Mavericks clean install question

[shopbot999]

I sold a 2008 Macbook Pro 17" to someone on Ebay. I had installed a clean copy of Mavericks over wifi using my apple ID. I created a user and logged in so I could take photos of the screen for the Ebay auction.

Buyer has laptop now, and can't do a fresh install (or even login) without my admin password. I've given him every version of my passwords I can think of, but he says none of them work.

Any advice on how he can fresh install maybe using his apple ID?

He's pissed and wants to send it back. Help!

 

[DeltaMac]

Fresh install of OS X MavX?
Restart, holding command-R to boot to the restore partition.
Click on Disk Utility, and erase the hard drive.
Quit Disk Utililty, and click Reinstall OS X.
This does require that the user have a supported internet connection.
And, wait for the install to complete - and, that's it…

If the computer won't even boot to the restore partition without asking for a password, then I will guess that YOU enabled the EFI firmware password - which will prevent booting to ANY other drive, without the correct password.
Given that circumstance, and that it's a 2008 Mac, you could tell the seller that the firmware password can be reset, by a PRAM reset after he removes one memory chip. Reinsert the RAM chip after the reset, and the firmware password will be gone.
If I were the buyer, I also would not appreciate needing to open up my "new" Mac, just to wipe the hard drive.

 

[Weaselboy]

I sold a 2008 Macbook Pro 17" to someone on Ebay. I had installed a clean copy of Mavericks over wifi using my apple ID. I created a user and logged in so I could take photos of the screen for the Ebay auction.

Buyer has laptop now, and can't do a fresh install (or even login) without my admin password. I've given him every version of my passwords I can think of, but he says none of them work.

Any advice on how he can fresh install maybe using his apple ID?

He's pissed and wants to send it back. Help!

Have him follow this to reset the admin password to whatever he wants.

He will be prompted for your AppleID when he goes to reinstall the OS. Just have him start the App Store app then "purchase" (free) Mavericks under his own AppleID. Then he can command-r boot to recovery and erase Macintosh HD then reinstall the OS clean with his own AppleID.