You could create a Mac OS 9.x bootable utilities disk, from the OS installation on the hard drive - if you know what you're doing. You'd need a third-party software like 'Toast' to recognize the third-party CD-R/RW burner and write the bootable disk. You'd need to determine which assortment of System Folder files were necessary to copy, to create the abbreviated System Folder on the bootable CD. You can burn data CDs with USB 1.1, but you'll be limited to 4x burn speed - which is slow, but not intolerable. If you can borrow or buy an older USB CD-R/RW drive that's backward-compatible with your iMac's USB 1.1 bus speed, you could accomplish this. The alternative is to check eBay for Norton SystemWorks 1.0 for Macs, which shouldn't be expensive. The disk is bootable and would enable you to run DiskDoctor, and then Optimize the disk. This consolidates/moves all data on the drive and arranges it by file type, and then leaves contiguous free space at the end. You can select to wipe the free space with a security wipe, to remove all traces of your personal data. The average user won't be able to recover it. Otherwise, you could check eBay for a Mac OS (retail) universal installer disk for OS 8.1, 8.5, or 9.x and just reload the software to a newly-reformatted hard drive. If you want to sell it, you may have to spend a little $$ to do so. Considering the negligible value of a working 233 MHz iMac now, you'll likely not make a profit. I suppose that's why so many just remove the hard drive and e-Cycle old computers.
Burn Cycle Mac Os X
Apple Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger Developer Pre-Release (Build 8A162) Apple Mac OS X Jaguar 10.2.6 Internal Edition. Apple Mac Technical Reference and Repair Manuals. It is built into every Mac and it is easy as can be. Here is how to burn a DVD or CD on your Mac without any third party software.
Mac Os Versions
Burn Cycle Mac Os 11
Apr 19, 2012 9:24 AM