Preparing my MacBook to sell.

[gmez]

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post on this forum, although I've used a lot of info on the site, so thanks!

I'm getting ready to sell my MacBook Pro to upgrade and need some advice about clearing my data. I don't have any secret documents with nuclear missile codes or anything, I'm only concerned about passwords saved in cookies and maybe emails. Yeah my photos and music too, but if someone really wants to see my photos I don't really care.

I'm going to be selling it to a friend of a friend so I can't say I really know the person. Also, I have a couple programs, most notably Mac Office that I DON'T want to delete. Not to be a bother but I'm not super Mac savvy so any directions may need to be in layman's terms.

Thank you so much I appreciate your time!!

Giuseppe

 

[iBookG4user]

If you want to erase it securely (ie erase everything on the hard drive) then put in the Mac OS X install disk and reboot the computer. Upon hearing the chime hold down the "c" key and wait until the installer loads. Once it's loaded you should see a Utilities option on the menubar, from there click on "Disk Utility". Select your hard drive and then click on the "Erase" tab, from there click on "Security Options".

Depending on how paranoid you are you can select Zero Out Data or if you're really paranoid "7-pass Erase". Then go ahead and click on "Erase..." once it is done reinstall Mac OS X and install the programs that you want to include with the computer.

 

[gmez]

Alright, well there is one problem with that....I don't have the Mac OS X Install disk

And does doing this delete all software as well? That is if I did have the discs...

 

[iBookG4user]

Alright, well there is one problem with that....I don't have the Mac OS X Install disk

And does doing this delete all software as well? That is if I did have the discs...

You'll need to find one if you want your personal data on the computer erased.

And yes, it will delete all the software as well. The problem is that in this case you can choose security or convenience in this case. With security you'll know that all your important information is erased so that the new owner cannot access it, but all your programs will be gone. With convenience there's a chance that your personal data will still be there, but all the programs will still be on there.

Although, you'll need to find an install disk for your computer.

You might want to take a look at this, for a third option.

 

[ouimetnick]

Your hard drive stores the operating system (Mac OSX), you files (movies, pictures, music, documents, etc), and your programs. In short, If you and I had the same Mac, you could put your Hard drive in my Mac, and it would start up, and everything would be exactly the same as it looked and functioned on your Mac. So erasing your hard drive, will remove every single bit of data stored on it, and I gave you some examples of that.

 

[Pikkuroope]

If you plan to sell the computer with a os inside it you should also provide the install medias to the buyer, that's more of a problem if you don't have those.

 

[gmez]

If you plan to sell the computer with a os inside it you should also provide the install medias to the buyer, that's more of a problem if you don't have those.

Well I have the medias, just not here. I am in a foreign country but plan on sending these to the buyer once I return.

Go into System Preferences and click on Accounts. Click the lock to make changes and then enter your password and click OK. Click the plus button to create a new account and select Administrator from the menu when entering the new account information. Once this is done log out of your account and into the new one you created. At that point you can go back into accounts and remove your account by highlighting it and clicking the minus button. You can choose the option here to delete the home folder, which will delete all of your files. But if you want to be more secure choose the "Do Not Change Home Folder" option. Then you can drag your user folder to the trash and do a Secure Empty Trash. This way the new owner could not recover any of your deleted files. Do that if you have any sensitive information on the computer and want the added security.

Thanks iBookG4User...this may be a feasible option for me. Unfortunately this post had no responses, anyone know/heard anything about this?


Thanks,

Giuseppe

 

[iBookG4user]

Thanks iBookG4User...this may be a feasible option for me. Unfortunately this post had no responses, anyone know/heard anything about this?


Thanks,

Giuseppe

The one thing that you want to check if you do use this method is which applications folder the programs are in. To do this click on the hard drive on the desktop and the Applications, afterwards check this folder to see if the applications are listed within it.

 

[gmez]

Ok I checked and the ones I want kept were under the Applications file...under Get Info:Where: it said /Applications

Should it they moved to Macintosh HD?

 

[iBookG4user]

Ok I checked and the ones I want kept were under the Applications file...under Get Info:Where: it said /Applications

Should it they moved to Macintosh HD?

So are the applications in here?

 

[gmez]

So are the applications in here?

It looks like this...and the Microsoft Office is what I'm focused on keeping.

 

[iBookG4user]

It looks like this...and the Microsoft Office is what I'm focused on keeping.

As long as the applications that you want to keep are in that particular applications folder then you will be fine using the method above.