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Selling Macbook, looking for help

D

dotherocawear

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hi, I tried searching these forums with a few different search terms but nothing came up for what i was looking for. I'm trying to find out the best way to clean up a macbook for resale to my cousin.

Ideally, I would like to put everything on my external and wipe the macbook clean so when she boots it up the first time it will be like a "new computer" experience.
 
back up your files. erase and re install osx. you can find out how to erase and install on the apple site under support
 
I would recommend using the the "7 pass" erase feature in the disc utility while reinstalling OS X. And after you have backed up all your data.
 
ptsube said:
I would recommend using the the "7 pass" erase feature in the disc utility while reinstalling OS X. And after you have backed up all your data.
Click to expand...

Just bear/bare (I should really know which of those to use) in mind that 7 pass erase will take seven times longer than the standard erase feature.
 
tristangage said:
Just bear/bare (I should really know which of those to use) in mind that 7 pass erase will take seven times longer than the standard erase feature.
Click to expand...

...and is total overkill. Government agencies do not even recommend 7 passes. Unless you have serious security worries I would not worry with that many.

Edit* See article here
 
If you are selling it to your cousin, don't bother with any secure erase. Just format and reinstall is sufficient.
 
dotherocawear said:
Ideally, I would like to put everything on my external and wipe the macbook clean so when she boots it up the first time it will be like a "new computer" experience.
Click to expand...

Follow these simple instructions. Before turning the old machine over to the new owner, I would reinstall Leopard or Snow Leopard (whichever your machine came with) using the erase and install method (erasing as thoroughly as you deem necessary). Then, I would quit the installation at the point you enter Setup Assistant At this point, don't enter any information. Instead, quit setup assistant using command+q and shut down the computer. By quitting, the new owner will get the machine exactly as it would have come from the factory.

Quoted from http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10632030&#10632030

I would use the simplest erase if I were selling it to my cousin.
 
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