Question about restoring M1 iMac to factory settings

[ssledoux]

I have a pending local sale on my M1 iMac. I have not updated from Big Sur, so I was looking at the steps in a MacRumors post about restoring it for a new owner.

I’m good up until they talk about it reloading the OS - where does that come from? Is that something that has to download over wifi?

I’m pretty techno-challenged with stuff like this, but I have absolutely HORRIBLE wifi, and even worse cellular connectivity, so I am afraid to do something like this and have the computer just sitting trying to load something for literal DAYS.

I’m selling to someone I know, so it’s not like if there’s a random photo or something on there, it’ll be a big deal, but IDK if just signing out of my iCloud and removing stuff is good enough to get everything off.

Hoping for some info - thanks!

 

[Onionring]

Hey, as long as you delete anything(docs, applications, wifi passwords etc) you don’t want to share and sign out of icloud, i think you will be fine given you are going to sell it to someone you know and he/she won’t try to restore deleted files. Yes, you need wifi/ethernet to download OS from apple website if you want to reinstall the OS and it is a huge file.

 

[Apple_Robert]

The easiest thing to do (being you are tech challenged) is to upgrade the iMac to Monterey and then follow these simple instructions. Once you upgrade, getting the iMac ready for your friend will take less than 3 minutes.

 

[Onionring]

Another solution. But the upgrade will need download a huge system installer file which I guess should be around 12GB. Could take some time with bad internet speed.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Another solution. But the upgrade will need download a huge system installer file which I guess should be around 12GB. Could take some time with bad internet speed.

You are right. The download will take some time. However, I don't think Stacey is in a hurry. If she is, she could take the iMac to her daughter's house (provided service is better there) and do the download. She could also take it to the Apple store and use their Wifi and get it ready for sale. She could also use the public library's wifi connection. If she trusted the person she is selling to, she could take the iMac to that house, do the download and upgrade to Monterey, and then follow the simple restore in the video (just like wiping your phone and starting over).

 

[ssledoux]

The easiest thing to do (being you are tech challenged) is to upgrade the iMac to Monterey and then follow these simple instructions. Once you upgrade, getting the iMac ready for your friend will take less than 3 minutes.

Well that’s not really easy because of my HORRIBLE internet. I’ll look at the size of the download, but not sure it’s even possible really. I guess I could get that done once it’s moved to the new location though - better internet.

 

[Fatus_Asticus]

After you format the drive you’ll be asked to reinstall. The system reboots, asks for your Wi-Fi and then downloads the os again. Finally it installs and brings you to the location/country screen for first login. Took my M1 mba an hour start to finish. Initially said 2 hours, the estimate wasn’t close to accurate the entire time.

 

[ssledoux]

Thanks everyone. I just turned off find my iMac, logged out of iCloud and didn’t save anything, and changed the admin. There doesn’t appear to be anything of mine there.

 

[Apple_Robert]

Thanks everyone. I just turned off find my iMac, logged out of iCloud and didn’t save anything, and changed the admin. There doesn’t appear to be anything of mine there.

Someone that knows what he or she is doing, may still be able to see what files you have had on the iMac.

If you didn't have FileVault turned on, you were not and are not currently protected from the aforementioned with the way you currently have the machine, especially if you had bank information and the like on the iMac. Ideally, you need boot into recovery mode > system utilities > show all drives, and delete the very top SSD drive that has numbers in the title.

 

[ssledoux]

Someone that knows what he or she is doing, may still be able to see what files you have had on the iMac.

If you didn't have FileVault turned on, you were not and are not currently protected from the aforementioned with the way you currently have the machine, especially if you had bank information and the like on the iMac. Ideally, you need boot into recovery mode > system utilities > show all drives, and delete the very top SSD drive that has numbers in the title.

Well actually my daughter and her husband are buying it, so I should be okay. If not I know wheee to find them. ?