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AudioGames.net Forum → Off-topic room → Two Mac Questions
Hi all. I got a Mac from an auction site, and it is still loaded with content: apps, some files, and God knows how many saved passcodes. So, how do I erase all content, settings, and the like? I will say I do lack a disk, and am not likely to buy one.
The second item is how do I import my iPod's music? I see options to Sync, but nothing about importing music, apps, and podcasts. Transfer purchases does not accomplish this task.
Hi.
Here is what you need to do. I assume you know how to use Voiceover, so I won't go into more details regarding to that. But if you don't know how to use Voiceover, feel free to ask. 
1: Open up the app store.
2: Search for Mavericks, download the operating system which requires you to log in with your Apple ID.
Downloading Mavericks can take forever depending on your connection. You can go into the menubar and swich to the purchased window and follow the download process there.
3: When Mavericks is downloaded, it will open up the instaler automatically. Close the installer and the window, and continue with the steps.
Why do you need to download the operating system and then close the installer?
Mavericks is updated with the other persons Apple ID. If you just wipe the disc and trys to install the operating system in recovery mode, you'll be in very bad trouble, because your Apple ID hasn't been used to download the installer on that machine. Then, you would get a message saying that the Apple ID which was used to update to Mavericks is required! So for this reason, it is very, very important to link your Apple ID to Mavericks on your machine like this.
when all that is done,:
4: Shut down the machine.
5: Press the power button, and as soon you hear the start up chime, hold down the command key and R to boot up into recovery mode.
6: Wait a half minute or so, and now you can launch Voiceover.
7: Choose Disc utility in the table, and choose continue. You might need to choose your language first though, I don't remember.
8: Choose the second tab which is remove where you can format partitions, discs etc. Here you can do two things: 1: Just format the disc, or 2: Wipe the partition. I would just format the disc, and only care about the partitions if the previous user have changed that. I'll recommend you to choose to overwrite the disc once, not the quick format, to be sure all data is gone.
When the disc is formatted, you can shut down the machine again, boot up into Recovery mode, choose install Mac OSX in the table and reinstall the OS.
If you only have wireless internet you might run into some trouble on getting the machine onto your wifi while in the Recovery mode. It's doable but quite difficult. I don't remember exactly how to do this. You need to press VO M twice, but Voiceover is messed up in the status menu.
Feel free to ask if you need more help.
Oh, by the way, the iTunes thing:
I don't use iTunes very much, but you should be able to choose manual sync and just copy your music into your computer.
Hi.
Hmm, won't the recovery partition just install the other person's OS X?
I recommend you make a bootable thumb drive with the OS X Mavericks app you got from the app store.
In order to do this, use disk maker X which can be found at
http://diskmakerx.com/downloads/DiskMakerX.dmg
Copy the file into your applications folder and open it.
If it says it's corrupted and can't be open, go to system preferences, security, and then choose the general tab.
If all the options are dimmed, find the lock at the bottom of the window and press it.
If you have a password, type it or just press enter and it will unlock the preferences.
Now, go and find a thing that says allow downloaded applications from and make sure the anywhere radio button is checked.
Go back and run Disk maker X.
In the window, choose Mavericks, 10.9.
It should detect your install mavericks.app file in your applications folder.
Next, just choose the disk where you want to create the bootable drive.
I recommend you save any data you want to somewhere else, since it will have to reformat the disk for it to be bootable.
Once you have done all that, wait until you hear a little cheer sound and it says it's all done.
Now, shutdown the mac and turn it on.
When you hear the chime, hold down the option key for a few seconds.
Now, press the left or right arrow to find your newly created Mavericks installer.
You may need sighted help to get this right.
For some reason, you can't choose the disk as a startup disk in the startup disk section of system preferences.
So, once you have loaded the disk, press command f5 and choose disk utility.
Find the Macintosh HD partition and choose the erase tab.
Now, you can do a simple erase or a secure erase.
I just do simple erase but if you want to make sure the data won't be recoverable, choose single erase or what ever it calls it.
Note: The secure erases might take a long time to complete.
So, once you've wiped the Macintosh HD disk, go back to the table and choose install OS X.
From here it should be a pretty simple process. You will have to wait about 20 or 30 minutes, but everything should install.
At some point it will say that you need to restart your computer.
Go ahead and do that.
Just wait a little while. You may get a voice saying Mac oS X includes VoiceOver and to turn it on press command f5.
Go ahead and do that and you will be in the setup assistant.
The setup assistant is pretty easy to use so just go through it.
Once you're all done, you will have a clean install of Mavericks.
