Clean Macbook Pro without using the CD

[Hackster]

Hi.
Im currently buying a Macbook pro from late 2009. It has OS X 10.6.6, and the seller has lost the recovery CD. So, how do we get rid of all his private stuff without formatting? thanks!

 

[simsaladimbamba]

You could buy the Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Upgrade DVD and make a Clean Install:

To create a Clean Install (formerly known as Erase & Install) of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard, follow one of the following guides:
Short version: Clean Install of OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard
Long version: Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard: How to Erase and Install​

Or could create a new admin account and delete the old one.

But I would go the route with the Clean Install.

 

[jenzjen]

Hi.
Im currently buying a Macbook pro from late 2009. It has OS X 10.6.6, and the seller has lost the recovery CD. So, how do we get rid of all his private stuff without formatting? thanks!

As sim wrote, the only real way to guarantee that you've removed all traces of the prior user is to do a clean install, which includes re-formatting.

 

[Hackster]

That i will do later on. But at the sellers place, we just need to delete his settings such as wireless keys and so on, so he is satisfied.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

That i will do later on. But at the sellers place, we just need to delete his settings such as wireless keys and so on, so he is satisfied.

Then do the "create new admin account, log out of the old admin account, log into the new admin account, delete old accounts" routine. Or bring the Upgrade DVD with you.

 

[bpeeps]

This seller doesn't sound like a very responsible seller.

 

[Gen]

That i will do later on. But at the sellers place, we just need to delete his settings such as wireless keys and so on, so he is satisfied.

You're the buyer. He is responsible for any data removal from his computer - if he doesn't do it, offer him less money.

 

[Hackster]

Thanks guys. He made me walk around 2 kilometers, to reach his apartment. When i arrived, i found the macbook not as described in the announcement and he made me wait 30 minutes so he could delete his crap. In the end he was like: I cant figure out how to remove everything, so i cant sell it to you.

 

[saberahul]

Thanks guys. He made me walk around 2 kilometers, to reach his apartment. When i arrived, i found the macbook not as described in the announcement and he made me wait 30 minutes so he could delete his crap. In the end he was like: I cant figure out how to remove everything, so i cant sell it to you.

I don't know if I should laugh or what... not to be mean but that sounds like a very poor execution of a very simple transaction. Sorry to hear about your potential loss (I don't make sense do I?)

 

[jenzjen]

i found the macbook not as described in the announcement

Glad it worked out, sort of, but here's where you should have turned around saving yourself 30 more minutes.

For a used sale, if it isn't as described, just walk away. There's no good news that comes from these types of situations.