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dnttrp

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 2, 2012
7
0
i'm selling my mbp today and i have no idea how to restore factory setting without the disc!

help me out guys!

i've looked at a ton of youtube tutorials but all of them require a disc.

i'm completely lost. :(:(:(:(
 

pscraig

macrumors member
Apr 9, 2008
91
0
If it's fairly new use the recovery partition. Boot into it, and erase the disk (suggest some sort of secure erase) using disk utility. Then use internet recovery to load OS X.

Other than that, especially if it's a pre-2011 Mac (or 2010 13") you are going to need either a boot disc, bootable USB drive, or another Mac via Firewire to erase the disc. But now you have no way to install OS X.

The Apple Store sells the OS X Lion USB Thumb Drive for $69, which will both allow you to securely erase your drive as well as load OS X onto it. It is bootable and is what I suggest you get to do what you need. The buyer is going to need a way to restore the OS at some point anyway. iLife will not be included however.
 

bdodds1985

macrumors 6502a
Jul 18, 2011
867
0
Tartarus
more info. we can't help if you don't tell us what kind of MBP it is. as the poster above me stated, all of them are different and the newer ones have a built in recovery or you can use a USB drive. most other ones have a disc.
 

iThinkergoiMac

macrumors 68030
Jan 20, 2010
2,664
4
Terra
Long story short: if you have Lion installed on the machine, you can use the built-in recovery partition (hold option while booting to access it). If you have any other version of OS X, you need either a disc to erase the HDD and install a blank OS, or you need another Mac and connect it via Firewire in Target Disc Mode to erase it.

If you're planning on selling it with a blank OS on it, then with Lion you can do it from the HDD itself, but with all other versions of OS X you need the disc!
 
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