How to erase a hard drive
on Mac OS 7 using ShredIt
Before disposing of a computer or a hard drive, we recommend that you erase all the files you don't want the next user to be able to recover.
Read all of these instructions before continuing.
Using the Hard Drive Cleaner function of ShredIt will erase your data, (i.e. your files), making the hard drive clean by destroying your data so it can't be recovered.
Before you erase the hard drive, make a backup copy of any data or applications you want to use on another computer before you shred the contents of a disk, since the files cannot be recovered from the disk after it has been shredded.
There are three procedures, depending on whether your erasing the start up disk or not, and whether you are using the ShredIt floppy disk or the Shredit CD.
If this is not the drive erasing function you need, try the links below:
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Method 1: How to erase a hard drive if it's your startup disk
(the disk with the Operating System on it) using the ShredIt Floppy Disk
A startup disk is the disk on your computer that contains the Operating System. Typically, it is called “Macintosh HD” and may be the only disk on the system.
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Requirements
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This procedure assumes that you have a Mac OS CD from which to re-install the Operating System and a copy of the ShredIt so that you can re-install it. Ensure you meet these requirements before continuing.
This procedure is the easiest, but will leave your computer in a non-bootable state with only the Mac OS. The next user of the computer will need to install the Mac OS to use this computer, which you can get for free from Apple. For more information, see notes
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Instructions
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Move all the data, all the applications and the preferences of all the applications you want to keep somewhere else. The easiest way to do this is to copy the entire contents of your entire hard drive to another hard drive.
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Shut down your Mac.
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Restart the computer from the ShredIt floppy disk. To do this, power on your mac and immediately insert the floppy so the mac starts up off theShredIt floppy disk.
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Select the StartUp Disk by single-clicking it. From the “Special” menu, select “Erase Disk”. (Special>Erase Disk)
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When the Dialog pops up, click "Erase".
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Double click the ShredIt for OS 7 Floppy to open it.
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Double click the "Shred All Freespace" icon
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Method 2: How to erase a hard drive if it's your startup disk
(the disk with the Operating System on it) using the ShredIt CD
A startup disk is the disk on your computer that contains the Operating System. Typically, it is called “Macintosh HD” and may be the only disk on the system.
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Requirements
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- ShredIt for Mac OS 7
- Mac OS 7 startup disk (CD or floppy disks)
This procedure assumes that you have a Mac OS CD from which to re-install the Operating System and a copy of the ShredIt so that you can re-install it. Ensure you meet these requirements before continuing.
This procedure will leave your computer in a bootable state with only the Mac OS. The next user of the computer will not need to install the Mac OS to use this computer.The next user of the computer will need to install the Mac OS to use this computer, which you can get for free from Apple. For more information, see notes
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Instructions
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Move all the data, all the applications and the preferences of all the applications you want to keep somewhere else. The easiest way to do this is to copy the entire contents of your entire hard drive to another hard drive.
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Insert the Mac OS Install CD. This refers to a full Mac OS Install CD included with your computer, not to an update-only CD. (Make sure the Caps Lock key is not engaged). Re-install Mac OS using the clean install option.
For step-by-step instructions, go to Mac OS 7.6: Clean Install Instructions on the Apple Site
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Install ShredIt from CD or floppy by dragging the ShredIt icon onto your hard disk icon.
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Drag the ShredIt icon from your hard disk to the desktop.
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Drag your hard disk icon onto the ShredIt icon to shred the free space
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Method 3: How to erase a hard drive using the ShredIt CD or Floppy Disk
Use this procedure to erase your startup disk if you don't have the Mac OS 7 startup disk, or to erase a hard drive that doesn't have the operating system on it.
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Requirements
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Move all the data, all the applications and the preferences of all the applications you want to keep somewhere else. The easiest way to do this is to copy the entire contents of your entire hard drive to another hard drive.
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Move all the files on the hard drive EXCEPT THE OPERATING SYSTEM to the trash. Empty the trash.
Make sure you have moved all files that contain your data to the trash. After deleting all the obvious files, (documents, spreadsheets), look for other personal data. Pay particular attention to cache files created while surfing the internet, pictures, video files you've downloaded, data created by financial software.
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If you haven't already done so, install ShredIt. For further information, go to “How to Install ShredIt” .
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Using ShredIt, shred the disk free space on the disk. For further information, go to “How to shred Free Space”
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Run this procedure for each non-startup disk on your OS 7 Mac.
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Notes
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- For more detailed information about ShredIt for Mac OS 7, refer to the
- There's an important difference between the technical terms "delete" and "secure delete".
- The technical computer term "delete" refers to the type of computer function where the data is marked as deleted, but not really gone. Functions such as dragging a file to the trash/recycle bin and then emptying it marks the data as deleted so the space can be used again, but the data itself remains on the hard drive and recoverable until it is overwritten by something else. On a hard drive with lots of free space, this could take months or even years.
- On the other hand, the technical term "secure delete" refers to the type of computer function where the data is overwritten by other characters so the data can't be recovered. "Secure Delete" is also referred to as "wipe", "erase" and "shred". Computer software that performs this type of function is often called a "file shredder" a "data shredder" or "secure delete utility".
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- You can make your own bootable CD or floppy disks of Mac OS 7.5.3, for your own personal use, free from Apple. To do this, download the 19 OS 7.5.3 images from the apple site, and burn them to CD or floppy. Download Apple's Mac OS 7.5.3 from here
- ShredIt will not shred files/folders still sitting in the trash can. To shred these files, do one of the following:
- Tutorials are available for other versions of ShredIt
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