Hi there i heard that using a write all zero's format is absolutely NOT the way to go for an ssd.

What is the best way to be able to install my system completely fresh on mac?

any help? anyone familiar.. searches not bringing up any helpful info...

thanks!!

Just format it, it will use one write cycle for every cell that has something in it...

so just a mac disk utility and hit erase and format with the name i want, and that's it?

the data on it now will not really be deleted though right?

I believe 10.6.8 stealthily introduced trim for the FACTORY ssd, and i did order it from factory indeed.

but will this "data" that I *erase*, since it will still be on the ssd till it is time i need to use those blocks again, I mean it puts it right at the very end of the ssd from what i understand, so it only uses it when totally out of room.. well CAN this data interfere with my new install? By "lingering around" as it were??

Thanks so much for your reply

The system won't see it any more than it would on a formatted hard disk, AFAIK.

this was an interesting read

http://systemsboy.com/2012/03/securely-erasing-a-mac-ssd.htm l

thank you.

in your Disk Utility menu, under Erase Tab, hit the lower button that says "security options" and you can choose for it to not erase data, zero out, 7-pass erase, or 35-pass erase. make sure you choose the mac os journaled option. partition map should be GUID partition table if u want to install the OS.

you can install by putting your mac OSX install dvd in ur drive OR clone a pre existing OS onto the SSD using a macosx app called Carbon Copy Cloner.