drive. either way, if you need the OS, the apple store has PPC Tiger available if you tell them that you need an operating system. I erased my drive and they gave me it for free.

 

thats probably just what it came with. most people never alter computers after they have it

 

One of your numbers is off, either hard disk or processor. The 550 mhz tibook had 20 or 30 gb disks, with 48 as an option. The restore discs are for wiping the computer--do you want to wipe it or get more free space? If you want more free space, archive some stuff to an external disk.

 

Funny thing is, until a year and a half ago I was using a 550mhz Celeron processor in a Thinkpad A20m with 384mb of RAM (128 + 256mb) running Win2K, and I ran Dreamweaver MX2004, FireworksMX 2004, FlashMX2004, Photoshop 6, Illustrator 9 (didn't use it too much, admittedly,) Office2000 (full-blown version w/Access, Visual Basic 6, Visual Studio 6, DB2 (IBM's enterprise level relational database,) Visual Age for Java, Firefox3, iTunes6, and lots of other stuff. It had a smallish, 12.4" screen and didn't do real well with video, admittedly. But it's amazing how much could be done with it. The original HD was only 6gig, replaced with a 10gig, then a 60gig. Always used external storage via PCMCIA slot (HDs and burner) for photos, etc.

Today, there's no way I could live with the limitations, especially the inability to upgrade software, but this little old laptop could do a lot more than just surf the web and do world processing... it's just hard to really believe that, I know, unless you were there... It finally died when the power switch shorted out and wasn't worth fixing. Thinkpad A20m - Born 2000 - Died 2008 (RIP)

Long live my MBP!!! I doubt I'll be hanging onto it for 8 years, however. Technology is just moving too fast.