Best way to wipe date?

[scotty56]

I'm selling one of my MacBooks on craigslist. What's the best way way to wipe the computer, making it almost new? My snow leopard disk belonged to a friend so I no longer can do that.

Is there a best way to manually delete all my files, pics, etc? Thanks guys!

 

[spinnerlys]

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1820 in combination with an installation disk

Some of the other slightly similar threads.

 

[alphaod]

You can create a new account with administrator privileges, log into the new account, and then delete the old account. Get AppZapper and delete all your programs. Lastly use AppZapper to delete itself.

When that's done, go into Disk Utility and choose 'Erase Free Space'

 

[ZazenZach]

You can create a new account with administrator privileges, log into the new account, and then delete the old account. Get AppZapper and delete all your programs. Lastly use AppZapper to delete itself.

When that's done, go into Disk Utility and choose 'Erase Free Space'

If OP is worried about someone getting info off his computer, that won't work.

A hacker can easily recover files after being deleted in the fashion you mentioned.

The best way for most people is to completely erase the hardrive, and then reinstall and OS. OP is gonna need an OS disc for that though, which he doesn't have.

 

[spinnerlys]

If OP is worried about someone getting info off his computer, that won't work.

A hacker can easily recover files after being deleted in the fashion you mentioned.

The best way for most people is to completely erase the hardrive, and then reinstall and OS. OP is gonna need an OS disc for that though, which he doesn't have.

The ERASE FREE SPACE option mentioned by alphaod will wipe the data, as it either writes zeroes all over the empty space, or makes a 7- or 35- pas of writing random 1s and 0s on the free space.