Macbook Factory Reset
I have a Macbook White from about 2008 and was wondering how to do a complete system restore and back to factory settings? I don't have the CDs unfortunately
You will need to obtain the system install disks. If you do not have them available contact Apple using www.apple.com/support/contact if you are in a country that supports it or call the appropriate phone number on this page. There is typically a small fee to cover costs but they can get you the disks.
Best of luck.
Similar Messages
-
Had an earlier discussion about this comp. I bought it from a gentleman who was leaving the country for a long time and it was never set back to factory settings and there are certain things that are blocked by password. I was given a solution on here and was confirmed but Apple as well. So I bought OS X Snow leopard as instructed.
Now I am unable to even update the OS without a password. Does anyone know a way around it? Or is sthis something that I have to bring Apple store? The man that I bought this comp from is not in a place where he can be reached.
Thanks for all your helpIf you know if it came pre-installed with Lion, you could do an Internet Recovery (Command+Option+R) holding those keys down until you see a spinning globe. You won't be asked for an Apple ID because it came pre-installed with Lion. If it came pre-installed with Snow Leopard, you need the install SL disks.
If you buy it as CT mentioned, you should go to another Mac, log into the App Store with your Apple ID and purchase ML. THEN go back to your MBP and you should be able to enter your Apple ID and the install will proceed. -
I did factory reset but when I reinstall my MacBook it says my Apple ID is temporary unavailable plz let me know
BDR5000 wrote:
I already tried to search if my gmail address is already used under my name by searching for apple id's but when I type my gmail address with my name it says "No apple id found"...
Even if the email address was only associated with another Apple ID (as an alternate or rescue email address), it would not be available for use as your Apple ID (email addresses can only be associated with a single ID).
There isn't anything you can do to troubleshoot this on your own. You could try contacting Apple support to see if they can help. You are not normally charged for support questions related to your Apple ID. -
Aright, I'm really hoping I can get some help here. This macbook is the most expensive thing that I own.
So, I start up my macbook pro 13inch running macvericks a few days go and for some reason the fans are going full last and it's terribly sluggish. I dug around a bit and realized spotlight was indexing. I let it finish, then restarted my computer later that day. Then, as soon as it started back up this time the fans were going full speed again. I take care of my macbook, and I've never let it get close to overheating, then only thing that I do on it is browse the web, write, and record music using garageband. I was worried, so I looked at activity monitor and kernel_task was running full speed. I looked forever on the internet for a solution and found some useful tips about editing plists that solved my cpu problem. However, my fans still went full speed after I gave them some time to transtion, with a reset and all. So, at this point and I'm frustrated with merely the noise, I look around for fan control software and none of it stifled the raging monstrosity that has become my fan. My logic at this point? Back up everything and do a full wipe of the hard drive and reinstall mavericks. So I did. Here I am with a blank macbook pro that is now just as slow as it was and the fans are still going full speed. I can't believe I spent a years worth of saving to just have it suddenly combust on me like this. I hate to whine, but please help me. Now, the activity monitor shows levels of up to 80% cpu usage and no explanation on top of that. It's still incredibly loud and not hot at all. It's difficult to type this to you guys because my computer doesn't want to catch up. I read some stuff about involuntary indexing, I'll let the macbook run for a while today and see if anything starts to change. You're my lost hope guys. I called apple support but they wanted 19 dollars just to see if they could fix it or not, I didn't have the money to pay them now and I won't until school starts in a week, wherein I will deseprately need a fully functional macbook, the one that I paid for in August 2012 with literally all my savings.
*also, before I factory reset the macbook I did an smc and pram reset, I also took out the batter from inside the machine for 30 seconds.Hi,
I am having the exact same problem with my macbook pro, I was just wondering if you ever got a solution for your problem? Its been persisting for 3 days and i literally just wiped the system and am in the middle of reinstalling mavericks as we speak (i too resorted to a desktop) It was only after that i saw this thread, and now i regret wiping the system knowing it probably wont work.. but however, fresh start and all that jazz. My warranty ended just last week so im pretty disappointed with the timing, and i cant afford to keep up the warranty another year. If you could give me a solution or some guidance that would be great!
Thanks!
