Selling Macbook, looking for help

[dotherocawear]

Hi, I tried searching these forums with a few different search terms but nothing came up for what i was looking for. I'm trying to find out the best way to clean up a macbook for resale to my cousin.

Ideally, I would like to put everything on my external and wipe the macbook clean so when she boots it up the first time it will be like a "new computer" experience.

[sml238]

back up your files. erase and re install osx. you can find out how to erase and install on the apple site under support

[ptsube]

I would recommend using the the "7 pass" erase feature in the disc utility while reinstalling OS X. And after you have backed up all your data.

[andalusia]

I would recommend using the the "7 pass" erase feature in the disc utility while reinstalling OS X. And after you have backed up all your data.

Just bear/bare (I should really know which of those to use) in mind that 7 pass erase will take seven times longer than the standard erase feature.

[stridemat]

Just bear/bare (I should really know which of those to use) in mind that 7 pass erase will take seven times longer than the standard erase feature.

...and is total overkill. Government agencies do not even recommend 7 passes. Unless you have serious security worries I would not worry with that many.

Edit* See article here (http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Secure-deletion-a-single-overwrite-will-do-it-739699.html)

[silverblack]

If you are selling it to your cousin, don't bother with any secure erase. Just format and reinstall is sufficient.

[andalusia]

Edit* See article here (http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Secure-deletion-a-single-overwrite-will-do-it-739699.html)

Damnit, I was hoping the article would explain to me which version of bear/bare to use :p

Yeah I agree though. Don't bother with 7-pass or 35-pass, OP.

[aquadjcity]

Ideally, I would like to put everything on my external and wipe the macbook clean so when she boots it up the first time it will be like a "new computer" experience.

Follow these simple instructions. Before turning the old machine over to the new owner, I would reinstall Leopard or Snow Leopard (whichever your machine came with) using the erase and install method (erasing as thoroughly as you deem necessary). Then, I would quit the installation at the point you enter Setup Assistant At this point, don't enter any information. Instead, quit setup assistant using command+q and shut down the computer. By quitting, the new owner will get the machine exactly as it would have come from the factory.

Quoted from http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10632030&#10632030

I would use the simplest erase if I were selling it to my cousin.

[stridemat]

Damnit, I was hoping the article would explain to me which version of bear/bare to use :p

Yeah I agree though. Don't bother with 7-pass or 35-pass, OP.

link (http://www.trackerpress.com/reference/bear-or-bare.php) just so confusion is avoided in the future.