Reformat + Re-install OS on HD: How to needed

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Reformat + Re-install OS on HD: How to needed

Hello:

Request: Please post "generic" steps/instructions (or a link to those instructions) that people can follow to re-format the drive, then install a (legal) copy of an OS back onto the drive from an OS CD.

[I have a working E-Mac w/ firewire, a Sawtooth G4 w/ firewire, and a firewire enclosure as may be needed to facilitate the process.]

Once I reformat and repartition a HD pulled from computers that were on the previous owner's networks, the computers do not want to install the OS back onto those drives. However the same computers work fine when using a different HD that already has an OS on it from a different Mac that was not ever networked.

UGLY DETAILS / BACKGROUND for inquiring minds:
A few HDs were removed, placed into a firewire enclosure, reformated, and then returned to the computer chasis for re-installing the OS using the OS CDs. When re-booting with an OS CD [while holding down the C key], the computer will not boot from the (legal) CD [with a couple exceptions, of course.]

I suspect I am just leaving out a simple step or two ... but I am not sure what step(s) are problematic.
[since I was successfull on a few drives ... but not all]
Instead of trying to figure where I may have erred (an interesting question to me), it would be helpful to have "the proper" procedure I should follow to be successful with all of the drives.

Thank you.
David Johansson

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did the CD/DVD come with the eMac?

they need to be the eMac's system CDs, or newer.  You can just run out and get tiger and install that.  that should be all you need.

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Carbon Copy Cloner?

How about building a generic OS build on an external, then run carbon copy cloner from the external onto the internal drive on the machine?

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Confused

I have to admit I'm having trouble parsing your post. Are you saying you're having trouble coming up with some "generic" method of installing an OS on "any" Macintosh, or what? I'm particularly confused as to why you would remove the hard drives from the systems and format them in a firewire enclosure if the end goal is to boot them from an OS CD and install them manually. Why not just format the hard disk as part of the installation procedure and dispense with the surgery?

Going back to basics, I'm going to *assume* that what you're asking is "I have a bunch of Macs I want to blow away and put a reasonable OS install on. What's the most efficient way of doing that?" In which case I'd recommend going here:

http://www.bombich.com/software/ccc.html

Download "Carbon Copy Cloner" (henceforth referred to as CC"). Then get yourself a firewire cable. Then:

1: Take *one* machine from the pile you want to clone to, preferably the newest one with all the bells and whistles, and manually install an OS with all the trimmings and software you want.

2: Turn it off, connect it to a "master" machine with the Firewire cable, and boot it while holding down the "T" key on the keyboard.

3: You'll see it mount as a disk on the master machine. Use CCC to generate an "Apple Software Restore" image to a file.

4: One by one, connect the machines you want to clone *to* to the master machine with the firewire cable, again holding the "T" key. Use "Disk Utility" to erase and repartition the drives (again, *without* ripping them out of the machines), and then either use CCC or asr on the command line (type "man asr" for instructions on how to do that) to write the disk image you made in step 3 to the now clean drive.

This procedure will work on any PowerMac from "Sawtooth G4" onward, any iMac starting with the slot-loading G3s, any Powerbook G4 (or "Pismo" G3), and all firewire-equipped iBooks. If your clone-ees are any older you're stuck installing manually (for the most part).

--Peace

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Will report back on trying T instead of C

Hello:

I appreciate both ideas, and will try those later today.

Thank you.

David

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Nature of Project

Hello:

While removing the hard drives seems strange:

"I'm particularly confused as to why you would remove the hard drives from the systems and format them in a firewire enclosure if the end goal is to boot them from an OS CD and install them manually. Why not just format the hard disk as part of the installation procedure and dispense with the surgery?"

The drive removal and replacement seemed like the best option because the previos owner had set up various permissions, a startup script that disabled many features unless you knew the administrative password (I do not) and other protections to keep their students from doing too much to the operating system, etc. Those same precautions made it hard for me as the new owner to do much with the OS, etc, also!

I opted for the pull, format in an enclosure as a slve non-booting disc, then install os routine since I did not have a password or permission to do that while they were installed in the machines, well easily anyway, thanks to the previous owners'security efforts.

An unusual situation encouraging unusual [drastic]actions. Hence the surgeries.

I can appreciate the confusion/wonderment based on the information provided previously only, too. (:-)

David

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You weren't able to boot from

You weren't able to boot from the install CD on those machines without pulling the drives?

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Firmware password?

It sounds to me like the machines have been locked with a firmware password. There is no way to boot the machine with any device unless the password is disabled. Reformatting the drive won't help because the password is in firmware, not the drive. The password can be disabled by changing the amount of physical RAM (i.e) adding or removing a chip, then upon the next startup, flash the PRAM. Failure to flash the PRAM on the first startup will result in no removal of the password.

Rick Smile

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Possible Firmware Issue

I had no clue to even ask about the firmware possibly being the problem. But a firware password would be a reasonable expectation based on the background of the computers.

Thank you for the tip to at least try that, too.
It would not hurt to do that just to make sure ther is no firmware password set.

Hopefully Monday evening or Tuesday I will give it a go again.

David

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