RE: Clean install

RE: Clean install

I am new to mac. I took a graphics class in college, and afterwards I purchased a used imac. The guy I bought it from obviously new less than me about macs.
The programs were missing drivers, the hard drive was missing extensions, etd., etc.
Anyway, I got the install disks, the restore disks, the applications disk, and a hardware test disk (or something like that...they are not in front of me right now) from the guy with the computer.
He has all kind of other stuff in the computer that I care nothing about and don't want to keep any of it. I wanted to erase the hard drive and perform a clean install. I thought this would take everything off the computer...but it didn't. There were still programs of his in it and application files, and all kind of stuff. There was a lot of things on it that I had just did, including a new hard drive (I knew this because it had a icon for previous hard dirve).
How do I completely erase everything and start like it just came from the factory? It is an imac, running 9.2.1. It also came with 10.something.something...and I have no idea what to do with it.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

To perform a Clean installation:

1 Start up your computer from your system software install CD. Its the CD that is printed with "to start up from this CD hold down the C key"

2 Double-click the Mac OS Installer icon.
Depending on how you received your system software, this icon may be labeled Mac OS Install, or it may be named after your computer.

3. In the Welcome dialog box, click Continue.

4. In the Select Destination dialog box, click the Options button

5. Select the Perform Clean Installation option, then click OK.

6. Select the destination hard disk, then click the select button.

7. Click start to begin the installation

8. After installation is complete, reinstall any third-party fonts, extensions, and control panels. (This is not necessary for you since you are going to trash the "Previous System Folder.") I hope this helps you.

I copied the following from Apple's Help Viewer. I change some of it to best fit your needs. What I did not change is © Apple Computer Inc.

That is exactly what I did, but there was still a ton of stuff with previous dates on it installed in the hard drive. Is that because I didn't trash the previous system folder? If I throw that sucker in the trash, will all that crap disappear? I hadn't done it yet because I wasn't sure if I should.

In OS 9 or less the clean install only installs a new system folder. I am not sure but I think you need to run Disk First Aid application.

Try This.

1. Start up your computer from your system software install CD. Its the CD that is printed with "to start up from this CD hold down the C key"

2. Open the CD and find the Applications folder and open it and then open the Utilities folder and open Drive Setup.

3. When the program opens go to the Functions menu and come down to Initialization Options.

4. When the window comes up check the box next to "Zero all data" and click the OK button

5. Find your Hard Drive from the list of Drives.

6. Click the Initialize button and a window will come up saying something like this "are you sure you want Initialize, you will loose all your data" Click the OK button or continue button.

7. The Initializing might take some time depending on your computer.

8. Once the Initialization is done you need to quit Drive Setup and re-install the operating system from the CD that is already in your Mac and follow the on screen instructions.

9. After the new system is installed and setup go under the Apple menu and go to Control Panels and come down to Software Update to update your system software to the latest version. If you installed Mac OS 9.1 you will be able to update your software. I hpe this helps.

What I was going to do was install the applications disc, and then throw out everything that had a date other than the dates I installed the new system folder and the applications.
The OS is 9.2.1. Then there is another disk, I believe it is 10.5.1 (or something like that). They are both 'install disks'. Is the later of the two an upgrade or something?
Then there are 4 system restore disks. I didn't go that route because the computers hard drive was so screwed up, I just wanted to start fresh.
Would the disk aid be in the application disk? Or is it part of the system folder?
What is the
All the stuff I was talking about earlier that is on the computer, is stuff like Kodak applications and files for his digital camera, aol documents, Epson printer, fax, scanner, etc. crap, and on, and on, and on. Should I have trashed the system folder before my clean install? I didn't think I could, or should...so I didn't

reapersllilgirl said:

What I was going to do was install the applications disc, and then throw out everything that had a date other than the dates I installed the new system folder and the applications.
The OS is 9.2.1. Then there is another disk, I believe it is 10.5.1 (or something like that). They are both 'install disks'. Is the later of the two an upgrade or something?
Then there are 4 system restore disks. I didn't go that route because the computers hard drive was so screwed up, I just wanted to start fresh.
Would the disk aid be in the application disk? Or is it part of the system folder?
What is the disk that checks the hardware..or what ever it said it was. I really need to have all that info in my office so I have it handy when I'm writing about it. sometimes my brain doesn't function correctly
All the stuff I was talking about earlier that is on the computer, is stuff like Kodak applications and files for his digital camera, aol documents, Epson printer, fax, scanner, etc. crap, and on, and on, and on. Should I have trashed the system folder before my clean install? I didn't think I could, or should...so I didn't

Click to expand...

this is quite frustrating for me. i know xp inside out

You should just initialize your drive with Drive Setup and re-install the system and start off fresh. If you want to use Disk First Aid just go to the Utilities folder which is in your Applications folder. I hope this helps.