Lion Erase & Install

chowmein · chowmein #1 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 10:44 AM

I would like to perform a complete erase and install, but i am without install discs. I understand how to perform this task with a flash drive, but do i have to purchase lion from the app store? i did not upgrade to lion it came pre installed. I would like to erase everything on the hard drive and begin again.

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #2 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 11:03 AM

Hold down cmd and R at boot. This is the lion recovery method

OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery

prepare for a 2-3 hours of OS download once you start install after format.

chowmein · chowmein #3 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 12:18 PM

what you explained reinstalls lion rather than erasing the hard drive. I want to simply erase & install like previous systems, must I do this another way?

Stretch · Stretch #4 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 01:20 PM

That is the method to do it. You can erase the HDD once you've booted into the Lion Recovery partition.

chscag · chscag #5 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 01:21 PM

What member Dysfunction suggested to you can also be used to erase the disk and then proceed with the reinstall. Use Disk Utility from the Recovery Partition to erase the disk first.

Dysfunction · Dysfunction #6 (**permalink**)

04-25-2012, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chscag

What member Dysfunction suggested to you can also be used to erase the disk and then proceed with the reinstall. Use Disk Utility from the Recovery Partition to erase the disk first.

Sadly I can confirm this. I've had to do it. Then I complained when I had to bring the iMac back to the store for a physical replacement. Evidently the networked method of recovery is unpopular with more than just myself.

cognus · cognus #7 (**permalink**)

05-08-2012, 04:32 PM

Friends I am new to this particular forum and searched for my topic and found this thread.
I have a followup question that I need an answer to: when installing/reinstalling Lion to a new drive, unformatted [but the same question I think applies to a botched install or other hard issue] - when the Erase/Install switch is invoked, does it wipe, remove partition info, and re-partition and reformat the drive? I am doing this on an iMac 20 and just trying to ascertain if I need to FIRST format the HDD before even attempting the install.
My understanding [from article on burning lion to bootable device on lifehacker...] is that all the tools/utilities are available on the boot /install image so I assume the disk utility can be invoked to do what needs to be done??

thank you for your help

harryb2448 · harryb2448 #8 (**permalink**)

05-08-2012, 06:18 PM

G'day and welcome to the forums.

Erase then format Mac OS Extended (Journalled) into Partition, select single, go to Options and make sure GUID is selected, then back to Installer and proceed.

cognus · cognus #9 (**permalink**)

05-08-2012, 09:06 PM

Perfect. like a mnid-reader you gave me exactly what's needed.
thanks so much
c

Dysfunction #2 (permalink)
Member Since: Mar 17, 2008 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 6,534 Mac Specs: 2008 and 2011 15" mbps, late 11 iMac, iPhone 4s, and too many ipods and other stuff	04-25-2012, 11:03 AM Hold down cmd and R at boot. This is the lion recovery method OS X Lion: About Lion Recovery prepare for a 2-3 hours of OS download once you start install after format. mike This machine kills fascists Got # ? phear the command line!
	QUOTE Thanks

Stretch #4 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 13, 2007 Location: Central New York Posts: 4,614 Mac Specs: 15in i7 MacBook Pro, 8GB RAM, 60GB SSD, 500GB HD	04-25-2012, 01:20 PM That is the method to do it. You can erase the HDD once you've booted into the Lion Recovery partition. Blog and Photo Gallery: http://philolin.me/ Currently running OS X 10.8.2
	QUOTE Thanks

chscag #5 (permalink)
Member Since: Jan 23, 2008 Location: Fort Worth, Texas Posts: 32,017 Mac Specs: 21.5" iMac 2.5 GHz i5, iPad 3rd Gen., 3 iPods	04-25-2012, 01:21 PM What member Dysfunction suggested to you can also be used to erase the disk and then proceed with the reinstall. Use Disk Utility from the Recovery Partition to erase the disk first. Community Guidelines
	QUOTE Thanks

harryb2448 #8 (permalink)
Member Since: Nov 28, 2007 Location: Nambucca Heads Australia Posts: 14,095 Mac Specs: iMac i5 2.7GHz OS X.8.3	05-08-2012, 06:18 PM G'day and welcome to the forums. Erase then format Mac OS Extended (Journalled) into Partition, select single, go to Options and make sure GUID is selected, then back to Installer and proceed. *Hang on to those original install discs like grim death! Using OS X.7 or later make a bootable USB thumb drive before running Installer!*
	QUOTE Thanks

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chowmein #1 (permalink)
Member Since: Apr 21, 2012 Posts: 13	04-25-2012, 10:44 AM I would like to perform a complete erase and install, but i am without install discs. I understand how to perform this task with a flash drive, but do i have to purchase lion from the app store? i did not upgrade to lion it came pre installed. I would like to erase everything on the hard drive and begin again.
	QUOTE Thanks

cognus #7 (permalink)
Member Since: May 08, 2012 Posts: 22	05-08-2012, 04:32 PM Friends I am new to this particular forum and searched for my topic and found this thread. I have a followup question that I need an answer to: when installing/reinstalling Lion to a new drive, unformatted [but the same question I think applies to a botched install or other hard issue] - when the Erase/Install switch is invoked, does it wipe, remove partition info, and re-partition and reformat the drive? I am doing this on an iMac 20 and just trying to ascertain if I need to FIRST format the HDD before even attempting the install. My understanding [from article on burning lion to bootable device on lifehacker...] is that all the tools/utilities are available on the boot /install image so I assume the disk utility can be invoked to do what needs to be done?? thank you for your help
	QUOTE Thanks

cognus #9 (permalink)
Member Since: May 08, 2012 Posts: 22	05-08-2012, 09:06 PM Perfect. like a mnid-reader you gave me exactly what's needed. thanks so much c
	QUOTE Thanks

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