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emalen · May 7, 2004, 09:33 AM

So My powerbook is really slow, so I decided to reinstall my system software.. Panther... I use the disks, and it says, cannot install, as there is a new version of the operating system being used (and the 'options' button for erase and install isn't clickable)

so i go to disk utility and 'erase' as i figure I can erase the disk and start again...... I choose erase 8 times over --- and it seems to be taking a crazy long time...... I mean the blue bar has barely gone more then a millimeter and it's been over an hour.. how long should this process take? can i cancel it?

any thoughts would be appreciated,

e-malen

Moose · May 7, 2004, 09:44 AM

Just reboot and erase the drive simply. No need to overwrite unless you have confidential information on it (in which case it should have been encrypted in the first place, and even then, FileVault or encrypted disk images are useless once the keys have been destroyed and even one block has been overwritten).

emalen · May 7, 2004, 09:50 AM

Well, i'm a complete idiot, as I have no confidential information, I just thought it would 'fun to try'.. so literally this process looks like it's going to takes days, unfortunately, i've already started....... can i quit? will this mess up my mac? it says when I press quit (am i sure i want to quit)... if it messes up the files.. do I care, because all I really want to do is erase and install my software???

thanks for any help,
emalen

romeosc · May 7, 2004, 09:57 AM

Won't hurt anything since you have started erasing.... Directory is already hosed

emalen · May 7, 2004, 10:21 AM

Okay, I cancelled the 8 time write over, as it is annoying slow... I restarted with my Panther CD.. and now when I click on the Mac HD icon it says "You cannot install Mac OSX on this volume, as earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed )... also the options button is not clickable so I can't erase and install... how do I just simply erase and install?

thanks,
emalen

Moose · May 7, 2004, 12:31 PM

Originally posted by emalen:
Okay, I cancelled the 8 time write over, as it is annoying slow... I restarted with my Panther CD.. and now when I click on the Mac HD icon it says "You cannot install Mac OSX on this volume, as earlier version of Mac OS X is not installed )... also the options button is not clickable so I can't erase and install... how do I just simply erase and install?

thanks,
emalen

Among the things you did not tell us: You bought/were given one of those Panther upgrade discs.

You'll have to install the version of Mac OS X that came with your machine on the Software Restore disc. Once you do that, you can boot from the Panther install CD and then erase and install.