Buying sellers iMac.. how do I refurbish it?

[Aven SkyGazer]

Hello! I need some expert expertise :D I don't usually use the forums, so please bare :confused: ;) Thank you!!

Well I'm buying an iMac from a member in my community. I want to make it like new.

I plan to migrate EVERYTHING from my macbook to the iMac, and I was wondering if Migration will work on a brand new hard drive (not sure how it works!).

My question is, if I buy a brand new hard drive for the iMac, will I have to purchase the OS X software as well to bring the new hard drive up to par? Or may I just pop the new HD, start migration on my macbooks side, and sit back?

How do I go about this X)

[old-wiz]

If you buy an iMac you should get the operating system disks (2 disks).

When you put in the new HD, you will have to first install the OS and iLife before you can migrate your stuff from your older machine. New HDs have no OS on them and may need to be formatted as well. Also putting a new HD in an iMac is not a simple pop open the cabinet and stick in a new HD; it's a bit more complex.

[Aven SkyGazer]

If you buy an iMac you should get the operating system disks (2 disks).

When you put in the new HD, you will have to first install the OS and iLife before you can migrate your stuff from your older machine. New HDs have no OS on them and may need to be formatted as well. Also putting a new HD in an iMac is not a simple pop open the cabinet and stick in a new HD; it's a bit more complex.

thanks for the swift reply. So, if the owner doesn't have the Operating System Discs... what to do then if I replace the HD?

Also, may you please analyze the specs the seller provided me and tell me how old the iMac is? I wonder this because the 20'' iMac on the apple website has different specs than the 20'' the seller is providing. I am under the impression that they were manufactered on different years.

They read as followed:
20''inch widescreen active matrix LCD display
2.4 GHz Intel Core Duo Processor
6MB shared L2 cache
1GB of 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAM supports up to 4 GB
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot loading Super Drive
ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT graphics processor with 128MB of GDDR3 memory
Built in iSight video camera
Built in 10/100/1000 BASE T ethernet(external DSL and cable modem ready)
One fire Wire 800 port one FireWire 400 port 3 high speed USB 2.09 port 2 high speed USP 2.0 ports on keyboard
Built in AirPort Extreme wireless networking (802.11n) and bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Thanks a bunch!

[ADent]

Look at everymac for a listing of iMacs - http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/index-imac.html . I see 6 different alumimum 20" iMacs.

You can buy a copy of Snow Leopard for $29 - but it does not come with iLife. For that you need the boxed set which is over $100. So make sure you get the disks that came with the machine.

[IgnatiusTheKing]

If the seller doesn't have the OS install discs, you should probably ask him/her to cover the cost of buying them new.

[Aven SkyGazer]

thanks for the info..

the seller is asking for $925 for this used model of iMac:
Apple iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 20-Inch (Early 2008) Specs (MB323LL/A)
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/stats/imac-core-2-duo-2.4-20-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html

is this a bit much for the used 2008 model?

[Bryan Bowler]

thanks for the info..

the seller is asking for $925 for this used model of iMac:
Apple iMac "Core 2 Duo" 2.4 20-Inch (Early 2008) Specs (MB323LL/A)
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/stats/imac-core-2-duo-2.4-20-inch-aluminum-early-2008-penryn-specs.html

is this a bit much for the used 2008 model?

Considering that you can buy the brand new 21.5" iMac for $1,199, there's no way I would pay $925 for that iMac. Take a look at the specs...the new one blows it out of the water.

Bryan

[NeverhadaPC]

Considering that you can buy the brand new 21.5" iMac for $1,199, there's no way I would pay $925 for that iMac. Take a look at the specs...the new one blows it out of the water.

Bryan

EXACTLY what he said. That is why iMac make for poor re-sellers. They are just so cheap to start out with that reselling you take a HUGE hit.

Pay NO more than 500 for this machine or you might as well go with a new iMac (plus you get new mouse+keyboard!)

[IgnatiusTheKing]

This guy is trying to pull one over one you. He wants to sell you an old machine without the install discs for ~$200 less than a brand new one with a better, larger display and better specs across the board.

Dump this idea and go buy a new iMac.

[Aven SkyGazer]

This guy is trying to pull one over one you. He wants to sell you an old machine without the install discs for ~$200 less than a brand new one with a better, larger display and better specs across the board.

Dump this idea and go buy a new iMac.

The seller has recovered the original discs, as well as the box it came with. She is also going to sell it with the mighty mouse and alum keyboard.

If I mention to her that Apple has just put out a new iMac a few days ago, what would a new, reasonable price be? I'm thinking $525..?

And just as a sub question, may I connect my alum MB up to the iMac and use it successfully as a display? If so, may anyone link the cable I need?

Thanks again for the feedback

[american me]

And just as a sub question, may I connect my alum MB up to the iMac and use it successfully as a display? If so, may anyone link the cable I need?

Thanks again for the feedback

You can only do this on the newest 27" iMac that was just released. No other iMac has this ability.

Also echoing the other sentiments, do not pay any more than the 500-600 dollar range.

[Aven SkyGazer]

You can only do this on the newest 27" iMac that was just released. No other iMac has this ability.

Also echoing the other sentiments, do not pay any more than the 500-600 dollar range.

Ah. So, no other iMac can double as an ACD with the exception of the newly released 27''?

That sorta turns me off haha

[american me]

Ah. So, no other iMac can double as an ACD with the exception of the newly released 27''?

That sorta turns me off haha

Correct. This is another major reason as to why you shouldn't pay so much for what you are looking to buy.

[Techhie]

Correct. This is another major reason as to why you shouldn't pay so much for what you are looking to buy.

Is it just me, or is it a real shame that Apple doesn't have a 27" ACD? Not only will any dual-monitor iMac setup look lopsided, but I would gladly buy that display to replace my 24"s, that resolution is a godsend.

[american me]

Is it just me, or is it a real shame that Apple doesn't have a 27" ACD? Not only will any dual-monitor iMac setup look lopsided, but I would gladly buy that display to replace my 24"s, that resolution is a godsend.

Give them some time, they just overhauled their desktop lineup almost completely.. They are still producing the older style 30" Cinema Display so who knows what they'll release to replace that.

[Techhie]

Give them some time, they just overhauled their desktop lineup almost completely.. They are still producing the older style 30" Cinema Display so who knows what they'll release to replace that.

Hopefully they won't charge a pointless extra $500 for an LCD panel like with the 24", (currently the reason I'm not sitting in front of one)