How do I convert format my entire hard drive to fat32 or an OS x format?

[ady199]

I have a Samsung Slate with Windows 8.1 currently installed on it - the hard drive is formatted to NTFS - I now want to remove Windows off it and install OS X Yosemite beta on it. 

 

I've been told that the hard disk needs to be formatted to Fat32 or an OSX format

 

Can someone please let me know the easiest way I can do this?

 

Thanks in adavnce

[Nick H. Supervisor]

I assume that you have another computer to use? Which OS is it running, OS X or Windows?

Both come with formatting ultities built in, but depending on which OS you're using will depend on the steps to follow.

EDIT: Of course, the easiest answer would probably be "use Gparted." But that would be a third option and is pretty unnecessary.

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

obligatory statement that installing any Mac OS on a non-Apple device is against their terms of service and is therefore a copyright issue.

[+BudMan MVC]

Here is the thing why do these questions come up at all? How do you expect to get the OS on the drive is my question to you.. I would assume you would be booting it from the usb right.. Well every single freaking OS on the planet has the ability to format and partition the disk its going to install too.

So why are even having this discussion? You would use the OS your installing to partition and format the drive with a filesystem it understands is your answer!!

[(Account no longer active)]

Yosemite will only run on the following MACS:
- iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
- MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
- MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch or 17-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later)
- MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
- Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
- Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
- Xserve (Early 2009)

The Mac also requires:
- OS X Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, or Snow Leopard v10.6.8 already installed
- 2 GB or more of memory
- 8 GB or more of available space
 

In short, it won't be possible to install/run Mac OS X on a Samsung Slate without some (complex, low-level) hacking. Try a flavor of Linux instead if you want to try an alternate to Windows. I presume Ubuntu would be best in regards to touch support.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Here is the thing why do these questions come up at all? How do you expect to get the OS on the drive is my question to you.. I would assume you would be booting it from the usb right.. Well every single freaking OS on the planet has the ability to format and partition the disk its going to install too.

So why are even having this discussion? You would use the OS your installing to partition and format the drive with a filesystem it understands is your answer!!

While I agree that for you or me this is a relatively simple task that we've performed time and time again, if I were to ask my sister to format a HDD to a particular filesystem she wouldn't have the first clue as to what to do. Perhaps that is why the question is being asked?

Since Ady199 hasn't answered the question about which system they currently have to do the format, here are two generic links from Google:

Formatting a HDD with Windows 7.

Format a HDD with Mac OS X.

[+BudMan MVC]

"if I were to ask my sister to format a HDD to a particular filesystem she wouldn't have the first clue as to what to do"

Why would you be asking your sister this question - do you not know how to format a HDD? What if I asked my wife how to change the oil in the car, or perform open heart surgery?? Don't understand the point of this comment.

Would my wife be asking me these questions is the better analogy I think, because why would she be wanting to change the oil - she would have me do it, or takes it to the shop. And for heart surgery -- pretty sure going to get someone with experience in that field to perform any that might be required.

If I told her step by step with pictures how to change the oil.. What do you think the outcome would be?? My guess is a mess!! So should I even attempt to tell her how to change the oil??

So this person has never installed an OS before? Does not understand the basic principles behind how an OS is installed and partitioning and formatting is done - but they want to install a unsupported OS on a device it was not designed for? So my wife doesn't want to know how to change the oil, she wants to know how to exchange the engine with a different one out of a boat to use in the car ;)

But lets start with first step - how do I open the hood ;)

To be honest I would love nothing more to discuss how partitioning and formatting of different file systems are put onto a disk - and if the question was worded as a curiosity sort of question I would spend all day going over any question the OP could have. But worded in such a way - I just have to ask why?? Clearly the outcome no matter the level of detail given is not going to be good..