Hannah -
I did a factory reset on my late 2008 MacBook from a Snow Leopard disc. It installed fine, but as soon as I began to use the computer (safari) it froze. Couldn't even force quit. So I held down the power button to turn it off, and now it won't start up. It goes to the grey Apple screen and just sits there loud as can be. Help! Please keep in mind I've not done anything like this before and am going to need a little hand-holding. Thanks in advance.
Hi. Don't worry it's nothing serious. Insert the Instal Disc (Snow Leopard) and press the C button while turning on the computer. Once you see the desktop, go to Utility and choose Disk Utility. Select the Macintosh Partition on the left window pane and then click on Repair Disk and Repair Disk Permissions on the bottom right corner. Wait for both processes to finish. Click on the Apple icon (top left corner) and choose quit. Your computer should restart. See if it reboots normally. If not you can always reinstall the OS following the same steps. Good luck!
-
My MacBook Pro is a work computer, and my company may need to run a factory reset on it. I don't have much faith in their abilities to save any of my info, so I am backing all my photos and videos up on an external hard drive, but I am concerned I will lose my purchased apps in the process.
Is there any way I can get those back later if I need to? There's a lot of purchased apps on my MacBook Pro.
Thanks!Like posted above if you purchased them from the Mac App store all you have to do is Login to the MAS with the same Apple ID used to buy them and they will be available for Re-Download and install.
If you purchased some of them from the developers website then the developer might of sent you a registration code in an email. Find those and make a Text Document out of them and then Print that text Doc and save it to that external for safe keeping.
You can then go back to the developer website and re-download their program and install it using that key/reg code to authorize it. -
How do I factory reset my Macbook Pro and then restore using my time machine back up?
Hey guys,
My Macbook Pro has slowed down & had more and more random crashed recently and a friend suggested doing a factory reset. My Macbook is about 3 1/2 years old now so it's about time I did something and this always used to work for me on PC's.
I've kept a completely up to date time machine back-up since day 1 (I'll do another immediately before the reset.) and would rather use that to restore all my files. Will I have to reinstall all my apps with this? (Thats fine if I do, it would just be nice to know first) How do I do the factory reset & how to I restore from time machine afterwards.
Many Thanks
MegaBeakerFirst obtain an external hard drive to back up to. Go to your system preferences and look under Time Machine. Select your external hard drive as your backup drive then start a full backup. Then follow these steps provided by Apple:
In the menu bar, choose Apple menu > Restart. Once your Mac restarts (and the gray screen appears), hold down the Command and R keys.
Select Disk Utility, then click Continue.
Select your startup disk on the left, then click the Erase tab.
Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) from the Format menu, enter a name, then click Erase.Important: Erasing the disk removes all the information from the disk. Be sure to back up the information you want to keep to an external device.
After the disk is erased, choose Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility.
Select Reinstall OS X, click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions. -
i have reset my macbook pro to factory reset the screen is now asking me to put in my details, do i have too as if i am showing it to someone they need to be able to see it working but does that not mean that my name will be on it. please help
Use a alias, but you might have to use a zip code that matches the location used.
Also if you click the right button there is a way to bypass the registration, like register later or something, Apple has it hidden. Also to bypass the internet connection to send the registration off.
Never place your name on a Mac or PC, it's spread throughout the entire machine, in emails, on the network in plain sight etc. -
Hi! So my macbook pro has been bugging out on me a lot lately. The screen will shut off randomly and i'll have to shut it down and restart it to use it, and it will come up with a message that says the computer restarted becasue of a problem. I tried bringing it into an apple store but they didn't offer much help, and said to send it to apple. Well, I'm off to college in 10 days so I don't have time to send it and get it back. I'm hoping a factory reset will help, since it always did with my HP laptop, and I have a external drive to save all my files. How do I preform one keeping in mind that when I got the computer it had snow leapord (or something) and I downloaded Lion from the apple store. I want to make sure that I have Lion after the factory reset without having to pay for it again. Thanks for your help!
Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch
Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.
Boot to the Recovery HD:
Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Erase the hard drive:
Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.
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.
Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.
Quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless. -
I want to factory reset my macbook pro but my computer doesn't give me the recovery option, it gives me Macintosh HD only.
Hello sallay Amir,
Thanks for participating in the Apple Support Communities.
It sounds like you would like to erase your MacBook Pro and install a new copy of OS X, but the Mac does not boot to OS X Recovery when you hold the Command + R keys during startup.
