How to force format drive in 2010 mini?

jrebman · « **on:** 8 Nov 2011, 03:04 pm »

I recently bought a used mini and went to install snow leopard on it last night -- wanted to start from scratch. The computer would not allow me to run disc utility without the password for the existing user that the system was already setup for so I couldn't wipe the drive. When the install was complete, as I suspected, I just got a new install over the existing one, meaning the same account was still defined and I was not given the opportunity to re-initialize the computer with my username, etc.

Is there a way I can just brute force format the drive so I can then go back and do a fresh install from the CD?

I've written to the person who sold me the computer to see if he has the password, but if he doesn't, I'll still need to figure out how to do this anyway.

Thanks,

Jim

avta · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 03:35 pm »

Not certain if this is of any help but here it is. http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/171028/installing_snow_leopard_what_you_need_to_know.html

jrebman · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 04:19 pm »

Thanks for the article, but as I found out, you still need to enter a admin level username and password to continue wit erasing or formatting -- and as I just tried, even if trying to run directly from disc utility on a freshly booted machine.

Does look like I need that password regardless.

-- Jim

nathanm · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 04:42 pm »

Are you booting the machine from a CD or an external firewire drive? Otherwise you obviously can't erase the drive you're booted on. Unless something has changed I'm not aware of, you should be able to erase the drive that way.

jrebman · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 04:55 pm »

I tried it both from the CD and the native HD, but not a firewire drive, but if worse comes to worse, I could install on a FW drive and then try. I'm not sure why it doesn't work from the CD, but maybe something went wrong so I'll try that again.

-- Jim

avta · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 05:29 pm »

I know this is frustrating but here is another link you might find of help:

http://macosx.com/forums/howto-faqs/300019-howto-reset-user-password-via-single-user-mode.html

jrebman · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 05:39 pm »

Ah, thanks very much -- that should do it! I'll give it a try later today or this evening. Right now the computers are all spread out all over the house and the one I need to work on is in my bedroom, not my office where I need it to be for this

.

-- Jim

jrebman · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Nov 2011, 11:21 pm »

Update:

Well, it all turned out to be much simpler than I was making it out to be... I just had to figure out that the installer had it's own menu (not typical on Windows) and then had to figure out a couple of VoiceOver commands to get to the menu and to close windows, and all went very smoothly.

Just one of the hurdles in trying to learn a new OS and a new screen reader simultaneously.

The bright side is that with a few more very useful VO commands under my belt, the computing experience should be a lot better from here on out, so off to configure the new airport extreme...

Thanks all for your hlp and suggestions,

Jim