How to clear personal data, selling Macbook

rm2092 · Jan 16, 2009, 05:03 PM

I'm selling my Macbook in the morning and was wondering how do I clear all my personal information and my iTunes account before he picks it up.I'm hopeing some one won't say use the install discs ?

r.j.s · Jan 16, 2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm2092

I'm selling my Macbook in the morning and was wondering how do I clear all my personal information and my iTunes account before he picks it up.I'm hopeing some one won't say use the install discs ?

So, you're selling it without the install discs?

BTW, once you erase everything, how are you going to reinstall OS X?

shoppy · Jan 16, 2009, 05:12 PM

Create a new account make the new user admin and delete your user account.

Lava Lamp Freak · Jan 16, 2009, 05:13 PM

Let me know if you need more specific information than this.

Go into System Preferences and click on Accounts. Click the lock to make changes and then enter your password and click OK. Click the plus button to create a new account and select Administrator from the menu when entering the new account information. Once this is done log out of your account and into the new one you created. At that point you can go back into accounts and remove your account by highlighting it and clicking the minus button. You can choose the option here to delete the home folder, which will delete all of your files. But if you want to be more secure choose the "Do Not Change Home Folder" option. Then you can drag your user folder to the trash and do a Secure Empty Trash. This way the new owner could not recover any of your deleted files. Do that if you have any sensitive information on the computer and want the added security.

dejo · Jan 16, 2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm2092

I'm hopeing some one won't say use the install discs ?

Why are you hoping this?

rm2092 · Jan 16, 2009, 05:26 PM

Don't know just thought I would ask ok how do remove all my iTunes stuff that I downloaded and paid for ?

poopyhead · Jan 16, 2009, 05:33 PM

for itunes you need to log into the itunes store and and deauthorize the computer before you erase your user account

dejo · Jan 16, 2009, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rm2092

Don't know just thought I would ask ok how do remove all my iTunes stuff that I downloaded and paid for ?

The best way to guarantee that all your personal data is removed is to write-zero the drive and then reinstall the OS, which requires the install discs.

As for the iTunes stuff, you'll want to make sure you have a backup of your iTunes library before you actually remove it. But you already have a backup, don't you?

dvdhsu · Jan 17, 2009, 02:00 PM

It doesn't seem like you have much time, so just create a new user, and set that as Admin. Then, log on back to your old user, deauthorize iTunes, and log back out.
Then, just delete your old account.

Jan 16, 2009, 05:03 PM	#1
rm2092 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2008	How to clear personal data, selling Macbook I'm selling my Macbook in the morning and was wondering how do I clear all my personal information and my iTunes account before he picks it up.I'm hopeing some one won't say use the install discs ?
	0

Jan 16, 2009, 05:12 PM	#3
shoppy macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hants	Create a new account make the new user admin and delete your user account. __________________ 15" 2.2/2.3/2.6 Hi Res i7 16gb ram,2x iphone5 64gb(w) Macbook air 2012 2.0i7/8/512. 64Gb/32gb 4G and iPad mini 32gb Wifi (W)/ipad1 64gb 3G, ipod shuffle and an Airport extreme.
	0

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
TUTORIAL: How to get PCSX2 to run on Mac(without Bootcamp)	Mirrors	Mac Applications and Mac App Store	21	Mar 14, 2013 03:34 PM
How to convinc my parents to let me buy a 17" MacBook pro	Ulf1103	Buying Tips and Advice	55	Feb 20, 2012 08:11 AM
Does anybody know how to get TweetTask?	xmelissaxmayhem	Jailbreaks and iOS Hacks	3	Jul 3, 2011 01:21 AM
[HOW TO] DIY iPhone 4 Swivel Car Mount	QuarterSwede	iPhone Accessories	13	Mar 8, 2011 02:51 PM
How to pull out data of Macbook air hard driver	yuhaii	MacBook Air	3	Sep 3, 2010 10:08 AM

Jan 16, 2009, 05:13 PM	#4
Lava Lamp Freak macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2006	Let me know if you need more specific information than this. Go into System Preferences and click on Accounts. Click the lock to make changes and then enter your password and click OK. Click the plus button to create a new account and select Administrator from the menu when entering the new account information. Once this is done log out of your account and into the new one you created. At that point you can go back into accounts and remove your account by highlighting it and clicking the minus button. You can choose the option here to delete the home folder, which will delete all of your files. But if you want to be more secure choose the "Do Not Change Home Folder" option. Then you can drag your user folder to the trash and do a Secure Empty Trash. This way the new owner could not recover any of your deleted files. Do that if you have any sensitive information on the computer and want the added security.
	0

Jan 16, 2009, 05:26 PM	#6
rm2092 Thread Starter macrumors 6502 Join Date: Mar 2008	Don't know just thought I would ask ok how do remove all my iTunes stuff that I downloaded and paid for ?
	0

Jan 16, 2009, 05:33 PM	#7
poopyhead macrumors 6502a Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: in the toe-jam of greatness (Fort Worth)	for itunes you need to log into the itunes store and and deauthorize the computer before you erase your user account
	0

Jan 17, 2009, 02:00 PM	#9
dvdhsu macrumors 6502a Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Palo Alto, CA	It doesn't seem like you have much time, so just create a new user, and set that as Admin. Then, log on back to your old user, deauthorize iTunes, and log back out. Then, just delete your old account.
	0