LC III: Erase Hard Drive?

I have an old LC III that I haven't had out of the box in 20 years. I am trying to erase the hard drive so that I can give the unit away, but I don't know how to do this. I thought I could work from the Disk Tools floppy, but it keeps telling me that it is "write protected" and won't let me do anything.

Help!

You should have an operating system disc such as OS 7, 7.0.1 or 7.1. Insert floppy 1 and see if there is a format procedure on that.

No operating system disks. Just Installation disks. I have the option to Install the system software, but I haven't gone ahead with that yet for fear that I might leave the thing in a worse condition.

If I start the install, will it give me the option of a "clean install" or hard drive erase?

I tried starting an install process and it didn't give me an option for a clean install.

Is it even possible to erase these hard drives?

Marrk said:

No operating system disks. Just Installation disks.

Click to expand...

Same thing...just different terminology. If the floppy disks you have are "Apple System Software"...then those are "Operating System Disks".

Marrk said:

I tried starting an install process and it didn't give me an option for a clean install.

Is it even possible to erase these hard drives?

Click to expand...

Of course the hard drive in an LCIII are erasable...all hard drives are erasable regardless of age (assuming they're in operating condition).

To erase the hard drive...you need to "boot" the computer from the floppy disk labeled "System Tools" (or something like that). Then launch a program called Disk Utility or Disk Tools...and erase the HD.

Then you need to "reboot" the computer from what's probably "Install Disk #1" or "System Software #1" (or something like that)...to install the operating system.

Remember...we're talking about a 20+ year-old computer & software...so different terminology may be used than what we're used to today using our Macintosh/Apple devices.

Also realize that those OLD System Software install floppies may or may not even work. Floppy disk media is not the most stable...and over the course of 20+ years...they may not work so well. One error...and the whole system software install may be impossible. So keep your fingers crossed!

- Nick

Nick, I don't have a System Tools disk. All I have are Installation Disks, Disk Tools, Printing disk, Install Me First Disk, and Fonts disk.

There doesn't appear to be any option for rebooting from anything other than the hard drive. This thing doesn't even have a Preferences.

Marrk said:

Nick, I don't have a System Tools disk. All I have are Installation Disks, Disk Tools, Printing disk, Install Me First Disk, and Fonts disk.

Click to expand...

Firstly...you need to be more flexible with the terminology. "System Tools" & "Disk Tools" are the same thing (Disk Tools are System Tools). We're talking about 20+ year-old terminology...so my memory is a bit "fuzzy".

If the "Disk Tools" disk is not "bootable"...then you need to:

- "boot" the computer from the whatever disk you have that is bootable
- then eject that disk
- insert the "Disk Tools" disk
- launch the "Disk Tools" application (or whatever it's called) to erase the HD

If the "Disk Tools' disk is bootable...then things are easy...and you just need to launch the "Disk Tools" application to erase the HD.

HTH,

- Nick

By the way. I know that you mentioned that you want to give this LCIII away.

Depending on what this entails (giving it to a church, a relative, e-Bay, or Craig's List, etc.)...be aware...your LC III is worth about $10-$15 bucks...so if this is turning into a BIG headache on your end...please keep things in perspective.

Most folks don't even have software that will run on this computer...and you cannot get on the internet with it. So it really has VERY LIMITED uses.

- Nick

As above, how do I boot from a disk? There is no pull-down menu for that, no Preferences, nothing in the Start Up folder on the HD. Is it possible that, in order to boot from a disk on this system, you have to ReStart while holding down a key?

pigoo3 said:

By the way. I know that you mentioned that you want to give this LCIII away.

Depending on what this entails (giving it to a church, a relative, e-Bay, or Craig's List, etc.)...be aware...your LC III is worth about $10-$15 bucks...so if this is turning into a BIG headache on your end...please keep things in perspective.

Most folks don't even have software that will run on this computer...and you cannot get on the internet with it. So it really has VERY LIMITED uses.

- Nick

Click to expand...

In view of that, it will probably get the sledge hammer, and then into the trash.

Marrk said:

In view of that, it will probably get the sledge hammer, and then into the trash.

Click to expand...

