restoring the computer

i know i probably sound like an idiot, but I'm not too familiar with macs.

i wondering how to completely restore my computer, files settings everything.
it came with the install cd's but i don't really know what to do.

im not having problems with it, its just that I'm exanging it for the new one and i'd rather have gotten rid of all the files myself then let the futureshop people do it .

Pop in the installation CD, restart and hold down the "c" key at the chime. That will boot you into the installation process. Choose your language, then reformat before installing the system. When it is done everything will have been erased and a brand new system have been installed. Depending on how paranoid you are that should pretty much take care of it. The new user will be greeted with that multi-language welcome video, just like it was brand new!

im sorry ,but how would i reformat the hard drive? i know its form disk utility, but not too sure how to use it ?

thanks

Easiest way is to start the installation CD, choose your language and go to the menu bar, Utilities, choose Disk Utility -- Reformat -- Mac OS HFS+ Journaled. Once that is done, quit DU and continue the system reinstall.

Make sure to preform a secure erase on the HD if you are even a little bit concerned with any personal information that may be on it. Simply reinstalling the OS wont technically wipe the drive.

along the same page here... i need some help too...
to save some hard drive space, i put all my application support onto an external. it cleared up 30 gigs which is amazing, but apparently imovie (and some other ilife programs) do not like their app. support to not be internal... so i tried to drag the app support for those programs back onto the application support folder on my internal, but something went wrong.
to be honest, the ocd in me just wants to start all over...
what is the best way to go about this...
should i just back up my current entire hard drive on an external, then use the restore discs... will that get all my application support back and give me a new computer to start over with?

c'mon someone?