How to format a hard drive
This article will show how to format a hard drive using Disk Utility, a helpful application that comes with every Mac.
By Roman Loyola | Network World US | Published: 10:10, 21 April 11
When you format a hard drive, you’re setting up the drive so it can read and write data on your computer. It’s not a task you’d do on a frequent basis. When you buy a new hard drive, it’s usually pre-formatted, so all you have to do is connect it to your Mac.
But there may come a time when you need to format a hard drive. For example, if you bought a hard drive that wasn’t specifically geared towards Macs, it’s probably formatted for Windows. Re-formatting the drive can help improve performance and is required if you want to use the drive with Time Machine. Another example: You bought a new Mac, and you’re giving your old Mac away. Formatting the hard drive erases the data.
This article will show how to format a hard drive using Disk Utility, a helpful application that comes with every Mac. It’s easy, and takes a few minutes. The steps here are using Mac OS X 10.6.7 and should be similar for older OS versions.
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Step 4: Erase
This next step will actually format your drive. Review your settings and make sure they are what you want. Click on the Erase button on the lower part of the Disk Utility interface. A confirmation dialog will appear. When youundefinedre sure you want to proceed, click on Erase. Then sit back and wait, or call Mom, or grab a refreshing beverage. You can see the progress of the format at the lower right
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