- Wipe Macbook Pro Hard Drive
- Macbook Pro Will Not Let Me Erase Hard Drive
- Erase Hard Drive On Macbook Pro
The Mac to erase mounts as a drive, and Disk Utility can be used with it. Install OSX on an external drive or borrow one with OS X installed. Booting off that drive will also allow erasing via Disk.
- To wipe your mechanical drive, open Disk Utility, which you'll find in Applications Utilities. Connect the drive you want to securely delete, then click it in the sidebar. Make sure you click the drive you want to securely delete: you do not want to erase some other hard drive by mistake! When you're ready, click the 'Erase' button.
- Open Disk Utility via your Applications Utilities folder. Select the hard drive you want to securely erase from the list of available drives in the left column. (Make sure you select the drive and not the partition.) Once selected, click the 'Erase' button.
- Because it doesn't require the full power of a graphics card, it's likely your MacBook Pro will mount, even though it can't fully boot. Then you can use Disk Utility to erase the drive.
- How do I erase the hard drive? First, the bad news. Apple had an extended-warranty program for many MacBook Pro models release in 2011 through 2013 to replace faulty graphics cards.
About this article
This article includes instructions and suggestions for storing, organizing, and backing up files on your MacBook hard drive. It is intended for any student or employee with a MacBook.
Where are your files?
You have full administrative rights to your laptop. That means you have the ability to save your files just about anywhere on your laptop's hard drive. You may have saved things, intentionally or unintentionally, to locations other than the ones we configured as described below. It's up to you to find and manage those folders and files. Every WSU MacBook hard drive is set up the same way:
- On a MacBook, all of the space on the single hard drive is assigned to one partition called MacBook Pro/Air # where the number represents the year it was distributed (e.g., MacBook Pro 13). Open your hard drive by double-clicking the MacBook Pro/Air # drive icon on your desktop (Figure 1).
- You will see several folders on what is called the root of the hard drive. Do not delete or rename any of these folders.
- Inside the Users folder, you will find your Home folder (Figure 2).
About the Home folder
Your Home folder is a special folder on your hard drive set up just for you. This is where you should save any personal or school-related files on your laptop. To help you keep your files organized, WSU created some sub-folders in your Home folder (e.g., Documents, Music, Pictures). You can use these folders if you wish or you can create your own. You can also create sub-folders within these folders (e.g., a Courses folder inside your Documents folder). Build a folder structure that works for you.
What's a default save location?
Wipe Macbook Pro Hard Drive
Some applications have default save locations for files you create using that application. For example, Microsoft Word opens a specific folder in your Home directory the first time you Save a document and every time you select Save As. WSU has already set the default save location of many of the applications that came installed on your MacBook. For example, the default save location for Word is your Documents folder in your Home directory. When you install applications, a default save location is selected automatically or you are asked to select one during the installation process. You want the default save location to be a folder in your Home directory. For example, when you install Apple iTunes, it will use your Music folder in your Home directory. Sometimes, an application will pick a very strange and out of the way default save location. Keep your eyes on this as you install applications and change the default save location if needed. Also, be careful about deleting or renaming existing folders in your Home directory if they are default save locations for an application.
How do I access the Home folder?
From the hard drive icon
- Double-click the MacBook Pro/Air # drive icon on your desktop
- Open the Users folder
- Open the Home folder. It's the one with the icon that looks like a house and that is named with your username (Figure 2).
From the Go menu
- Select the Go menu
- Select Home. This opens up the home folder and displays its contents.
About the sub-folders in your Home folder
Documents, Music, Pictures, and Movies
These are folders that we created for you thinking that this might be a nice way for you to organize your files. If this works for you, great. If you want to create new folders with new names, that's fine too. However, keep in mind that these folders are default save locations for various applications. Even if you don't want to use them, please don't delete them for awhile until you are sure you have your own folder structure and default save locations worked out.
Applications
You may or may not have such a folder depending on what applications are installed on you MacBook. Don't confuse this Applications folder in your Home directory with the one that contains all of your installed applications. They are two different folders. This one simply stores personal data and files associated with certain applications. For example, the default storage location for the screen shots you capture using TechSmith SnagIt, a screen capture program, is a sub-folder in your Applications folder in your Home directory. The actual SnagIt application itself is stored in another location. For most applications, you can change their default save locations if you wish, but always check this Applications folder to see if there is anything in there you want to back up and retain.
Desktop
The Desktop folder in your Home directory contains all the folders, files, and shortcuts found out on your desktop. Some people like to store things, lots of things, right on their desktop. They save files, folders, and shortcuts to applications right out on the desktop. If this method works for you and you want to replicate it on another MacBook, you will need to back up the Desktop folder and then copy and paste it to your Home directory on the other machine. Note that your shortcuts will not work on the new laptop if the applications they link to are not it the same place. The fastest way to restore them is to delete them and recreate them on the new laptop.
Downloads
This folder contains any application update, printer driver, or other software or hardware-related file you ever downloaded from the web. The vast majority of these files do not need to be retained because you will probably never use them again. However, this folder may also contain manuals, journal articles, image files, and other useful, downloaded documents or media that you do want to retain. Take a look through your Downloads folder regularly. Delete anything you don't need and move anything important to another folder to better organize it. Ideally, your Downloads folder should be empty.