For $10 to $15 of instant stress relief . . . What I would call an ideal soloution.

Marrk said:

As above, how do I boot from a disk? There is no pull-down menu for that, no Preferences, nothing in the Start Up folder on the HD. Is it possible that, in order to boot from a disk on this system, you have to ReStart while holding down a key?

Click to expand...

Ok...so it sounds like you are currently able to boot the computer from it's internal HD.

What you need to do is:

- boot the computer from the internal HD
- insert the "bootable" floppy disk you want to boot from
- go to the "Apple" drop-down menu
- open the control panel called "Startup disk" (or something like that)
- IF the floppy disk you inserted is "bootable"...then you should be able to choose between the LCIII's internal HD & the floppy disk to boot from.
- So click on the floppy disk icon...and then restart the computer.

If the floppy disk DOES NOT show up in the Startup Disk control panel window...then the floppy disk that was inserted is not a "bootable disk".

- Nick

I still vote for the sledgehammer, preferably with a link to a YouTube video.

Marrk said:

In view of that, it will probably get the sledge hammer, and then into the trash.

Click to expand...

Well...I hate to see it get the sledge-hammer....just wanted you to be able to judge how much effort to put into a $10-$15 twenty+ year-old computer (and that's if you can find someone interested in it).

- Nick

An old Mac will boot automatically from any floppy disk that is in the drive at startup. So, to boot from a floppy, with the Mac off:
1. Stick the floppy partway into the drive
2. Reach around and flip the switch on the back, and immediately
3. Push the floppy the rest of the way into the drive.

If it spits the floppy back out again, it's not bootable.

As others have stated the disk you need to boot from is the "Disk Tools" disk and all you need to do is have it in the drive while the computer is booting. The floppy drive is the first boot device. If the computer cannot boot from the floppy it will kick it out or display a message on the screen.

If you are able to boot from the "Disk Tools" disk, the program you are looking for is either "Apple HD SC Setup" or "Drive Setup" depending on the version of your "Disk Tools" floppy.

With the computer booted up from the HD, does the "Disk Tools" floppy show up on the desktop when inserted?

Okay, I figured it out. After I booted from the Disk Tools disk, I wasn't getting the Erase function because I hadn't clicked on the HD.

Erase done. Now, the HD shows an empty window when you open it. So, that's it, right? Or am I missing something?

Thanks to all.

Marrk said:

Okay, I figured it out. After I booted from the Disk Tools disk, I wasn't getting the Erase function because I hadn't clicked on the HD.

Erase done. Now, the HD shows an empty window when you open it. So, that's it, right? Or am I missing something?

Thanks to all.

Click to expand...

That is absolutely correct! The HD is now blank. Now you should be able to boot from your install disk (should be "Install Me First"), then insert the other disks as the system asks for them.

Marrk said:

Okay, I figured it out. After I booted from the Disk Tools disk, I wasn't getting the Erase function because I hadn't clicked on the HD.

Erase done. Now, the HD shows an empty window when you open it. So, that's it, right? Or am I missing something?

Click to expand...

If you clicked the "Erase" button after selecting the HD...then the HD should be "erased". But realize that what this does is actually just erases the file(s) that "map" where the files and folders are on the HD.

At this point...if some knowledgeable person worked on your HD...they could probably retrieve your files. The "Disk Tools" Apple supplied 20+ years ago aren't as sophisticated as Apple's Disk Utility application is today. To totally erase (secure erase) your files on that HD...you need a better application...and after 20+ years...you're probably not going to find one that's compatible with an LC III.

Thus the only sure way to erase the files are to:

- smash the HD with a sledge hammer
- pass the HD near a VERY strong magnet
- write a whole bunch of "garbage" data over the entire HD
- you could also simply remove the HD before giving away the computer

Sorry to make things complicated. More than likely no one will try to retrieve your files (if they're even important enough to worry about)...but I just wanted you to know.

- Nick

If you just install the OS on the hard drive im sure that will stop 99.9% of people from retrieving your files. Additionally what could you really have on a computer that old thats probably still relevant?

As an added thought that .01% that can do anything would have to target your machine to retrieve the files. Unless you have a particularly interesting past I would say just re-install the OS and you'll be fine.