iCloud is still linking to previous owner of my iMac.

[xBlack]

I just got my iMac a few days ago. Previous owner said he removed everything that was his and cleaned it all but the messages icon keeps updating in real time because it's still connected to his iPhone. I am running Mountain Lion on it. I'm pretty unfamiliar with anything Apple right now but I am getting the hang of it. Just so I can be at a bit of ease, this guy can't see my information on this computer now can he? How can I disconnect this iMac from his iCloud account completely and have just my own. All I own is the Mac and an iPod, that's all I want connecting to each other under my own account of course.

Any ideas as to how I can fix these issues would be great! Yes I'm a Newbie but I know I'll be here a lot cuz I'm taking Graphic Design and this new OS is VERY new to me now and I need to know it like the back of my hand (or like my Porky PC that crashed for the last time, never again!) Thanks!

 

[ugahairydawgs]

I just got my iMac a few days ago. Previous owner said he removed everything that was his and cleaned it all but the messages icon keeps updating in real time because it's still connected to his iPhone. I am running Mountain Lion on it. I'm pretty unfamiliar with anything Apple right now but I am getting the hang of it. Just so I can be at a bit of ease, this guy can't see my information on this computer now can he? How can I disconnect this iMac from his iCloud account completely and have just my own. All I own is the Mac and an iPod, that's all I want connecting to each other under my own account of course.

Any ideas as to how I can fix these issues would be great! Yes I'm a Newbie but I know I'll be here a lot cuz I'm taking Graphic Design and this new OS is VERY new to me now and I need to know it like the back of my hand (or like my Porky PC that crashed for the last time, never again!) Thanks!

Most thorough way would be to wipe the HDD and do a fresh install of the OS. Link below for instructions on how to do so.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11273?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

 

[madmacfan]

I just got my iMac a few days ago. Previous owner said he removed everything that was his and cleaned it all but the messages icon keeps updating in real time because it's still connected to his iPhone. I am running Mountain Lion on it. I'm pretty unfamiliar with anything Apple right now but I am getting the hang of it. Just so I can be at a bit of ease, this guy can't see my information on this computer now can he? How can I disconnect this iMac from his iCloud account completely and have just my own. All I own is the Mac and an iPod, that's all I want connecting to each other under my own account of course.

Any ideas as to how I can fix these issues would be great! Yes I'm a Newbie but I know I'll be here a lot cuz I'm taking Graphic Design and this new OS is VERY new to me now and I need to know it like the back of my hand (or like my Porky PC that crashed for the last time, never again!) Thanks!

If you're still recieving messages from previous accounts registered on your iMac, it's still signed in to iCloud.

First things first would be to go into system preferences, click on the icloud icon and click Sign Out.

Secondly I suggest you create a new user account in the accounts preference pane and make it an administrator account. Log out and log back in with the new account you have just created, go back to the accounts pref pane, click the padlock in the left corner and then click on the old account on the left. when highlighted click the minus - button below the list of user accounts on the left to delete the old user account

When finished, sign into icloud with your own apple Id and you're good to go.

PS: There is no need To Reinstall OS X
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[Bear]

...

PS: There is no need To Reinstall OS X
__________________

You don't know what else was left behind on the system by the previous owner. A disk wipe and clean install is the only way to guarantee your system is clean when buying a used system.

 

[digitalhen]

You don't know what else was left behind on the system by the previous owner. A disk wipe and clean install is the only way to guarantee your system is clean when buying a used system.

+1. I would ABSOLUTELY wipe this machine before you use it. You have no idea what the previous user install / didn't install / browsed etc. Probably nothing, but still.

Use recovery mode: http://www.apple.com/hk/en/osx/recovery/

 

[xBlack]

Thanks very much you guys, I will clean it up first! Madmacfan, I will do just that as well. Much appreciated!

 

[rkaufmann87]

I just got my iMac a few days ago. Previous owner said he removed everything that was his and cleaned it all but the messages icon keeps updating in real time because it's still connected to his iPhone. I am running Mountain Lion on it. I'm pretty unfamiliar with anything Apple right now but I am getting the hang of it. Just so I can be at a bit of ease, this guy can't see my information on this computer now can he? How can I disconnect this iMac from his iCloud account completely and have just my own. All I own is the Mac and an iPod, that's all I want connecting to each other under my own account of course.

Any ideas as to how I can fix these issues would be great! Yes I'm a Newbie but I know I'll be here a lot cuz I'm taking Graphic Design and this new OS is VERY new to me now and I need to know it like the back of my hand (or like my Porky PC that crashed for the last time, never again!) Thanks!

If the machine came with either Snow Leopard or before then your license of ML is illegal and tied to the other owners Apple ID. The ONLY solution is to buy a license of SL ($20) and then upgrade it to 10.6.8 (use the 10.6.8 Update Combo) and then purchase ML for $20. Yes you will lose all the free software the seller sold you (assuming that was the deal) but that software is illegal too unless he provided the original install DVDs or license keys.

 

[xBlack]

If the machine came with either Snow Leopard or before then your license of ML is illegal and tied to the other owners Apple ID. The ONLY solution is to buy a license of SL ($20) and then upgrade it to 10.6.8 (use the 10.6.8 Update Combo) and then purchase ML for $20. Yes you will lose all the free software the seller sold you (assuming that was the deal) but that software is illegal too unless he provided the original install DVDs or license keys.

No there wasn't any free software at all. He just said that he cleaned it all out. It already had Mountain Lion installed on it. I'm going to wipe it and I'll buy the new software from iTunes. My friend just called me and is giving me a hand on how I do all this because I didn't realize and I don't think he did either, that the software was to be removed completely. The guy was about 70 years old and sold me the Mac because he didn't really know how to use it, so it just sat there and his grandson apparently helped him clean it up. Sucks though because I have an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription and it took all day just to get it re-setup on this computer Also a few other programs that I reinstalled myself for my schooling and work. Gahhhh. Thanks for the tip.