If your Mac came with OS X Snow Leopard (10.6) or earlier, I recommend referring to the steps in this article:
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard: How to Erase and Install - Apple Support
For a newer Mac (OS X Lion, Mountain Lion, Mavericks or Yosemite), try reinstalling OS X by using Internet Recovery, as described in the "OS X Internet Recovery" section on this page:
OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
All the best,
Jeremy -
How can i make factory reset to may macbook pro
hey, how can i make factory reset to my macbook pro
Throw away any files which may contain sensitive data and securely empty the Trash.
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 new OS onto it. If you used a disk and are going to sell or give away the computer, include the disk with it.
(96703) -
I bought a used macbook air, it didn't come with the flash drive to do a factory reset. Can I download the info needed and save it to my own flash drive and then do a factory reset? If not what can I do?
If it originally shipped with Mac OS X 10.6.8 or earlier, click here, phone Apple, and order a replacement.
If it originally shipped with Mac OS X 10.7 or newer, restart it with the Option, Command, and R keys held down.
(113079) -
How to do Complete factory reset without Yosemite Disk on Macbook Air
how to do Complete factory reset without Yosemite Disk on Macbook Air
You install the original shipping OS. If that came on a disk, use that. If it is newer than a late 2010 model, Use Internet Recovery: OS X: About OS X Recovery - Apple Support
-
Factory reset for macbook air 2012???
I was given a macbook air and I would like to factory reset it but I dont know how. he doesnt remember any old passwords and ive never used a mac. the OS X UTLITIES panel appears when I turn it on . I just wanna bring it back to "right out of the box" status. help! lol id really appreciate it
The first thing to do with a second-hand computer is to erase the internal drive and install a clean copy of OS X. You—not the original owner—must do that. Changes made by Apple over the years have made this seemingly straightforward task very complex.
How you go about it depends on the model, and on whether you already own another Mac. If you're not sure of the model, enter the serial number onthis page. Then find the model on this page to see what OS version was originally installed.
It's unsafe, and may be unlawful, to use a computer with software installed by a previous owner.
1. If you don't own another Mac
a. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.4 or 10.5, you need a boxed and shrink-wrapped retail Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) installation disc from the Apple Store or a reputable reseller—not from eBay or anything of the kind. If the machine is very old and has less than 1 GB of memory, you'll need to add more in order to install 10.6. Preferably, install as much memory as it can take, according to the technical specifications.
b. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.6, you need the installation media that came with it: gray installation discs, or a USB flash drive for a MacBook Air. You should have received the media from the original owner, but if you didn't, order replacements from Apple. A retail disc, or the gray discs from another model, will not work.
To start up from an optical disc or a flash drive, insert it, then restart the computer and hold down the C key at the startup chime. Release the key when you see the gray Apple logo on the screen.
c. If the machine shipped with OS X 10.7 or later, you don't need media. It should start up in Internet Recovery mode when you hold down the key combination option-command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a spinning globe.
d. Some 2010-2011 models shipped with OS X 10.6 and received a firmware update after 10.7 was released, enabling them to use Internet Recovery. If you have one of those models, you can't reinstall 10.6 even from the original media, and Internet Recovery will not work either without the original owner's Apple ID. In that case, contact Apple Support, or take the machine to an Apple Store or another authorized service provider to have the OS installed.
2. If you do own another Mac
If you already own another Mac that was upgraded in the App Store to the version of OS X that you want to install, and if the new Mac is compatible with it, then you can install it. Use Recovery Disk Assistant to prepare a USB device, then start up the new Mac from it by holding down the C key at the startup chime. Alternatively, if you have a Time Machine backup of OS X 10.7.3 or later on an external hard drive (not a Time Capsule or other network device), you can start from that by holding down the option key and selecting it from the row of icons that appears. Note that if your other Mac was never upgraded in the App Store, you can't use this method.
