Restoring iMac to Factory Settings...How to?

AaronOcean · Sep 29, 2007, 06:05 PM

I'm helping a friend of mine (a non tech-savy friend) by restoring his Mac to factory settings. I'm not sure why, but what he wants is for it to be wiped clean, but first I'll transfer his media and docs to an iPod for safe keep while I clear it. It's an iMac from about 8 months ago, so Intel Mac OS X.4

How do I go about restoring the computer? Do I just use the install disks?

psychofreak · Sep 29, 2007, 06:06 PM

You use the install disk, choosing Erase&Install

AaronOcean · Sep 29, 2007, 06:10 PM

I know it's a Mac I'm dealing with and everything, but is it really that simple?

itickings · Sep 30, 2007, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronOcean

I know it's a Mac I'm dealing with and everything, but is it really that simple?

Yes

See Apple's info about installation options. Erase and install completely erases the destination volume, then installs a new copy of Mac OS X.

If the intent is to not only erase everything and reinstall, but to make it impossible to recover any of the previous files from the drive, check How to Erase Your Macs Hard Drive Before Selling It (OS 10.4) out.

I'm a ROb · Sep 30, 2007, 06:39 AM

Just for the complete picture:

If your friend is a "non-tech savy", he propably didn't do a firmware update, so an erase & install should bring it back to factory defaults. If he did perform a firmware update, it will not go back to factory defaults at the time he bought the Mac, but to factory defaults as he would buy it today.

[I just assume Apple gives their computers the latest firmware when they are produced

Sep 29, 2007, 06:05 PM	#1
AaronOcean macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California	Restoring iMac to Factory Settings...How to? I'm helping a friend of mine (a non tech-savy friend) by restoring his Mac to factory settings. I'm not sure why, but what he wants is for it to be wiped clean, but first I'll transfer his media and docs to an iPod for safe keep while I clear it. It's an iMac from about 8 months ago, so Intel Mac OS X.4 How do I go about restoring the computer? Do I just use the install disks?
	0

Sep 30, 2007, 06:39 AM	#5
I'm a ROb macrumors member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Netherlands	Firmware Just for the complete picture: If your friend is a "non-tech savy", he propably didn't do a firmware update, so an erase & install should bring it back to factory defaults. If he did perform a firmware update, it will not go back to factory defaults at the time he bought the Mac, but to factory defaults as he would buy it today. [I just assume Apple gives their computers the latest firmware when they are produced
	0

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Sep 29, 2007, 06:06 PM	#2
psychofreak Retired Join Date: May 2006 Location: London	You use the install disk, choosing Erase&Install
	0

Sep 29, 2007, 06:10 PM	#3
AaronOcean Thread Starter macrumors member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California	I know it's a Mac I'm dealing with and everything, but is it really that simple?
	0


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