Fastest/easiest way to get my MBP back to factory condition?

[Imola Ghost]

I am selling my 13" MBP and am meeting the person buying it today. I want to format the hard drive and get it back to factory condition before we part ways, but I don't want to be there all day.

Since I don't necessarily want to do this beforehand because they may not end up buying it from me.

What do you recommend I do?

 

[Wafflausages]

Creating a backup would probably be the way to go or if you have another HDD you can just clone the one you have now

 

[Imola Ghost]

I've got my laptop backed up, I'm just talking about getting the laptop back to factory condition fast.

Meaning, once he decides to buy it. What's the fastest/easiest way to format the laptop and get it back to original condition while at the meeting location?

 

[GGJstudios]

I've got my laptop backed up, I'm just talking about getting the laptop back to factory condition fast.

Meaning, once he decides to buy it. What's the fastest/easiest way to format the laptop and get it back to original condition while at the meeting location?

I'd make a bootable clone of your drive with Carbon Copy Cloner

You can use version 3.5.1 ($40) or 3.4.7 (free, and works well on OS X 10.6, 10.7 and 10.8).

After you've cloned your drive and before your meeting, perform a clean install (assuming you're running Lion or ML):
OS X: About OS X Recovery
How to Clean Install OS X Mountain Lion
Apple - OS X Recovery restores your Mac with a few clicks.
Hands on with Mountain Lion's OS X Recovery and Internet Recovery

If you don't sell your Mac, simply restore from the cloned backup and you're back in business. No need to do anything while at the meeting.

 

[ybz90]

I've got my laptop backed up, I'm just talking about getting the laptop back to factory condition fast.

Meaning, once he decides to buy it. What's the fastest/easiest way to format the laptop and get it back to original condition while at the meeting location?

Depending on your OS, put the disc in (or network restore) and reinstall. That's really the only way to do it.

Or if you're primary concern is just data safety, you can just wipe your drive in disk utility and let them install it later themselves (that's hardly secure, but I'm guessing this person isn't too interested in trying to recover your sekret files?).

 

[Mrbobb]

No man, this is NOT to be done on a quicky.

You have to make sure all your LICENSED apps are de-licensed, your iTunes Shares, UN-share. etc. You need a list of what you need to do in order to transport those apps to your new machine WO having to call the vendors later and cry.

Then the quickest way is to have a clean OS image on a stick. Option-Boot, erase MacIntosh HD, install from stick. 30 mins minimum for this procedure alone.

Then ideally u want to cleanly transfer your Appstore account to him, procedure of which I haven't through it through.

 

[Imola Ghost]

I've got my Mountain Lion Version 10.8.2 usb key drive all ready.

I've de-authorized iTunes and every other application I have.

So I guess I just boot up while holding the OPTION key down and re-install Mountain Lion?

 

[hallux]

Did the computer come with ML on it or did you buy it? If you bought it, you should restore it to whatever version it shipped with as that ML license belongs to you, not the buyer.

 

[Mrbobb]

So I guess I just boot up while holding the OPTION key down and re-install Mountain Lion?

To make it truly clean you have to perform the intermediate step of REFORMATTING the drive: So Option-Boot -> Reformat -> Install.

One of the GGJstudios' link should have the step-by-step.

(choose Quick format or it will take forever).