I'm planning on selling my 15-inch Macbook Pro, but I am not sure how to safely wipe the data and restore factory settings, as the computer did not come with any install discs like the previous Macs I've had. What should I do?
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Preparing a Macbook Pro 2011 to sell
- Thread starter PolarisShadow
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Since it was purchased with Lion already on it, then restart your computer. While it's restarting, hold down (command, r) and when that boots into the recovery partition, enter disk utility and then delete the Macintosh HD partition. Then do a fresh install and you should be all set.
This is what I just did on my 2009 MBP I plan on selling... had Lion on it and did the command r and erased the Macintosh HD, and then fresh installation of Lion. Good to go. Didn't take very long either.
So I presume I would have to download Lion off of the App Store and then burn it onto a disc to actually reinstall the OS? Aren't you not supposed to do that if you're planning to sell the computer (EULA Violation)?
If your laptop came with Lion preinstalled, you wouldn't need to. Lion is a part of the recovery partition. Just boot into the recovery partition by doing what RedCroissant said.
By doing a "fresh install" does that involve using disks, or can it be done from the OS on its own?
Since it was shipped with Lion, there are no disks involved. Just make sure that you're connected to the internet and the charger. It really is very straightforward. You'll end up wiping the partition with the OS on it, and then the recovery partition will download the OS again onto the Macintosh HD and you'll be all set like it's a new computer.
YES. Download it again, and before installing, right click on the ML logo, and hit explore package contents. Should be a folder that has the install.dmg file I believe, use disc utility to burn that to a Dual Layer DVD-wont fit on a regular dvd. I tried lol. Then you can use that disc to erase the HD and re-install clean.
You can just buy a 8 Gig USB stick, its easier and I believe faster.
Also, if its hard, there is an app for that.....
http://blog.gete.net/lion-diskmaker-us/
If you bought it after October of 2011, you shouldn't use a bootable Lion disc as it likely won't have the drivers yours came with. If you bought it before October 2011, then if you can make a bootable Lion DVD/Thumb Drive, the process of wiping and re-installing a blank copy of Lion will be substantially faster than using the Command-R/Command-Option-R method. In any event, if you have access to a bootable Mountain Lion DVD/Thumb Drive made from the Mountain Lion Installer (via the "extracting the InstallESD.dmg" method), wiping and reinstalling that way is preferable as Mountain Lion is preferable to Lion and will likely yield you more of a return on your MacBook Pro as it's seen as a perk.
You're making your own stick here, using the app, not buying a pre-installed stick