iMac OS X Reinstall HELP!!!

[freemankicks83]

I have used Apple products for quite some time but haven't really had to get into the nitty gritty before and could use some help.

I purchased a iMac Late 2012 27" from a guy who had moved his online marking companies office across the country. He had a buddy selling his stuff. When I bought the computer it was set up and running perfectly although it had the guy's email, software, and other person info still on the computer....no reinstall--Almost as if they had just turned off the computer a weeks prior and hadn't started it back up until I bought it. They had upgraded to Yosemite at some point.

I booted up the computer holding Control R and was taken to Utilities. I did what I thought was correct and erased the Macintosh HD partition. I then quit utilities. I selected Reinstall Mac OS X via Wifi. I accepted user terms. The computer was checked via Apple for validity. Then given two choices to reinstall OS X. One is the Macintosh HD drive or Recovery HD (says it's locked and wont' let me select). Then the trouble begins. The computer wants the Apple ID and Password set up with the computer. I called the guy I bought it from, and he said that he didn't set it up and doesn't know it. Hence, I can't use the computer. From everything I can tell (hours of research), it appears I may be stuck...unless I manage to develop some more technical computer skills.

I called a SimplyMac for assistance and they replied that unless I have the Apple ID/Password or the original receipt, they cannot help me.

I have tried:
1) restarting and holding down command+option+R
2) restarting and holding down command+option+R+P
3) Erasing the main HDD (says it can't unmount the disc)
4) Trying my best to download the Lion Recovery and put it on a USB and upload via that. Must be doing it wrong. It shows up when I have to choose a HD to reinstall the OS but I would still have to input the Apple ID and password. Don't know.

Not sure what to do at this point. It's quite frustrating. I am hopefully getting a copy of the receipt to match the serial number shortly. Apologies for the epistle. Any suggestions or ideas as to the easiest way to make this my computer???

 

[26139]

I have used Apple products for quite some time but haven't really had to get into the nitty gritty before and could use some help.

I purchased a iMac Late 2012 27" from a guy who had moved his online marking companies office across the country. He had a buddy selling his stuff. When I bought the computer it was set up and running perfectly although it had the guy's email, software, and other person info still on the computer....no reinstall--Almost as if they had just turned off the computer a weeks prior and hadn't started it back up until I bought it. They had upgraded to Yosemite at some point.

I booted up the computer holding Control R and was taken to Utilities. I did what I thought was correct and erased the Macintosh HD partition. I then quit utilities. I selected Reinstall Mac OS X via Wifi. I accepted user terms. The computer was checked via Apple for validity. Then given two choices to reinstall OS X. One is the Macintosh HD drive or Recovery HD (says it's locked and wont' let me select). Then the trouble begins. The computer wants the Apple ID and Password set up with the computer. I called the guy I bought it from, and he said that he didn't set it up and doesn't know it. Hence, I can't use the computer. From everything I can tell (hours of research), it appears I may be stuck...unless I manage to develop some more technical computer skills.

I called a SimplyMac for assistance and they replied that unless I have the Apple ID/Password or the original receipt, they cannot help me.

I have tried:
1) restarting and holding down command+option+R
2) restarting and holding down command+option+R+P
3) Erasing the main HDD (says it can't unmount the disc)
4) Trying my best to download the Lion Recovery and put it on a USB and upload via that. Must be doing it wrong. It shows up when I have to choose a HD to reinstall the OS but I would still have to input the Apple ID and password. Don't know.

Not sure what to do at this point. It's quite frustrating. I am hopefully getting a copy of the receipt to match the serial number shortly. Apologies for the epistle. Any suggestions or ideas as to the easiest way to make this my computer???

If it's iCloud locked, replacing your hard drive is likely the best bet.

Also, that guy screwed you.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Unless you know the ID and password, you won't be able to reinstall the OS from wifi. If you have your own Apple ID and password, you can wipe the drive again, and boot from a Yosemite and Sierra USB installer. If you try that and it is still locked, (asking for a certain ID and password) you may have been scammed buying a stolen iMac.

 

[freemankicks83]

Unless you know the ID and password, you won't be able to reinstall the OS from wifi. If you have your own Apple ID and password, you can wipe the drive again, and boot from a Yosemite and Sierra USB installer. If you try that and it is still locked, (asking for a certain ID and password) you may have been scammed buying a stolen iMac.

It definitely wasn't stolen. The guy that was having them sold has been in contact with me trying to figure it out because he didn't have anything to do with their set up and doesn't know the ID/Password. He used a PC at work and his web designers used the iMacs. He recently sent me a copy of the receipt as he saves all receipts for tax purposes. The serial number on the computer matches the serial number on the receipt. I think I'll be OK by contacting Apple directly, providing the receipt, explaining the circumstance, and requesting them to allow me to get a clean reinstall.

 

[Poncho]

I had a friend who encountered the exact same problem after buying a secondhand iMac off Craigslist. It wouldn't boot because one of her flatmates deleted one of the system files or something. When she used recovery mode to download the OS it rejected her password and I realised it was wanting the username/password of the person who had purched the Mac in the first place,

My solution was simply to download El Capitan from iTunes on my account, quit the install, and then use the DMG to make a bootable thumbdrive. We then booted her iMac from the thumbdrive and I installed the OS onto her hard drive.

Then we shut down her Mac. Then I took out the thumbdrive and booted up her Mac. It worked perfectly and none of her data was missing.

 

[komatsu]

My solution was simply to download El Capitan from iTunes on my account, quit the install, and then use the DMG to make a bootable thumbdrive. We then booted her iMac from the thumbdrive and I installed the OS onto her hard drive.

Then we shut down her Mac. Then I took out the thumbdrive and booted up her Mac. It worked perfectly and none of her data was missing.

+1

A simple and elegant solution. Worked for me loads of times without problem.