I hope this helps you.
No, Chris.
When you choose to reinstall the OS from the recovery, an registered Apple ID which has been used to download the OS is required. As soon as you enter the Apple ID in the recovery, it will begin to download the whole OS from the internet, and start to install a totally new and fresh copy.
Your solution does also work for sure, but it's much harder.
One thing which just came to my mind is that you can also just wipe the user account, but if you do that wrong and you don't have sighted assistance, you're in trouble. It's not hard though. I can write the instructions on how to do that if needed.
I should go to Apple, About this Mac, and tell us which Mac you have. Then we can look up the details of what it came with, and how you can do a complete wipe, IMHO.
I should go to Apple, About this Mac, and tell us which Mac you have. Then we can look up the details of what it came with, and how you can do a complete wipe, IMHO.
Why does it matter what it came with, if Mavericks is installed on the machine?
Hi.
I think wiping the whole hard drive and starting over would be the best thing.
That way, you aren't left with the previous user's crap or anything installed on the system.
True. Deleting the user doesn't do much gd. The apps are still on the system. What's more, some key apps are missing, such as Safari.
So, King gamer, do you find our replies helpful? Or do you need more help?
Just deleting the user is enough, if there aren't many apps installed on the computer. But if there are installed a lot of things, it isn't enough.
Just let us know if you have more questions.
Sebby wrote:I should go to Apple, About this Mac, and tell us which Mac you have. Then we can look up the details of what it came with, and how you can do a complete wipe, IMHO.
Why does it matter what it came with, if Mavericks is installed on the machine?
Because that way we know if he's authorised to use it from recovery, whether or not network recovery will work and what it will boot to, what connectivity he has, etc.
The only thing which madders is what operating system is installed.
If he downloads Mavericks using his Apple ID, he's authorised to download Mavericks in recovery mode.
So it does more madder what operating system is installed on the machine.
But he wants to wipe it clean, yes? As discussed earlier, it seems to me that using the app to build a USB stick is the complete solution, but if the machine came with Mavericks, booting Internet recovery is quick and easy. So knowing what the machine came with may help. JMO.
As an aside, it might be worth subscribing yourself to the macvisionaries list to get help from others if you are very new to the Mac.
My Mac won't support Mavericks. I clicked it, and it was like: dude, what are you doing? And how do I mount my iPod to the desktop? I'm in Snow Leopard, with iOS 7.1.
Oh crap!
Is the laptop the plastic model in wide or black plastic? Those models doesn't support Mavericks if I remember correctly.
Did you got any dvds with the machine?
Hi.
Hmm, I think you may be able to update that macbook to Lion.
You will have to buy it off the apple online store and you get some kind of code.
Alternatively, you could just buy a DVD of Snow Leopard and reinstall that.
Personally, I love SnowLeopard simply because it was the first version of OS X that I used and was the last version to have a really good sounding Alex.
OH well.
So yeah, I think your choices are update to Lion or reinstall Snow Leopard.
If you go the Lion option, you will be able to install some of the vocalizer voices.
I think they're automotive but you will have access to them for free.
edit
Actually, go to about this mac and then system information and put the model identifier here. This will let me or someone else verify what maximum version of OS X that macbook will support.
And it is, of course, right about now that it would be really useful to know what type of Mac it is, and what's inside it. 
Edit: if you need media, please get in touch with me and I will help you get what you need.
That's a vintage plastic MacBook 2006-7, with GMA950 graphics. Latest OS is Lion, but in all probability you will be happiest with Snow Leopard. What would you like to do?
I'm keeping the Leopard. I already accidentally dropped money on Mountain Lion, and am not willing to risk another bunch of money on Lion.
If you get in touch privately, I can send you a Snow Leopard image, if you do not have one. I can also fix you up with Lion, if that's your preference.
Leopard is very sweet, but I do recommend SL for that machine.
Edit: and of course, it'll make a fine XP box, too.
Well, Snow leopard will work fine on that machine, and runs quite stable. However, for security reasons I would run Lion, but that's just a personal choice.
If you choose to keep Leopard or Snow leopard on your machine, I'll highly recommend you to get a dvd with the operating system so you can reinstall the OS.
@SLJ: mmm, trust me, Lion runs like crap on those old boxes, specially if it comes with the default 2GB of RAM. I agree security, but how long is that going to last?
I have a DVD image, if needed. The machine came with Leopard, BTW.
@kinggamer222: your email reached me, but I couldn't reply. You need to update your profile with the correct email, or try again to reach me with a valid address directly. As if the PM blackout couldn't have been better timed ...
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