Depending on what you decide to do with your Mac, you might not uncheck any boxes. If you are selling your Mac but plan to keep your wireless mouse or keyboard, it’s an excellent idea to unpair them from your old Mac. Reset 10.5 Leopard & 10.6 Snow Leopard password. Try MacKeeper to unclog your Mac and get a smoother performance! Besides this, if buying a newer model, trading, selling your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, or just going back to Windows—you’d still need to take care of a few things first. Step 1: Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner and select System Preferences on the drop-down menu. Hard / Factory reset iPad 3 without device password and iTunes. Your keyboard or mouse will try to connect to the old Mac and may get disconnected from yours. Since Apple stores your Mac’s factory settings on its servers, your computer requires an internet connection so it can retrieve new, off-the-assembly-line settings. From the macOS Utilities window — choose. Plug in your power adapter. Erase Mac hard drive. Find your Startup disk (it should be named "Machintosh HD" unless you renamed it) in the sidebar. Confirm that you want to reinstall the OS, which installs the latest version. This can result in the characters you type appear on the old Mac’s screen, which is not safe. If you plan to sell or give away your Mac, you may want to erase all your data so that the new user has no access to it. Keep holding them until your Mac shows either an Apple logo, a spinning globe, or another startup screen. You may need to click through a few confirmations and enter your password before moving forward. All rights reserved. Step 2: Click the Apple ID icon within the System Preferences window. Select Disk Utility on the list and click Continue. Determine whether you're using a Mac with Apple silicon, then follow the appropriate steps:. This article shows you how. This is an easy process explained in two quick steps. It is even possible to recover full partitions with Disk Drill if your Mac was repartitioned after a factory reset. Restoring an iMac is very easy in fact, if it's not too old device, even if no restoration disk. Tech expert, Apple lover, and well, a cutie. Step 1: Open the Messages app. And factory reset is one of them. It will also restore security features to default. Power on your iBook and press the "Command" and "S" keys at the same time as the computer boots. You are about to give away your computer as a gift. It has not been reset to factory settings and still has all the info of the previous owner. Step 8: In the resulting window, click Delete to confirm. Next, follow our guide once your system is copied and you've logged out of your accounts and services. If your computer develops a problem, perform a Windows System Restore before performing a system restore. Insert the disc … Remember that if you save backups on an external drive or server, your Mac must be connected to those devices to complete the restoration. For one thing, you don’t want the new owner of your computer gaining access to personal or sensitive information. Say hi on LinkedIn! MacOS will ask if you want to keep your current iCloud data on the machine. Apple stores this data remotely on its servers. Once it powers on, hold down the Command + R keys, then release the keys when you see the Apple logo. Please check "Encrypt Backup Disk" and select "Use as Backup Disk" for start to reset Mac settings without losing data. The process of reinstalling and wiping all the information off your Mac seems like a challenging task. Step 2: On the drop-down menu, hover over Authorizations, then click Deauthorize This Computer. There are a few reasons why you should backup your data. Whatever you end up doing, you must sign out of Mac’s Messages app to maintain your messages’ privacy. All without the need for a recovery disc or thumb drive. If there isn’t any window like this after connecting the drive with your Mac, you need to click the Apple logo on the top left side of Mac > System Preferences > click Time Machine. Old MacBooks no longer boot Snow Leopard. Step 7: Select the Data drive, click Edit on the menu bar, and then select Delete APFS Volume on the drop-down menu. © 2021 Clario Tech Limited. Finally, erasing your Mac’s drive could take some time. We asked the experts, The best cheap Razer deals for February 2021, How to set a photo as your Windows desktop background, This Dell G7 17-inch gaming laptop is a whole $400 off at Best Buy today. Step 1: For MacBooks, plug in the power adapter so there’s no danger of running out of battery power. 1. In practice, factory reset doesn’t take that much time. Copyright ©2021 Designtechnica Corporation. Step 10: Click Erase. Step 1: Shut down your Mac and restart it as normal. This option is useful if you have corrupted data, malware you can’t isolate, or problems stemming from a faulty update. Note: This download solution only works with newer versions of MacOS. Look through the box the mouse came in to find the discs. You can fix a number of technical issues by restoring a Mac to its factory settings, and it’s also something you should do before selling your Mac or giving it to someone — you’ll protect your personal data and allow the new owner to personalize the device. Select Messages on the menu bar. If wiping your Mac isn’t ideal, you can fully reinstall MacOS without erasing any data. A friend gave me an iMac G4 and I'm having some trouble restoring it to factory settings. Save over $700 right now on this Dell business laptop – you read that right! Hence, you have reset iMac to factory settings. Here's how using a few easy steps. If you’re selling or giving away your