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gpspad

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 4, 2014
698
47
Want to reset a 2012 Mac mini to give to my parents, don't care about wiping it clean, there isn't much in it, just want to set it up with a fresh install to enter

my parents Apple id and icloud.

Any suggestions on the easiest way to do?
 
Thanks, I looked through that. The things is I have another mac mini, and it brings up a scary iCloud drive message.

So all I want to do is remove my apple id and iCloud drive and have set up one for them. Do I still have to sign off of iMessage and iCloud drive?

I don't want to delete anything or screw up anything on the iCloud linked to my other mini or iPad.
 
Why don't you boot from a USB flash drive and do a fresh install of OSX?

That sounds like a cool thing to learn, I have no idea how to do that though. Is there a good tutorial on that some where?

I am using Yosemite, unfortunately I am stuck with verizon DSL, so downloads are slow.
 
Just create them a user account on the mini and then either delete yours from within there's or leave it.
 
Yep

Just create them a user account on the mini and then either delete yours from within there's or leave it.

What this guy said. Quickest and easiest way to do it if you're not concerned about data privacy.
 
What this guy said. Quickest and easiest way to do it if you're not concerned about data privacy.

That sounds like the best way to go, that way I can use my account on their computer when I need to also.

PS: Still think it would be handy to know how to download and install Yosemite from a USB drive. Ill have to give that a try for the hell of it.

Thanks
 
My suggestions:

1. Make sure that anything you wish to keep has been saved to your new computer.

2. Create new accounts for your parents. These can be "regular" (non-administrator accounts), or you could give them administrative privileges. What you decide depends on how savvy your parents will be in regards to administrating the Mini.

3. Create AN ADDITIONAL NEW ACCOUNT with administrator privileges. I suggest you give it an obvious name, such as "administrator". Also, give it an easy password, like "mini".

4. Now, restart and boot yourself into the "administrator" account.

5. Next, DELETE your old account (the one that was yours up and until this time). You will have to choose whether to "archive" it, or fully delete it.

At this point you may want to re-check and make sure all your personal data has been removed (may have been located in places other than your home folder).

You might want to launch Disk Utility, and tell it to "zero out" the "free space".

Finally, set up the "users & groups" so that it will boot to your parents' account.

Now it's time to hand it over to them.

Additional notes:
The reason for the additional administrator account will be for YOU to use, if you ever need to do "tech support" for your parents.

If I was prepping a computer in this manner, I would also run something like "Yasu" on it, to "clean everything out".

Also, the very last thing I'd do (after Yasu) before handing it over, would be to boot from an external source, and defrag and optimize the internal drive. This will group all files at "the head end" of the hard disk, and leave one contiguous area of "free space" behind it. A good way for them to "start clean"...
 
thanks, great tips.

I did something similar with the old thinkpad laptop they started out with. Im hoping the mac mini ends up being just as easy to use.
 
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