Public
Because Mac OS X is a multi-user operating system, the Public folder is there to allow you to store files that would be accessible to other people who log on to your MacBook. Because no one but you typically logs on to your laptop, this folder isn't very useful. Don't delete it just in case you might need it someday. Music keyboard software, free download.
Backing up your files
There are several ways that you can back up the files in your Home direcory:
- Drag-and-drop or copy-paste your entire Home folder to network, cloud, or external storage
- Pick and choose individual folders and files within your Home directory to drag-and-drop or Copy-Paste to network, cloud, or external storage
Restoring your files
To restore your files to a new MacBook, reverse the process you used to back them up:
- Drag-and-drop or copy-paste your entire Home folder from network, cloud, or external storage to the same locations on your new MacBook
- Drag-and-drop or copy-paste individual folders and files from network, cloud, or external storage to the same locations on your new MacBook
Related articles
In this digital age, we all are pretty much acquainted with the storage media forms. From online/cloud storage to portable devices, we depend on all. However there are many reasons why you would want to erase the hard disk drive on MacBook Pro. If you don't properly delete the data, that data can be stolen. Application apple store. Once the data gets stolen you will regret it. The stolen data can be your personal pictures, videos, bank details etc. Sensitive data can be used for personal benefits. You would not even dare to imagine these things happening to you, so it's better not to take risk like this. Regardless of your reasons, make sure that you backup the data before wiping the drive clean.
Here are some of the ways to erase everything on MacBook pro hard drive.
Method 1: Format Your Hard Drive on MacBook Pro
Let's say you wish to erase only a particular partition volume instead of the entire hard disk. This is the simplest way to erase the hard disk on your MacBook Pro. Recording mixing software. Here is how you can do that.
1) Access Finder menu by clicking on the Dock icon. You can also access it through Spotlight.
2) On the left click Applications, scroll down a bit to the Utilities. You will need to double click on it.
3) Once the folder opens you will the Disk Utility application. Again, you will need to double click it to launch it.
4) Choose the hard disk drive you wish to erase. The drive names will appear in the left sidebar.
5) Click the Erase tab as shown in the image above.
6) In the erase tab you will see the Format section. Next to this option is the dropdown from where you can choose how you wish to format the drive. For instance, if you wish to use the drive only for one of the Mac OS versions, select Mac OS Extended. If you wish to install the Windows OS on the hard drive, then choose MS-DOS (FAT).
7) You can also give the name to the partition in the Name text box (under Format option).
8) Once you have chosen the Format type and given the name to the partition, click on 'Erase..' button.
NOTE: Remember that this method can only be used to erase the hard disk drive which does not have the Mac OS installed on it. This method uses the utilities which can be run only on the Mac OS. If you need to remove the hard drive with OS files, you can use Method 2.
Macbook Pro Will Not Let Me Erase Hard Drive
Method 2: Erase Everything on MacBook Pro with Data Wiper (Recommend)
The problem with the Method 1 we discussed above is that once the data has been erased it can still be recovered. The next owner can use some free or professional data recovery software to retrieve your already deleted or formatted data that may still be on your hard drive somewhere. We need to protect our data and personal information. Especially if you are giving the MacBook Pro to someone else, you will need to make sure that your information remains safe.
This is where Safewiepr Eraser for Mac comes into picture. This application not only erases the hard drive but also makes sure that it becomes unrecoverable.
Erase Hard Drive On Macbook Pro
Safewiper Data Wiper for Mac
- The program includes powerful as well as fast wiping algorithms that can permanently erase everything from hard drive . Completely destroy and erase all existing data, deleted/lost data and traces on MacBook Pro
- Wipe your MacBook hard drive and files/folder data with advanced algorithm which overwrites data with 7 times.
- Wipe exactly what you need - hard disks, separate partitions or free space
- Compatible with macOS Sierra and OS X 10.11 El Capitan, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 10.6
First of all, you need to download and install the program on your MacBook Pro, then launch the program. The while installation process is very easy.
Step 2 Select the File Type You Need to WipeIn the last update, you may have noticed that the program provides three wiping options, 'Erase File/Fodlers' and ' Wipe Drive' and 'Wipe Unused Space' . Here, to completely destroying your all data on MacBook hard drive, just select the second wiping option.and click on 'Next' option.
Before starting to wipe your MacBook pro, a window pops up asking you to choose a 'wiping method', it offers 4 wiping algorithm. 7 wipe and 35 wipe will take much time to erase your MacBook Pro. So, we recommend you select 3 wipe.
Step 3 Start to Wipe Your MacBook Pro Hard Drive DataUpon confirming your Wiping Mode, click the Start wiping button to being wiping your MacBook Pro. After the wiping process is complete, an intimating message will be displayed.
If you need to erase everything on MacBook Pro, only formatting the hard drives separately is not a good choice. It is best to use the Data Wiper to wipe clean everything. This way the data will be rendered unrecoverable and your personal information will remain safe. You can reinstall the OS afterwards.
After wiping your MacBook Pro hard drive, you will get a totally new MacBook without any personal information in it. The software will destroy, shred your data and overwrite the disk space of the data for many times. After the process finished, the data in your hard drive will be lost permanently without recovery, you will get a totally new MacBook without any personal information in it.