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New Hard Drive setup help

S

Sundance2007

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 20, 2007
114
0
I just purchased a new HD for my Macbook. Will the OS X setup disks that came with the laptop take care of formatting and installing the OS or is there something else I will need? Also what is the procedure, just stick in the disks and reboot once I have the new HD installed?


Thanks,

Steve
 
If it's a new HD and hasn't been used with another OS, then you should just be able to install it and then use it. If it doesn't work, you might have to reformat it real quick.
If you're running Leopard, which I am assuming you are, run Disk Utility (in the Applications place in Finder - Finder>Applications>Utilities>Disk Utility)
1. Choose the volume your want to reformat (your external HD). It will be "tabbed" over to the right a bit, under the size of your HD.
34gugwn.png


2. Click "Erase" on the menu bar.

3. Choose "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" as the Volume Format and name it what you wish.

4. Click "Erase..." on the bottom right.

When it is all done, it should be formated as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" and you can add/remove data at your will.

To make sure that it reformated, just option click the drive icon and click "Get Info". Under "General", the format will be there.

Hope this helps :) Worked for me.
 
^^^that would be difficult without an external enclosure to format it first

rather, after the swap, at the first powerup you will see a folder blinking with a question mark. At this point, put in the original install disc. you will autoimatcally boot into the installer. the installer will likely tell you that the HD must be reformatted, and will basically walk you through your choices of how to format it.
 
FJ218700 said:
^^^that would be difficult without an external enclosure to format it first

rather, after the swap, at the first powerup you will see a folder blinking with a question mark. At this point, put in the original install disc. you will autoimatcally boot into the installer. the installer will likely tell you that the HD must be reformatted, and will basically walk you through your choices of how to format it.
Click to expand...

Exactly. As long as the drive hasn't been used with other OS' it will be simple to just start using it with his Mac.
Unfortunately, I had used my external HD with my old HP before I got my MacBook and had to go through the process of reformatting that way :/
 
Got-ER-Done. No problem, thanks for the help.

Another question, I want to run XP. What is the best way to go Fusion or Boot Camp?

Thanks!

Steve
 
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