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Preparing iBook for sale

bodeh6

bodeh6

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
May 18, 2005
773
0
I just sold my iBook on Ebay for $750 and already have all of my files backed up on my Firewire HD. Just wanted to see what would be the best way to prepare the iBook for the new owner. I just insert the Tiger Disc and choose what option. Looking for a quick answer. Shipping later today.
 
Just completely erase everything on the HD. Do a clean install with every driver, and software using the back up disks the iBook came with. Don't update or anything. My bet is the new owner will install Tiger again upon arrival.
 
If you want to be very safe, delete all your files and secure empty trash. Then, reboot from the Tiger discs, choose "erase and install" and put on a fresh copy of Tiger.

When it's done installing and the registration screen comes up, just hold down the power button until the ibook shuts off. when the new owner gets it and powers it up for the first time, the registration screen will come up, just as if it were brand new. :)

If you're less concerned about security, you can just do the erase and install without doing a secure empty trash of your files first.
 
Do an erase and install. Shut off the iBook at the Welcome screen and the new owner will be greeted with the welcome screen, language selection, etc.
 
If you have important data on there i would personally erase it first then due the erase and install.
 
Thanks I thought that was how you did it. No I don't have any sensitive information unless you think MS iPod parady, Axel F music video, and my music collection is important.
 
make sure to ship via fedex or UPS with insurance. USPS will distroy just about anything they handle!
 
REDSRT4 said:
make sure to ship via fedex or UPS with insurance. USPS will distroy just about anything they handle!
Click to expand...

lol my grandma had shipped my mother some dishes via USPS and it came back :eek: *broken*

I second REDSRT4's motion in using FedEx/DHL/UPS
 
If you want to be super safe and bullet proof, you just a "erase and install" OSX from when reinstalling OSX, then make multiple copies of a file until it takes the space of the entire HDD, and then reinstall OSX once again.
 
REDSRT4 said:
make sure to ship via fedex or UPS with insurance. USPS will distroy just about anything they handle!
Click to expand...

I'll third that opinion, as they crushed my G5 tower so that it was bent all over and couldn't stand up straight. And it was insured and they wouldn't pay... :mad:
 
reh said:
Do an erase and install. Shut off the iBook at the Welcome screen and the new owner will be greeted with the welcome screen, language selection, etc.
Click to expand...


This is the way I would want to be presented with a new computer. I got mine with an account still on it.... Stupid ebay seller.
 
lexus said:
How was it packed?
Click to expand...

This is indeed the most important question. All the shipping companies screw up from time to time, and all of them abuse their packages.

One of my friends was doing the night shift at UPS for a while and he said if you don't expect your box to be dropped, kicked, and possibly thrown, then you're not living in the same world your package is going through.

It all comes down to packing, good packing can solve 99% of problems, beyond the company losing it.
 
ibook g4 won't erase

hey i'm trying to sell my i book as well
i went to disk utilitity and attempted to erase but the options are grey and unselectable
so i did the software restore and the 5 discs and nothing changed
how do i reformat my computer to original so i can sell it?
thanks
 
machineuser said:
hey i'm trying to sell my i book as well
i went to disk utilitity and attempted to erase but the options are grey and unselectable
so i did the software restore and the 5 discs and nothing changed
how do i reformat my computer to original so i can sell it?
thanks
Click to expand...
You have to run Disk Utility from your install discs. Or simply perform an "erase and install" of OS X.
 
see thats what people have said
but how do I do that
i put those cds in and they just do what they do
how do i run disk utility from them?
right now i just go to applications then utilities then disk utility and it does not allow me to erase
this is so frustrating...
how do i simply perform an erase and install of mac os x???
please heeeeelp
 
machineuser said:
see thats what people have said
but how do I do that
i put those cds in and they just do what they do
how do i run disk utility from them?
right now i just go to applications then utilities then disk utility and it does not allow me to erase
this is so frustrating...
how do i simply perform an erase and install of mac os x???
please heeeeelp
Click to expand...
Using the copy of Disk Utility in your Applications folder will not work because you're trying to tell it to erase the disk you're currently running OS X from. You can't do that. Disk Utility is in the menu just after you select your preferred language on your install discs.
 
machineuser said:
see thats what people have said
but how do I do that
i put those cds in and they just do what they do
how do i run disk utility from them?
right now i just go to applications then utilities then disk utility and it does not allow me to erase
this is so frustrating...
how do i simply perform an erase and install of mac os x???
please heeeeelp
Click to expand...

You have to boot from the Restore CD. Insert Disc, reboot, HOLD DOWN C
 
That's a great price to sell your ibook for. There are 12 inch powerbooks with the same specs as your ibook going for less. Good luck spending it!
 
why is this so hard
so i insert the disc 1 and go through the steps at liscense agreement is where i select language i look through top menu bar and see nothing for disk utility.
then i continue to go through then cancel before installation step.
so i then restart with the dics in and hold down the 'c' key as soon as it goes to shut and restart and continue to hold the 'c' key until it is completely restarted...nothing happened
 
machineuser said:
why is this so hard
so i insert the disc 1 and go through the steps at liscense agreement is where i select language i look through top menu bar and see nothing for disk utility.
then i continue to go through then cancel before installation step.
so i then restart with the dics in and hold down the 'c' key as soon as it goes to shut and restart and continue to hold the 'c' key until it is completely restarted...nothing happened
Click to expand...

HOLD down C AFTER you hear the startup chime.
 
ok this time i held down option after the chimes
and the screen shows a curved arrow to the left a hd in the middle and a right pointing arrow on the right
 
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