I am fed up! I want to just reinstall and start from scratch, well almost..

Can i take it to my local apple repair shop and ask them to save certain things (Pics/movie clips/music)but then give me a totally clean computer back, do you think they can/will and how much do you think they will charge me? Im in Scotland by the way...

Hello Julie.
It is highly recommended that you maintain a backup of your important data yourself for a number of reasons (preferably saved/stored on an external firewire drive with at least the same capacity as your internal drive used for backup purposes only which can also provide for creating and maintaining a complete bootable clone backup of your hard drive which you can boot your Mac from if needed in an emergency) with an important reason being it isn't a matter of if but when your hard drive has a partial or complete failure since none last forever.
There are some inexpensive and easy to use backup utilities available that provide for this with the biggest expense being the external drive but you can get a large capacity drive that includes a USB and Firewire hub for less than $200 which is like an insurance policy.
This will also allow you to perform an Erase & Install yourself which isn't a very difficult or involved procedure.
I also have the same question - what are you interested in or need to re-install?

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I want to upgrade my old airport express to the new express. Can I just switch out the old for the new or must I delete the old network first and start from scratch with the new express?

I want to upgrade my old airport express to the new express. Can I just switch out the old for the new or must I delete the old network first and start from scratch with the new express?

It is not necessary to delete your old wireless networks first, but doing so may eliminate confusion. If you wish to do that, open System Preferences > Network, and select Wi-Fi from the left column. Click the Advanced... button, then select your old wireless networks and delete them with the "–" (minus) button. Make sure the "Remember networks this computer has joined" remains checked.
OK then Apply.
This prevents your Mac from searching for your previous network which will no longer exist.
A new Express creates an open wireless network that you must select before you can configure it. It appears in your Wi-Fi menu like this:
Select it. AirPort Utility will load and walk you through its configuration.
Edit: If you are really using OS X 10.5.1 as shown in your profile, the above screenshot is not applicable. Instead, select the network called "Apple network nnnnnn" and then launch AirPort Utility.

Just purchased a ex demo iMac from a store and i want to reset and start from scratch how do i do this please

just purchased a ex demo iMac from a store and would like to reset and start again how do i do this

I would take it back to the store and have them do this for you, that should be a condition of the purchase. However the easiest method is to boot into the Recovery Partition (Command + R) on startup, use Disk Utility to erase the HD and then install OS X again. This will give you a fresh start.

I want to factory reset my MacBook Pro to delete EVERYTHING in there and start from scratch but it won't work! HELPP!

I have a MacBook Pro and I have A LOT of files in there which I don't need anymore. And it's too much to sit and do it one by one so I want to completely reset it to factory settings. I tried booting it from the OS X CD by holding C during startup but it won't work. It just gets stuck on the white or gray screen with the apple logo. Nothing else. I'm assuming that it's because the software version on the Mac is 10.6.8 but the boot disk I'm using is 10.6.3? But I'm not sure.
I also tried booting the CD with holding the option key and choosing the disk, same problem.
Opening Disk Utility while regularly logged in, won't let me delete.
Also tried changing the setting of what to boot in on startup, still gets frozen on the apple logo.
Please what can I do to fix this and delete everything?
Thank you in advance!

Clean Install of Snow Leopard
     1. Boot the computer using the Snow Leopard Installer Disc. Insert the disc into the
         optical drive and restart the computer. After the chime press and hold down the
         "C" key. Release the key when you see a small spinning gear appear below the
         dark gray Apple logo.
     2. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue
         button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
         After DU loads select the hard drive entry from the left side list (mfgr.'s ID and drive
         size.) Click on the Partition tab in the DU main window. Set the number of
         partitions to one (1) from the Partitions drop down menu, set the format type to Mac
         OS Extended (Journaled, if supported), then click on the Partition button.
     3. When the formatting has completed quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed
         with the OS X installation and follow the directions included with the installer.
     4. When the installation has completed your computer will Restart into the Setup
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         username and password that you used on your old drive. After you finish Setup
         Assistant will complete the installation after which you will be running a fresh
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I just got a MacBook pro os 10.4.11, do I format and start from scratch, or just trash all existing non so files

Mac's Hard drive is full of pics, home videos, it's all been backed up to an external HD. Do I risk formatting and reinstalling everything that seems to be working fine?

