How do I restore Mac mini to factory settings?

I received a Mac mini from my mom & I want to wipe the entire unit & place my info on it and I'm not familiar with Macs. I could use a little help please

If it shipped with Mac OS X 10.6.8 or earlier, insert its original disk and restart the computer with the C key held down.
If it shipped with Mac OS X 10.7 or newer, restart with the Command and R keys held down.
Use the Disk Utility to erase the partition with Mac OS X installed, and then install a fresh OS onto it.
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Restoring Mac Mini to factory settings

I am trying to restore my MAC MINI to factory settings.
I am unable to access "disk utility" by restarting while holding down COMMAND+R keys.
I am using a windows keyboard.
Please help.
Thanks

Turn off the Mac. Do not restart.
Then, with your finger over the Alt key, turn on the unit, and depress the Alt key just after doing so. You should have it depressed well before you hear the chime and keep it depressed until after the list of bootable devices pops up. If you see an apple logo then things have not worked.
Keeping the key down before you startup often makes computers think that the key is stuck and ignore it altogether. I've not seen it on Macs but I certainly have on PCs.

Restoring Mac Mini to factory settings - which disk do I select?

Hello,
I am trying to restore my mac mini to factory settings.
I was able to access the disk utility but am not sure which disk I should select before erasing.
Options in Utilities pane:
500.11 GB Toshiba MK506GSXF Media
     Macintosh HD
Disc 1
     Mac OS X Base System
I want to reformat disk so that no existing data is retrievable AND want to be able to resintall the operating system thereby restoring to factory settings.
Your help is much appreciated!

Follow these instructions step by step to prepare a Mac for sale:
Step One - Back up your data:
       A. If you have any Virtual PCs shut them down. They cannot be in their "fast saved" state. They must be shut down from inside Windows.
       B. Clone to an external drive using using Carbon Copy Cloner.
          1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.
          2. Select the Source volume from the Select a source drop down menu on the left side.
          3. Select the Destination volume from the Select a destination drop down menu on the right
              side.
          4. Click on the Clone button. If you are prompted about creating a clone of the Recovery HD be
              sure to opt for that.
               Destination means a freshly erased external backup drive. Source means the internal
               startup drive.
Step Two - Prepare the machine for the new buyer:
          1. De-authorize the computer in iTunes! De-authorize both iTunes and Audible accounts.
          2, Remove any Open Firmware passwords or Firmware passwords.
          3. Turn the brightness full up and volume nearly so.
          4. Turn off File Vault, if enabled.
          5. Disable iCloud, if enabled: See What to do with iCloud before selling your computer.
Step Three - Install a fresh OS:
     A. Snow Leopard and earlier versions of OS X
          1. Insert the original OS X install CD/DVD that came with your computer.
          2. Restart the computer while holding down the C key to boot from the CD/DVD.
          3. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu; repartition and reformat the internal hard drive.
              Optionally, click on the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
          4. Install OS X.
          5. Upon completion DO NOT restart the computer.
          6. Shutdown the computer.
     B. Lion and Mountain Lion (if pre-installed on the computer at purchase*)
         Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because
                   it is three times faster than wireless.
          1. Restart the computer while holding down the COMMAND and R keys until the Mac OS X
              Utilities window appears.
          2. Select Disk Utility from the Mac OS X Utilities window and click on the Continue button.
          3. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the left side list. Click
              on the Erase tab in the DU main window.
          4. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on the Security button
              and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.
          5. Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
          6. Quit DU and return to the Mac OS X Utilities window.
          7. Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
          8. Upon completion shutdown the computer.
*If your computer came with Lion or Mountain Lion pre-installed then you are entitled to transfer your license once. If you purchased Lion or Mountain Lion from the App Store then you cannot transfer your license to another party. In the case of the latter you should install the original version of OS X that came with your computer. You need to repartition the hard drive as well as reformat it; this will assure that the Recovery HD partition is removed. See Step Three above. You may verify these requirements by reviewing your OS X Software License.

Completely restore mac mini to factory

how do i completely restore a mac mini to factory settings and totally wipe out any casched info?

If the computer has Lion or later, boot into the recovery partition and reformat/reinstall the OS
Some Solutions for Resetting Forgotten Security Questions: Apple Support Communities
- Other do the same with the OS installation disks

I bought a mac 2 days ago and transferred some files on there using migration assist which I did not want to. How do I restore my imac to factory settings so I can start again?

I bought a mac 2 days ago and transferred some files on there using migration assist which I did not want to. How do I restore my imac to factory settings so I can start again?

Look in /Users folder. You can go to System Preferences > Users & Groups, open the lock and "-" delete the account it created.
This is a problem whenever you use migration assistant after the initial install. The proper way to run Migration Assistant is in Setup Assistant when you first boot your Mac. I don't know why Apple isn't clearer about this issue.

How do I restore Mac Mini late 2009 to factory settings. Error occurs.

I have a late 2009 Mac Mini with 2.26 ghz core and 2 GB memory running Lion 10.7.4. I wish to restore my computer to factory settings but when I put in my Snow Leopard disc I continue to get an error message that reads "You can't use this version of the application Install Mac OS X with this version of Mac OS X. You have Install Mac OS X 23.1.1."
I wish to restore my Mac to Snow Leopard and then redownload Lion from the App Store and start fresh with 10.7.4 on my restored Mac but I am finding it incredibly difficult.

You might have to erase the Drive first, but did you try reinstalling Lion from the Restore Partition?
Hold CMD+r keys at bootup?
Otherwise...
1. Insert the Mac OS X Install disc, then restart the computer while holding the C key.
   2. When your computer finishes starting up from the disc, choose Disk Utility from the Installer menu at the top of the screen. (In Mac OS X 10.4 or later, you must select your language first.)
      *Important: Do not click Continue in the first screen of the Installer. If you do, you must restart from the disc again to access Disk Utility.*
   3. Click the Erase tab.

