Preparing a Mac for sale

[MoodyM]

I tried booting into Recovery (Cmd + R) thinking I could just reinstall OS X that way, but having done so it seems to want me to sign in to the App Store before I can install the OS. Doesn't this then lock/activate the Mac against my Apple ID again, which is what I'm trying to avoid?

 

[KALLT]

You need to do it via Internet Recovery and install the original system, which is command–option–R. If your Mac came with a DVD, then you have to use that one instead. Once the installation is complete, you can quit the setup with command–Q. It is possible to reinstall the present system as well, the Apple ID is only needed for the download. It won’t restrict the actual installation to your Apple ID. Reinstalling the present system is not recommended however, as the buyer may run into trouble later on if they forget to ‘purchase’ that version in the App Store.

 

[Weaselboy]

I tried booting into Recovery (Cmd + R) thinking I could just reinstall OS X that way, but having done so it seems to want me to sign in to the App Store before I can install the OS. Doesn't this then lock/activate the Mac against my Apple ID again, which is what I'm trying to avoid?

No it does not. Once you are in recovery use Disk Utility to erase the drive to Mac OS Extended (Journaled), then go ahead an enter that AppleID and reinstall. Once the install is done and it restarts to the setup screen, just power it down and send it off. All that AppleID does is allow the OS download and it does not tie your Mac to the AppleID.

The issue is if the new owner ever goes to resinstall, they will not be able to because their AppleID was never used to download the OS. The way around that is to tell the new owner to go to the App Store and "purchase" OS X (they can cancel the download) so their AppleID is now able to download the OS from recovery should they need to.