MacMost Now 553: Preparing Your Mac For Resale

Before you resell or pass on an old Mac, you should clean the hard drive and install OS X from the original discs or OS X upgrade discs. Here's how to do it while making sure your data has been completely removed from the old Mac.

Comments: 7 Responses to “MacMost Now 553: Preparing Your Mac For Resale”

    Ruud
    13 years ago

    When you install the OS software you must fill in personal data and must create an account. What do you do if you don't know who the new owner will be?

      13 years ago

      I just put "Mac" or something like that. Then I leave the password blank (and tell the new owner that it is blank). They can then change the password, or add a second user and remove the first.

        Ruud
        13 years ago

        I guess you then also fill in fake data in the address fields etc?
        And isn't it so that once you have created an account, you can't change the name anymore, therefore the only option is to create a new account (with admin privileges)?

          13 years ago

          Just leave the address blank.
          You can't change the name of the account, right. But you would create a second account and delete the first. Standard procedure.

            Ruud
            13 years ago

            Thanks Gary,
            BTW most address fields are obligatory (at least here in the Netherlands), so I'll have to fill in some fake data.

            Cheers,
            Ruud (longtime viewer of your podcast)

              13 years ago

              Try hitting the "continue" button (or whatever it is called) a second time. I seem to remember that if you press it a second time, it will let you skip the address fields.

                Ruud
                13 years ago

                I'll try that one out on my next clean install and see if it works

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