3. Partition and install OS X
a. If you see a lock screen when trying to start up from installation media or in Recovery mode, then a firmware password was set by the previous owner, or the machine was remotely locked via iCloud. You'll either have to contact the owner or take the machine to an Apple Store or another service provider to be unlocked. You may be asked for proof of ownership.
b. Launch Disk Utility and select the icon of the internal drive—not any of the volume icons nested beneath it. In the Partition tab, select the default options: a GUID partition table with one data volume in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. This operation will permanently remove all existing data on the drive.
c. An unusual problem may arise if all the following conditions apply:
OS X 10.7 or later was installed by the previous owner
The startup volume was encrypted with FileVault
You're booted in Recovery mode (that is, not from a 10.6 installation disc)
In that case, you won't be able to unlock the volume or partition the drive without the FileVault password. Ask for guidance or see this discussion.
d. After partitioning, quit Disk Utility and run the OS X Installer. If you're installing a version of OS X acquired from the App Store, you will need the Apple ID and password that you used. When the installation is done, the system will automatically restart into the Setup Assistant, which will prompt you to transfer the data from another Mac, its backups, or from a Windows computer. If you have any data to transfer, this is usually the best time to do it.
e. Run Software Update and install all available system updates from Apple. To upgrade to a major version of OS X newer than 10.6, get it from the Mac App Store. Note that you can't keep an upgraded version that was installed by the original owner. He or she can't legally transfer it to you, and without the Apple ID you won't be able to update it in Software Update or reinstall, if that becomes necessary. The same goes for any App Store products that the previous owner installed—you have to repurchase them.
4. Other issues
a. If the original owner "accepted" the bundled iLife applications (iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band) in the App Store so that he or she could update them, then they're irrevocably linked to that Apple ID and you won't be able to download them without buying them. Reportedly, Mac App Store Customer Service has sometimes issued redemption codes for these apps to second owners who asked.
b. If the previous owner didn't deauthorize the computer in the iTunes Store under his Apple ID, you wont be able to authorize it immediately under your ID. In that case, you'll either have to wait up to 90 days or contact iTunes Support.
c. When trying to create a new iCloud account, you might get a failure message: "Account limit reached." Apple imposes a lifetime limit of three iCloud account setups per device. Erasing the device does not reset the limit. You can still use an iCloud account that was created on another device, but you won't be able to create a new one. Contact iCloud Support for more information. The setup limit doesn't apply to Apple ID accounts used for other services, such as the iTunes and Mac App Stores, or iMessage. You can create as many of those accounts as you like. -
All of my photos are missing from time machine after Apple Genius Bar factory reset my macbook
I backed up my MacBook to Time Machine so that the Apple Genius Bar could factory reset my MacBook. It was running slow and I wanted everything deleted, so I could add back just photos and music. When I tried to find the iPhoto Library pictures on the time machine they were missing. Has anyone else had this problem? I have lost all my photos since I got the computer in 2008.
What I assume happened is they erased and installed the MacintoshHD partition which includes all accounts, files and OS X.
You now have a new account or the same name, but it's actually different and can't access your files because they belong to the previous account.
I think your supposed to use Migration Assistant in your Applications > Utilties folder, then transfer the account to the machine. You log into the account and can transfer files via the Dropbox to the new user account.
Combine two+ Users Accounts on the same machine
Once the files are transferred you can delete the old account.
Next time if you just want certain files returned, use a normal external storage drive instead, then you can simply Get Info and "Ignore permissions on this volume" (aka external drive) return those certian files and do a #6 Repair Users Permissions to set the ownership to your new account.
..Step by Step to fix your Mac
Most commonly used backup methods
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro?view=documents#/?p er_page=50
Maybe you are looking for
-
Can't create a factory recovery disk using the recovery partition that came with my computer
When I push the Q: recovery drive> Create recovery media, I get a message saying "Windows cannot find 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Lenovo\factory recovery\recovburncd.exe'. Make sure you types the name correctly, and then try again." How do I go about fi
-
Display attachments through WebDynpro Abap
Hi all, I am currently working on the Generic Object Services and I manage to create attachment and retrieve them. however I can't find how to display attachments into a WebDynpro interface. The context: I have two applications which communicate with
-
Hi, We have uploaded few Material Masters ( Maintained at client level i.e Basic data 1 , 2 and classification view) , these materials are not required. I want to archieve those materials, and want those not be be viewed by Purchasing or sales team.
-
Why Microsoft doesn't have correct fix to run automatically. How many years we need to cry with same error again n again? Does any one have correct solution which will fix permanently while running more than 4000 systems in our environment Manual stu
-
Can one open and type into a word document on the ipad?