Start-up disc

[ChefClay]

Please bear with me - I am the owner of 2009 i Mac which I purchased second-hand.
It was running the ‘El Capitan’ program.
I recently sold the Mac and tried to reset it for the new owner. I erased my data (not copied as it was on my I phone)
I then got to where I was asked on screen for OS X El Capitan.
This I was told by Apple support was not the original program and I would require
original start-up disc (Snow Leopard 10.6)
This is not available.

I am now at the limbo position

where I can go no further.
Any advice would be appreciated please.
I just want to re set the Mac for the new owner.

 

[AmazingRobie]

Dear sir, I was recently in the same position as you. To avoid headache, the best way to do what you are asking is to have a second machine connected via firewire or thunderbolt and format the computer from the second computer using the Target disc mode function. It will save you many hours of internet research. Otherwise, good luck. Hope this helps...

 

[ChefClay]

Dear sir, I was recently in the same position as you. To avoid headache, the best way to do what you are asking is to have a second machine connected via firewire or thunderbolt and format the computer from the second computer using the Target disc mode function. It will save you many hours of internet research. Otherwise, good luck. Hope this helps...

Thank you for the advice.

 

[Fishrrman]

Do you have access to a DIFFERENT Mac?

If so, do this:
- get a 16gb USB flash drive
- download the free app "Boot Buddy"
- have a copy of the El Cap installer app handy on the other Mac.
- Use Boot Buddy to create a BOOTABLE copy of the installer on the USB flash drive
- Now take the flash drive to the 2009 iMac and boot up
- DON'T run the installer yet.
- Quit the installer and open Disk Utility
- ERASE the internal drive to HFS+ with journaling enabled
- NOW quit Disk Utility and re-open the installer
- Choose to install to the internal drive and let the installer do its thing.
- When done, the installer will present you with the setup screen
- DON'T start setup. Instead, reach around the back and hold the power-on button in until the iMac goes dark.
- NOW you're ready to hand it to the buyer.

Print out these instructions, follow them carefully, and you are 98.3% guaranteed of success

 

[nambuccaheadsau]

Snow Leopard OS X.6 is still being sold by Apple Online and would be the easiest way out of your fix and is only $20 with postage..


https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard