# Help: accidentally deleted my mac osx boot volume



## HC Maude (Mar 25, 2010)

I have a 15" macbook pro. I got it from my college. They gave me a bunch of cds to install stuff, including windows vista, so I tried to install vista and it was giving me problems. Since I have never installed an OS before, I reformatted everything to be NTFS, stupid me, I know.
So now I have a mac with only vista on it.
I realized what I did after I tried to use bootcamp and it said could not locate mac os x boot volume. I have all cds and since I just got this mac, I dont have much saved on here so if I have to delete everything to be able to have OS X and Vista both on here, then so be it.
Also I have 2 other computers, both are strictly windows computers if I have to go on a different computer to download something.
I am very new to Mac (only have had this for 3 weeks) so I would need to know how to get into any configuration I would need. I know I could call apple support, but I would rather get information over the internet than over the phone.
Thanks for any help anyone can give me.


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## simbalala (Mar 25, 2010)

You need the OS X install DVD.

I'd just reinstall OS X and start over. You should be able to get the DVD from the college if you don't already have it or you can go and buy one if you don't want to ask.

Or... if you know someone else who also received a machine you could clone their drive to yours using SuperDuper or a similar app.

The college must have a systems administrator who can help you, this is important if the machine came loaded with pricey software.


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## HC Maude (Mar 25, 2010)

I have tried to re-install twice. I have the cd's. I emailed my school support and they told me to call apple support. I dont know anyone else with a Mac. My school is in Florida and Im from MD, so I cant go to the school to try to get them to help me.


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## BreatheCarolina (Mar 25, 2010)

To be able to reinstall the hard drive has to be formatted for Mac not Windows. In order to do that you have to boot to the OS X install cd and you can use Disk Utility from there to erase and reformat the hard drive for a fresh install of OS X.


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## earthsaver (Mar 25, 2010)

When you erase the disk, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).


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## HC Maude (Mar 25, 2010)

BreatheCarolina said:


> To be able to reinstall the hard drive has to be formatted for Mac not Windows. In order to do that you have to boot to the OS X install cd and you can use Disk Utility from there to erase and reformat the hard drive for a fresh install of OS X.





earthsaver said:


> When you erase the disk, choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled).



Im not sure how to do either suggestions


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## earthsaver (Mar 25, 2010)

You need to start up from your Mac OS X Install DVD by inserting it, holding C, and powering on your Mac. Hold C until the gray apple appears. Once you're started, choose your preferred language and then choose Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. Choose your hard disk on the sidebar and the Erase tab. Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the Format popup menu and give your volume a name.


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## djackmac (Mar 25, 2010)

You have to boot to the installer DVD and first choose a language. After you choose a language there will be a menu bar that appears at the top of the screen. On the menu bar choose utilities/disk utility. In disk utility click and highlight your drive. Then go to the partition tab. There will be a drop down box that says "current" meaning the current partition scheme. Click the drop down box and select "1 partition". In the box to the right of that make sure "*Mac OS extended (journaled)*" is the the format setting and give your drive a name in the box that says "untitled". Then most importantly, down near the bottom there is an options button. Click on the options button and click the button for "*GUID*" partition scheme. Hit apply and when its finished you should have no problem installing OSX. 

If you really needed to keep the Vista image of whats on your drive now you could use a free downloadable utility called winclone to make an image of the vista partition and restore it back to your Mac after you install OSX and run the bootcamp setup assistant. But the way you have things now on only one Vista partition, you would at least need another Mac with alot of free HD space or an external drive to work with to go that route.


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## HC Maude (Mar 25, 2010)

Thank you everyone. Im on my laptop waiting for my mac to do what is has to do. Its working, says it will take 30 minutes. Thank you again


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## Doctor X (Mar 26, 2010)

HC Maude said:


> So now I have a mac with only vista on it.



Reads like a nightmare.  

After doing what you are doing, goeth thou to the section on "Bootcamp" and the like which handles running M$ on a Mac.  I would then recommend the Pogue books--"Missing Manual" series--for learning about your Mac.  There is one for every OS.  The one for "switchers"--people use to PCs now switching to Macs has been highly recommended.  A big help.

Get yourself an External HD to back up your laptop daily.  Trust me.  Some day something "bad" will happen--see my most recent thread 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





--and you will be happy you have everything backed up.

Rotate your tires. . . .

--J.D.


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