With the rise in eWaste in the years leading up to today, there’s never been a better time to trade in your pre-loved devices. By trading in your old devices with The iOutlet you will not only be getting paid to get rid of your old unused tech, but you will also be helping us to make a greener planet. Whether you’re looking to sell your old Mac, setting the Mac up to be sent in for repair or so you can upgrade the storage. There are probably a couple of questions you find yourself asking.
Why should I erase my Mac? Can I keep my files? How do I erase my mac?
Why should I erase my Mac?
There are many reasons you may want to erase your Mac back to factory settings. The main reason people need to erase their Mac would be because they’re looking to sell or trade in their device. When preparing a computer for sale it is crucial that the device is reset back to factory settings. This gives the next owner of the device the opportunity to set up the device in a way that best suits them. When trading in a computer the testing process entails full access to the device so all areas can be tested to make sure everything is working as it should.
This also means that there is no possibility of sensitive information being left on the device. When trading in with The iOutlet if the device is not already reset we would first run a full re-flash of the base software, this being carried out before receiving the item means that the testing process is less time intensive.
Can I keep my files?
In short, Yes.
There’s a couple of ways that you can create a backup of all of your files. The first is by using an external hard drive and copying all files over manually. Simply by using the drag and drop method. This way you can transfer files to either a Mac or a Windows computer.
Secondly if you are looking to transfer all of your data to another Mac, there is a simple way to do this. Apple has developed a simple app in System Preferences called ‘Time Machine’. Again, for this you would need an external hard drive that can be formatted specifically for running time machine back ups, this can be set as your Backup drive by clicking ‘Select Backup Disk’’ and selecting the hard drive you have plugged in.
When setting up your new computer there will be a section in the setup asking if you would like to set up using a time machine backup. It’s as simple as following the prompts and choosing the backup to set the computer up with.
How do I reset my computer?
The first thing to check is that you have logged out of all accounts that are linked to the device.
For example: iCloud, Find My Mac, Keychain, iTunes. Many of the above are subject to activation. Some applications also have an activation limit, which cannot be exceeded. So logging out is always an important step.
Now that you’ve logged out of your accounts, you can shut the computer down to begin the factory reset process. This process requires you to have a reliable internet connection and also a charger handy.
- Press and hold The following keys until you hear the computer chime and show a white apple logo. (alt [option] Command [cmd] R and the power button). This key command is one of many that can be used, but we always recommend this one as it gives you the newest version of OS available to that model.
- The computer will shortly ask you for the WiFi Password. You will need to input this for the process to continue.
- After a few minutes the device will display a window titled “Mac OS Utilities”, while this window is open please check the top right corner to see if the WiFi symbol is illuminated. If not you may need to log in to your network again.
- Next you should click on Disk Utility (This is the software that will erase the hard drive ready for the re-install of the OS).
- In this window you will need to carry out an erase on the Hard Drive, it is best practice if there is more than one device showing in the right hand side to carry out an erase on all of them. With the exception of the folder called ‘Mac OS Base System’. (This is a regular mistake which can make this process longer than needed).
- Once you have erased the hard drive you can close the window by using the key command Command[cmd] + Q.
- Now you should be back up the ‘Mac OS Utility’ window.
- From there you can click on the icon that says ‘Reinstall Mac OS Monterey’ This may have a different name depending on the software available to the device.
- Follow the steps on the screen until you get a loading bar underneath the image for the Mac OS in question.
- Now the install has started there is nothing else that you need to do.
- This may take some time so we always recommend plugging the device into power.
So there we have it…
Your Mac has been reset to factory settings. Your data is safe, secure and backed up.
Now the new owner of this device can enjoy the set up experience of their pre-loved Mac. Following the above steps helps us here at The iOutlet to process your trade in’s, in a quick and efficient manner. Saving you valuable time, whilst also giving you money off of your next refurbished device.
