Preparing HDD for Mac sale

[davidg4781]

I have a CD MacBook that I'm looking to upgrade. I replaced the HDD with a WD 750GB that I really like and plan to keep for the new MacBook I'll buy.

I have an older 250GB HDD that I used in this MacBook before. I'm going to do some zero-out erasing. The questions I have are...

Can I go ahead and install Snow Leopard on this HDD? It's in an external enclosure. This way when I do sell I can just swap out the drives and be on my way. I'm guessing no, just in case there's an issue with the install process.

Next question is should I install Snow Leopard or the original Tiger that went with it? And when I do install, would I do a complete install with all additional languages or just basic stuff? It's a large enough HDD that a basic user wouldn't notice that stuff. A power user would probably erase it (after watching the start up video).

 

[Mal]

Just use Disk Utility to Zero the drive (don't bother with the 7-pass erase or anything like that, but do use the Zero option). That will be more than secure enough. Then install the OS while it's in the external case anyways, before you pop it in the computer. Much simpler, no additional risk of problems from doing it that way. Do the standard install, don't worry about the space taken by languages, et al. Never know what they might need, and it'll be 2-3 GB's difference, which isn't much.

If you're not selling your Snow Leopard disk with the machine, legally you can't install Snow Leopard on it and sell it that way. I'd install Tiger unless you can also sell your Snow Leopard disk with it.

jW

 

[davidg4781]

I was planning on upgrading to Lion so I won't need the SL disc anymore. Maybe I'll ask them what they want. If I do the original Tiger I can install iLife and all the other bundled apps. I guess they can always install it themselves.

SL's only $30 so if I ever need it again I can always buy it. I do have Leopard but I'm saving that for a PowerPC Mac I'm thinking of buying. I've been wanting to get one to play with just to see what I missed out on.