Hey guys, I just posted my Macbook up on Ebay, and now I need help. How should I go about doing a clean install. I do not have any of the install disks. I only have Mountain Lion that I bought through the App Store. I was wondering how I should go about this. I don't know/what I should do.
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How should I wipe my Macbook that I'm selling?
- Thread starter Piggywaste
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What exact MacBook do you have?
To find out got to Finder, open the Utilities folder via CMD+SHIFT+U and double click on System Report. In the Hardware Overview you should see a Model Identifier (MacBook 5,2 or something like that).
Post it here.
To find out got to Finder, open the Utilities folder via CMD+SHIFT+U and double click on System Report. In the Hardware Overview you should see a Model Identifier (MacBook 5,2 or something like that).
Post it here.
You didn't say what model your macbook is. But one possibility is to do a fresh install. You can download the ML install image from the app store (where I assume you bought it) again. There are instructions available to burn a DVD with the image. Then, do a fresh install from the DVD. Maybe even doing a "secure" erase on the hard drive during the install to scrub private data.
You could, in theory, do a reinstall from CMD-R, but I suggested the DVD route so you don't end up with a ML tied to your app store account.
I have the 5,1.
That's what I'm worried about my Apple ID. So if I do burn the .dmg to a DVD and install it from there I should be good to go? Is the secure erase an option during the installation?
If it is a MacBook 5,1, it is a late 2008 Unibody Aluminium MacBook, which came with some flavour of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard, thus you can use the 19 USD (might vary in your country) Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Upgrade DVD to make a clean install.
To create a Clean Install (formerly known as Erase & Install) of Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard (the 19 USD Upgrade DVD is a fully working retail version of Mac OS X and does not need a prior installation of Mac OS X on the Mac), 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
Really don't want to spend $20 just to do a clean install one time. Would doing the DVD option of ML I own do the same thing?
Probably, but I am not so sure about any license issues.
When I sold my 2008 MacBook I used that Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard Upgrade DVD to reinstall Mac OS X and give the buy a reinstall opportunity, but since Mac OS X 10.7 Lion or OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion were not released yet, it was just another time.