Erasing hard drive on iMac 5,2

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Erasing hard drive on iMac 5,2

I have an old iMac 5,2 (circa 2006) that I am trying to erase the hard drive on so I can recycle it. I tried using Disk Utility without any luck, so I tried to reinstall the old OSX using the discs that came with the computer. When I insert Mac OS X Install Disc 2, Installer gets about halfway through the process, stops, and gives me the message "There were errors installing the software: Please try installing again." I have tried several different startup key combinations to get back into Disk Utility (or anything else for that matter), but it keeps coming back up to Installer and asking me to insert Disc 2 to continue to process. Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to get Installer to close and/or how to get back to Disk Utility mode or any sort of regular startup to see if I can try another way to erase the hard drive? Thanks!

Posted on Sep 4, 2020 10:59 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

den.thed

Level 10

82,444 points

Sep 4, 2020 11:20 AM in response to streetprofits13

Disc 1 has Utilities and OS X Installer.

1. Boot up from Disc 1 holding the Option or C key and open Disk Utility.

2. Highlight the first Drive in the Disk Utility sidebar list and select the Erase tab.

3. Click the Erase button and wait for it finish, then back out of Utilities and reinstall or recycle.

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Answer 2

Old Toad

Level 10

210,585 points

Sep 4, 2020 11:07 AM in response to streetprofits13

When I insert Mac OS X Install Disc 2, Installer gets about halfway through the process, stops,

Don't try to install the system. When you boot into the installer discs that came with the iMac you should be able to run Disk Utility from there and erase the drive. Leave it blank.

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Answer 3

Sep 4, 2020 11:32 AM in response to den.thed

I booted up from Disc 1 holding C key and was given an option to stop installation. At the point where it asks "Are you sure you want to quit the Installer?" I can either select Restart or Startup Disk--which of these should I choose to access Disk Utility to continue the process?

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Answer 4

den.thed

Level 10

82,444 points

Sep 4, 2020 11:59 AM in response to streetprofits13

At some point there is a Utilities Icon on the Menu Bar. Click on it and select Disk Utility.

Sorry if I'm not completely accurate on the gearing. I haven't been on that track in a long time and my memory could be slipping like a worn out clutch.

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Answer 5

Sep 4, 2020 12:48 PM in response to den.thed

Thanks for the help! I selected Disk Startup first, and that just took me back to the Installer asking to put in Disc 2 again. I tried booting up from Disc 1 again and was able to get to the Utilities icon right from there. I'm in Disk Utility now doing a Secure Erase with about 12 hours to go on it--fingers crossed that this does the trick!

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Answer 6

den.thed

Level 10

82,444 points

Sep 4, 2020 1:52 PM in response to streetprofits13

You're welcome. Secure Erase was probable over kill, but that'll do it.

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Erasing hard drive on iMac 5,2

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