Securely Format My Harddrive

[jojoman]

Hi,

I'm planning on selling my old mac and buy a new mac. However, what is the best way to restore my old mac to "out of box status"? I'm sure the next owner will not want my personal preferences still in the computer, and I don't want unwanted persons have access to my files, so I want a way to securely erase all my files (and my traces) from my old mac. What is the best way to do this?


Also, I think I will get my new mac before I sell my old one. So there will be a period that I have two macs on my hands. What is the most convenient way to copy all the files to my brand new mac? Worst comes to the worst I'll just drag all my files one by one to my new mac, but is there a way this can be done automatically, especially if I already have time machine backup?

i.e. I'm specifically interested in if I could just take my time machine external harddrive, and hook it up to my new mac, and wham! my new mac looks like my old mac! (eh..with all the new capabilities of the new mac, that is...)

Thanks!

 

[iShater]

1) Security - go to Disk Utility->Erase tab->Security Options. You can make it zero out the sucker, but you have to boot from an external drive obviously.

2) Migration - when you start your new Mac it will ask you if you want to bring your files from an older computer over. You will need a firewire cable and to start that other computer in target disk mode (hold down T when starting up I think). It will bring all your users, and I believe apps as well.

I'll let my fellow MRs confirm.

 

[jojoman]

Hi,

Thank you for the response, but:

1) Security: I'm not ready to format yet, but I just check my Disk Utility. When I click on my harddrive and the "Erase" tab, while I can see the button for "Security Options", it will not let me click on it. There are 3 buttons there: "erase free space", "security options", and "erase", but only "erase free space" is click-able.

2) Migration: I see, so I just need to follow the instructions when I start up my new mac then. However, I'm just curious, say they do migrate all the softwares for you, how is the licenses of those softwares work?

 

[ReBeLaCe]

Hi,

Thank you for the response, but:

1) Security: I'm not ready to format yet, but I just check my Disk Utility. When I click on my harddrive and the "Erase" tab, while I can see the button for "Security Options", it will not let me click on it. There are 3 buttons there: "erase free space", "security options", and "erase", but only "erase free space" is click-able.

2) Migration: I see, so I just need to follow the instructions when I start up my new mac then. However, I'm just curious, say they do migrate all the softwares for you, how is the licenses of those softwares work?

1: are you booted up off the cd/dvd or another drive? If not then thats why you cant erase the drive your using.

2:idk just does. never ran into a problem with licenses.