Apple LC 580 manual Initializing a hard disk, When do you need to initialize a hard disk?

Initializing a hard disk

Before you can use a new disk, the disk must be prepared so that the computer knows where to store information on the disk. This preparation is called initializing (or formatting) the disk.

When do you need to initialize a hard disk?

The hard disk inside your computer was initialized at the factory, so you shouldn’t need to initialize it. You need to initialize a hard disk only if

myou purchase a hard disk that has not been initialized at the factory

myour hard disk is damaged

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If a hard disk needs to be initialized, the disk’s icon does not appear on the desktop when you start up the computer using another disk.

WARNING Initializing a disk erases any information that may be on it. Before you initialize a damaged disk, try to repair it as described in “Repairing a Damaged Disk” later in this chapter.

Starting up from a CD-ROM disc

To initialize, test, or repair a hard disk, or to install system software on a hard disk, you need to start up your computer from another disk. If your computer has a CD-ROM drive, you can start up your computer using the CD-ROM disc containing system software that came with the computer.

To start up the computer using the CD-ROM disc, follow these steps:

Turn your computer on.

Press the Open/Close button on your CD-ROM drive, and quickly insert the CD-ROM disc containing system software into the drive.

Immediately press the C key on your keyboard.

Continue to hold down the key until you see the “Welcome to Macintosh” message.

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