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Advice needed re: Selling a MBP & restoring HD etc

R

Robgers Habit

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 21, 2013
2
0
Hello all. I am in the process of wanting to sell my mid 2009 MBP but I need some help/advice on restoring the HD so it's all wiped & ready for the next user etc.
The problem I have, which I've just begun to realise when wanting to sell the MBP, is that I bought it second hand from eBay with mountain lion installed (purchased by the previous owner) & it didn't come with the original installation discs (which I presume should be snow leopard?). After looking further into how to restore my HD, it looks like I'll need one or the other?
I'm new to macs / computers in general (I usually use mobile devices, iPhone, iPad etc) & didn't realise at the time of purchase that I'd need discs etc to restore it.
Could someone please tell me my options that can fix this, I also have an apple I.D myself so I can purchase OS if needed?
Also, I have the guys email still, as it appears when I have tried to update the installed Apple apps. I doubt I could message him after a year has passed & ask for his apple I.D to restore mountain lion :-D
Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.
Robert

Edit* I searched the box & there were 2 discs in the little packet.
One is '13 inch MacBook Pro Mac OS X Install DVD' (grey in colour)
The other is '13 inch MacBook Pro applications install DVD'.
The Mac OS version is 10.5.7.

Do I just do a reinstall & delete of my HD now with the Mac OS X install DVD? & then do the applications DVD after?
Will this clear the HD & return it back to original factory settings/OS X?
 
Last edited:
A

akwarner

macrumors member
Feb 26, 2006
91
13
Yes. Just insert the first grey disc and let it reinstall from scratch. Then install the apps from the second DVD and you'll be all set. That will put it back to how it came from the factory. The App Store did not exist back then so not to worry. If the new buyer wants App Store and such, they will need to upgrade the OS which will cost all of $20.

A.
 
R

Robgers Habit

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 21, 2013
2
0
Thank you for the reply & help.
Do I need to delete the ML partition before downgrading it to Leopard? If so, do I just delete the partition & then delete the HD (both done in Disc Utility) & then install Leopard via the DVD? Or will the install of Leopard (after deleting HD) overwrite the ML partition?
I'm sorry for this, like I say I'm relatively new to this & don't want to mess it up before resale.
 
A

awair

macrumors regular
Sep 6, 2011
103
15
Just in case I haven't fully grasped your unique situation, this would be the generic procedure.

Verify that you have either of:
1) Machine-specific installation discs (DVD or USB for later MBA)
2) Upgrade version of Snow Leopard (still available directly from Apple)
3) A recovery partition for Lion or Mountain Lion.

Boot with any of the above, but do not install the OS.
Use Disk Utility to 'Erase' the drive. (Options may vary depending on which version of the OS.)
Overwrite/zero the drive according to your level of paranoia! (This may take several hours.)

Install the OS.
 
Weaselboy

Weaselboy

Moderator
Staff member
Jan 23, 2005
34,136
15,598
California
Robgers Habit said:
Thank you for the reply & help.
Do I need to delete the ML partition before downgrading it to Leopard? If so, do I just delete the partition & then delete the HD (both done in Disc Utility) & then install Leopard via the DVD? Or will the install of Leopard (after deleting HD) overwrite the ML partition?
I'm sorry for this, like I say I'm relatively new to this & don't want to mess it up before resale.
Click to expand...

Here is what you need to do. Pop in the OS DVD and hold the C key while booting. It will boot to the DVD. From there start Disk Utility and select the drive name brand at the top (like Seagate 750MB or whatever) and erase the entire drive. This will wipe off the Mountain Lion recovery partition. Then just install the OS. That will give you a fresh system with just the OS and nothing else.
 
F

forlovehq

macrumors newbie
Jul 25, 2013
2
0
right,I'm sorry for this, like I say I'm relatively new to this & don't want to mess it up before resale.
SG09g
 
keysofanxiety

keysofanxiety

macrumors G3
Nov 23, 2011
9,539
25,302
If I was selling it, I'd personally make a Mountain Lion boot USB, and wipe the system from the USB & reinstall. Often the latest OS helps the resell value.
 
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