Xserve: How to Remotely Erase (Reformat) a Hard Disk
This document describes how to remotely reformat Xserve's hard disk.
Products Affected
Xserve
Follow the steps outlined below if you wish to reformat Xserve's hard disk, and you do not have physical access to the server.
Important: You must have the server's IP address and Admin (or root) password before performing this procedure. Xserve's default password is the first 8 characters of its serial number.
Follow these steps:
Warning: Reformatting or reinitializing the hard disk erases all information stored on it. Make sure you have a backup of all files you may have created and any preinstalled software that came with Xserve.
Important: You must have the server's IP address and Admin (or root) password before performing this procedure. Xserve's default password is the first 8 characters of its serial number.
Follow these steps:
- 1. Log in to Xserve.
2. Type: mount
3. Press Return. A list of volumes that are available to the file system appears. Look for the volume that is at the root level "/". This is the server's startup volume.
For example: "/dev/rdisk0s10".
Note: You cannot reformat the startup volume.
4. Type: umount <insert volume name>
For example: umount Scratch
5. Press Return. This makes the volume unavailable to the file system, or "unmounts" it, which is required prior to reformatting it.
6. Type: newfs_hfs -v <insert volume name> <insert BSD device name>
For example: newfs_hfs -v Scratch /dev/disk0s11
7. Press Return. The disk is reformatted.
8. Type: shutdown -r now
9. Press Return. Xserver restarts.
Warning: Reformatting or reinitializing the hard disk erases all information stored on it. Make sure you have a backup of all files you may have created and any preinstalled software that came with Xserve.