It's been a while, but I believe the Apple Disk Utility has a zero disk option... Might take a day or so to finish up, but the disk would be wiped (not the NSA 5 times random writer type of wipe but still...). The disk utility would either be on the hard drive, or would be with the original system disks (disk utility diskette). If they intend on restoring the OS after the wipe, I assume they must have the original system disks available.
Derek On Nov 11, 2011, at 8:41 AM, Jim Kerwin wrote: > I'm not a Mac user, but I have some friends who are shutting down their > business, and one of items they want me to security-wipe before sale or > auction is their old Centris 610. Normally, for the Windows or Linux > environments, I'd just throw a Darik's Boot 'n' Nuke CD into the CD drive and > nuke the hard drive. But I'm completely unfamiliar with Mac hardware and > software, old or new, and this 610 doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. > > As a background, the system is completely functional, along with its two > Apple printers. They intend to restore the operating system after the wipe. > > I guess the questions would be: > > 1) Is there a way to create a hard-drive-wiping floppy from the system's > software? Or, > 2) Is there software I can download from somewhere to accomplish the same > thing? And, assuming this is the necessary option, then... > 3) How can I copy said software program on to a Mac-compatible floppy disk? > (The machine isn't hooked up to the Internet, has no USB ports, etc. A lot > changes in two decades, doesn't it?!) I have no other Mac machines, old or > new, from which to create such a floppy, though I might be able to resurrect > an old Windows machine or hook up a USB floppy drive to a Linux machine. > > I suppose the whole disk doesn't need wiping, as long as there's some utility > that can wipe the data area from within the Centris 610 itself. > > Thanks in advance for your help! -- ----- You received this message because you are a member of the Vintage Macs group. The list FAQ is at http://lowendmac.com/lists/vintagemacs.shtml and our netiquette guide is at http://www.lowendmac.com/lists/netiquette.shtml To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To leave this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/vintage-macs Support for older Macs: http://lowendmac.com/services/