Thanks , did it but I may have to do it again. While installing, I had the external attached, did manage to disconect it without wiping it, TG. but after my install, the fresh OS couldn't open files on the external. So I connected the ED to my old IMac and everything was there, opened fine. So I ran disk utility, first aid, first verified, confirmed verification, repaired permissions and so on. (all of which have no idea exactly what it does) but it fixed it. I hooked that ED to the MacBook Pro and files opened, no problem. It's up and running fine, quite fast, however..
I did not see this last reply from Kappy. Thanks by the way. I did not notice the (smart status), and I must have partitioned, (don't remember doing it) because when I ran disk utility yesterday, it did say " jurneled" somewhere. My concern is my MBP does seem to take a while to boot, the chord sound plays right away, but it does seem to take longer to reach desk top. I had some crashes yesterday, while editing in IMovie but that's before I DU. After DU she still seems the take a bit longer to display the Mac OSX loading screen. Maybe it just me.
I'll see how it goes from here on, will redo as u have suggested above, if problems appear or if u have any suggestions as how I can test my install to insure everything is correct and uncorripted? One problem I do have is that ITunes will not connect, I understand this it a common problem with the MacBookPro running OS 10.4.11, on an early intel albumin case, because u cant run newer itunes on it. But some have suggested i might try an earlier itunes that may work? also this unit has lost it's display at one point, it did not reappear until it was hooked up to an external display, the external worked, and after playing wt the settings, I got the inboard one back, although it has momentarily gone out a few times since, and I do understand this is a bad chip common to these units, but we all have to live in hope.
Again u have been great, I'm looking forward to transferring some of my GarageBand projects over from my iPad sine the one on the Mac has soo many more advantages, problem is, can't until I tunes works. I can only send songs that are completed. One step at a time, thanks, Daaaaat

My mid-2009 MacBook Pro's hard drive is near death. I want to install a new SSD and work from scratch. Please help.

Recently, my mid-2009 MacBook Pro has been crashing when I close the screen ("it's having a problem recognizing when the screen is closed/open and deciding what to do, error overload etc."). It wasn't an SMC issue so I took it to an Apple Store, ran some tests, and decided my hard-drive is failing.
Not wanting to spend an insane amount of money on some "official apple hard-drive," I want to install a new 256GB SSD instead. Hoping to squeeze as much life out of this computer as possible (in January I upgraded from 4 GB RAM to 8 GB), I would like to try and start from scratch, i.e. back-up important folders, music, photos etc. and only take that to the new hard-drive. If someone could explain all the steps I need to take to safely complete this task (or point me in the direction of a guide) I'd appreciate it.
Potentially Important info:
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     Processor:          2.53 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
     Memory:             4 GB 1067 MHz DDR3
     Software:            OS X 10.8.4
Some additional questions I have...
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cwgonzalez1192
     Should I be concerned with making a fully bootable back-up (not sure what that is called) as well? If so, what program should I use to create it?
     How much more life should I try and push out of this computer? I'm an engineering student and really only use it for web-surfing, music, and
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Well there is no "official Apple HD / SSD" in any regard, no worries there.
If as you say youre only using same for surfing and word processing, why the need for a SSD? You would not notice any speed diff. in use on either of those,....in boot times yes, but in word or surfing, not.
You can push it likely a few more years, for mere surfing and word processing,...many many years.   Up TO the point that any major fixes become unrealistic relative to getting a new(ER) machine.
Concerned with a boot clone? yes and no. Its an ideal immediate recovery, since you cannot boot from Time Machine, ....in case of HD crash, recovery takes seconds from boot, or 20 mins or so from removing old and installing a clone. All the prosumers and pros have at least one updated clone of their prime machines.
You can do a "fresh install" if you choose, however if your current drive is FINE, why not merely clone it and save yourself some headache?...., but that is your prerogative of course.    Ideally 2 drives, one to backup your data (you need that regardless of installing a new drive for sake of a backup/archive,...ideally 2 actually, not merely one).
You could clone internal to NEW SSD/HD , ...then offload unnecessary files to an external to free up space and clutter and run off the clone, and this would only take a couple hours......the clone itself takes approx. 40+ mins.
CLONE Apps :
Superduper does not clone the recovery partition, but that is NOT necessary if you keep the original HD as a “backup clone”. Most don’t bother with the recovery partition in a clone, however that is your prerogative.
http://www.shirt-pocket.com/SuperDuper/SuperDuperDescription.html
(Free superduper APP above)
CCC App
http://www.bombich.com/

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How do I transfer playlists from my other Apple computer(s) to my new Macbook Pro? I think I have successfully moved the music (archive) but the new machine wants to start from scratch on the playlists.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1751
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username/Music/itunes
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username/music/
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Update it.
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If you purchased at the App Store you need to update via the App Store
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Regards
TD

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See this migrate iTunes library post.
tt2

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Welcome to Apple Support Communities
Time Machine has to erase the external disk in order to make backups. Before setting Time Machine up, copy the files of your external disk to the hard disk of the Mac in order not to lose them, and then, set up Time Machine. The first backup will start automatically.
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I am fed up! I want to just reinstall and start from scratch, well almost..

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