How can i restore mac back to factory

I want to restore my mac back to factory settings. How can I do it? Thanks

see posts here
https://discussions.apple.com/message/18059769#18059769

Help please! Urgent! How do I restore my computer to factory settings?

I got a potential buyer for my macbook pro because I'm selling to buy a Mac Pro. Anyway, he wants to pick up the computer in an hour and a half. I need to restore the computer to factory settings WHILE ALSO getting Windows XP off of this computer and making it one big Mac OSX hard drive as if someone just bought it. How do I do that? Please help! THANK YOU!

First, use the Boot Camp software to restore the drive to one partition (although I don't think you need to do this, it can also be done with what I'm about to say). Then, boot up using the system software the computer came with (the grey OS X discs), and open up the Disk Utility program. Format the hard drives you want to format, and if you didn't do the first step I said, I think you can format the Windows drive then format the Mac drive, then merge the two.
Then, restart and re-install the OS (Mac), and everything should be the way it was.
Just make sure to backup any data you want to save!
Hope that helps.

How do I restore 2008 iMac to factory settings?

I want to restore my 2008 iMac to its original settings.
I have already done the erase, but I'm having trouble getting it to start up again.

Giving away / Selling your Mac / Resetting the computer to factory condition
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5189
http://www.thesafemac.com/how-to-prepare-your-mac-for-sale/

How do I restore my ipod to factory settings, but I have a passcode lock, and my screen is broken so I can't type in my password when I connect to itunes?

Okay so I have had my ipod 4th gen for almost 2 years buy the screen has fallen out of the back casing, (I bought it as refurbished) and I am trying to reset it to factory settings, so when I get a new one I can register my device on apps/games since some apps require that you can only register on one device, but I think the thing that connects to the screen is ripped so the screen won't turn on and I can't physically touch it. What I want to know is how can I restore it with me not being able to type in the password lock since the screen is broken?
or is there a way to disable the passcode lock through the computer?

Place the iOS device in Recovery Mode and then connect to your computer and restore via iTunes. The iPod will be erased.
iOS: Wrong passcode results in red disabled screen
If recovery mode does not work try DFU mode.
How to put iPod touch / iPhone into DFU mode « Karthik's scribblings
For how to restore:
iTunes: Restoring iOS software
To restore from backup see:
iOS: How to back up
If you restore from iCloud backup the apps will be automatically downloaded. If you restore from iTunes backup the apps and music have to be in the iTunes library since synced media like apps and music are not included in the backup of the iOS device that iTunes makes.
You can redownload most iTunes purchases by:
Downloading past purchases from the App Store, iBookstore, and iTunes Store

How do I restore my iMac to factory settings?

I am sadly parting with my iMac but would like to remove everything off it and restore it to factory settings. What is the easiest way to go about this?

Most commonly used backup methods
Reset your Mac
If your files are going on a PC, then use a regular external drive (not TimeMachine) and right click format it exFAT on the PC, then use it on the Mac to transfer files too.
Don't format exFAT on the Mac.

Gday i erased my imac from my ipad using the find iphone app,how do i restore it back 2 factory settings

gday i erased my imac from my ipad using the find iphone app,how do i restore it so it can b used again

What OS did the Mac come pre-installed with, or have you upgraded it to Lion or Mountain Lion? You should be able to re-install using Internet Recovery, if you were on either of those OS's.
Restart holding down Command + Alt (Option) + r
You'll probably prompted for your Apple ID and you'll need to have the Mac connected to the internet - ideally via ethernet cable, although wifi should be OK if you have a reliable connection.
More details here: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
If you're on an earlier OS you'll need to use the grey restore disk that came with the Mac. Post back if you need more info.
P.S. Pleased to hear you got your Mac back.

How do I restore iMac 2006 to factory settings?

I have an iMac from 2006 that is currently running it's latest update, which is 10.6.8. I need to restore it to factory settings, as I am selling it. When the new user turns it on I want it to be just like it is a new Mac.
Thanks!

Click here and follow the instructions. When you reach step 5, insert its original disk, restart with the C or Option key held down, use the Disk Utility to erase the internal drive, and install a fresh OS.
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How can I restore my stystem to factory settings if I replaced the internal hard drive

My computers been runing slow and its time for a factory reset. I only use the computer really as a media center hooked up to my tv since I built my desktop a year or so ago. I already copyied everything I wanted to keep off the laptop. A year or so ago I had to replace the internal hard drive because there was a problem with it. i don't have a restore disk and the partictian didn't get copied to this hard drive. how can i restore to factory settings? the computer is a toshibia qosmio x 505 q885.

Qosmio X505-Q885
If you failed to burn recovery discs, you can obtain them from Toshiba at Get Recovery Media here.
For instructions, see the section Restoring from recovery DVDs/media, which begins on p. 70 of the User's Guide.
Qosmio X500 Series User’s Guide
-Jerry

How do i restore phone back to factory settings if there is no sim card and no internet connection

There is no sim card in my phone and no internet connection. How do i restore the phone back to the factory settings?

That is about all a user can do
One last thing ,try this thread
how to put iOS 7 into DFU mode
and try that although not an Apple supported process and read the posts carefully
but it does look as if it now is a hardware issue .....sorry
Did you not clear it before sending to the online Co
just a thought was it carrier locked ?if so I would guess the online Selling Co may have hacked it to remove the lock to sell it as a not carrier locked device

How do I restore Mac mini to factory settings?

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