Posted: 5/23/2014 7:27:19 AM EDT
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How would you "clean" a MacBook before you sold it? Is there a factory reset procedure?
I'd like to remove any personalized settings and information. Thanks in advance. |
| Applications>utilities>disk utility there is an option to erase but read here first |
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I'm a believer in this ultra paranoid procedure. Quoted:
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Personally? I'd buy an inexpensive replacement hard drive and reinstall the OS on it. I don't trust wiping a drive. I'm a believer in this ultra paranoid procedure.  I actually have 3 dead computers waiting for a hard-drive-ectomy. Then I'm considering shooting them full of holes. Arfcom will love it, 2 of them are old Macs.
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I actually have 3 dead computers waiting for a hard-drive-ectomy.Quoted:
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Personally? I'd buy an inexpensive replacement hard drive and reinstall the OS on it. I don't trust wiping a drive. I'm a believer in this ultra paranoid procedure. I actually have 3 dead computers waiting for a hard-drive-ectomy.I'm a Mac girl and have several old G4s that also need a hard-drive-ectomy. Also have two old PCs that need a hard-drive-ectomy. 
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No, I'm not unfortunately. Quoted:
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Are you familiar with the secure delete options? No, I'm not unfortunately. First thing I'd do is take my User's folder, and dump the whole thing using Secure Delete. Dump your User's Folder in the Trash. Make sure that you're in Finder. Click on Finder at the top menu on the left. Go down, and choose Secure Empty Trash. That is a VERY good place to start. But everything you care about on the computer at that point will be gone forever, so don't do it until you've pulled out everything you want from it. The guys recommending changing the hard drive are not wrong though. |
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I've done this a few times, but you have to have the boot disc that came with it (or make a USB boot drive).
Boot from the external source (disc or USB) and run Disk Utility. There is an option for erase with a 7x overwrite. That is as secure as you need. Nobody's going to recover anything after that. Then, reload the fresh OS and shut it down when it gets to the welcome screen. It's a nice touch for a new owner and secure as balls. |
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Ok, thanks to everyone who replied.
I figured it out. You don't need a disk or even a USB boot. It downloads the new copy from the app store (or apple store - whatever) I should have mentioned that this wasn't my computer. You need the Apple ID and password associated with this computer to get it from the store. I found that out AFTER it was erased.
But, it's downloading now. This is the first Mac I've ever touched. It's pretty nice. I like it. This re-install feature is nice. Again, thanks to the hive... |