Mac, make sure you fully deauthorize both your Mac and any connected devices before restoring the original factory settings. We’ll email you a link to MacKeeper, so you can download it when you’re on your Mac. Apple Music will now remove that particular Mac from its list of authorized devices. These include your time zone, sound volume, recent kernel panic information, and configurations of your startup-disk and display. After customizing iMac based on user’s all-time changing preferences and tastes, he/she might want to get back to the factory settings. This shouldn’t be an issue for modern devices, all of which are designed to download factory settings from the web. Is there anyway to restore my laptop to factory without any kind of start up disks or anything? Copy your system with all its components before wiping a Mac. A factory reset wipes out all data on your hard drive and restores all settings to their original state. This will open the MacOS Utilities window in MacOS Recovery. Before You Restore Mac to Factory Settings Additionally, cleaning up your computer before handing it off is the considerate thing to do. • Click on Apple Menu (blue apple icon upper left side of your window) • Select System Preferences > Accounts For instance, if your startup disk is Macintosh HD, you should also see a drive labeled Macintosh HD — Data. Note: For file format, you should choose either APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). This is why backing up files before resetting computer is important. Factory Reset Laptop When Could Access to It Successfully. If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes. you've logged out of your accounts and services, How to Create a macOS High Sierra Bootable USB, How to Fix “Mac Startup Disk Full” Error on your Mac, Click on the Apple logo in the top left corner of your screen and choose, When your Mac shuts off and powers back on, press and hold the, Choose your ‘Macintosh HD’ startup disk (by default) and click, For the macOS High Sierra and higher, choose the, Wait until the process is finished and click, When it’s done — go to the Disk Utility menu at the top — quit Disk Utility by clicking the red cross. When you sign out of Mac’s Messages app, you will eliminate the connection between your old Mac and your iPhone, effectively protecting private information from being left behind. If you plan to sell or give away your Mac, you need to erase your Mac’s startup … 2. How can I reset my iMac G4 to factory settings without the startup disk? I bought a PowerBook G4 from an individual without the install discs. To do so, click on the reboot command from Apple menu and while the Mac is restarting, press and hold down Command + R keys together. If you have any other Data drives, delete them too, but leave the regular Macintosh HD drive alone. However, this process may leave behind data that would be relatively easy to recover — meaning this method isn’t a good idea if you’re selling or giving away your Mac. First, Back Up Your Data Help us improve how you interact with our website by accepting the use of cookies. Step 2 of 6 Type "-uw/" and press "Enter." You will no longer be able to access any of your Apple Music content from your machine, but neither will anyone else. Make sure you don’t click Delete Volume Group. … Click the Reinstall MacOS option on the MacOS Utilities list and click Continue to proceed. You may see a prompt for your Apple ID info. No data remains on your iMac drive. RELATED: 8 Mac System Features You Can Access in Recovery Mode Your Mac’s Recovery Mode is a treasure trove of useful tools, and it’s the easiest way to wipe your computer and start from scratch. However, if you’re working with Snow Leopard (10.6) or older, you can’t reinstall these settings from the web. It’s not enough to simply sign out of iCloud — you also need to make sure no local data lingers on your computer. Don’t get intimidated that fast — the process is smooth if you know the steps. Hi there! Step 1: Access to laptop, click Start and type in Recovery in Windows 7 search box. Resetting NVRAM (Non-Volatile Random Access Memory) will erase specific settings. After performing it — follow the hints and set up your Mac from scratch. Intel’s revolutionary 16-core processors could launch in September, Best desktop monitor deals for February 2021, New reports indicate AMD’s Ryzen 5000 processors may be failing at a high rate. Instead, hold down the Command + Q keys to close the setup assistant, then click Shut Down. Also, when you reinstall MacOS, a setup assistant asks you basic questions regarding your region and so on. Then click Sign Out. With the primary drive erased, you now need to reinstall MacOS. If something is not working correctly—factory reset seems like a good plan. 0. This opens the MacOS Utilities window in MacOS Recovery. Depending on what you decide to do with your Mac, you might not uncheck any boxes. Step 2: Select Reinstall MacOS on the list. You can change your privacy settings whenever you like. MacKeeper will help you find and delete useless files, remove duplicates, free gigabytes of memory, and clean junk from your Mac. to unclog your Mac and get a smoother performance! 10.2 - iMac G4s shipped with as low as OS X 10.2 (Jaguar), but an OS install/upgrade disc won't necessarily have the drivers to support your machine, and some iMac G4s may simply be too new for 10.2 to support them at all. 0. Besides this, if buying a newer model, trading, selling your MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, or iMac, or just going back to Windows — you’d still need to take care of a few things first. Then click Preferences on the drop-down menu. How to Reset Mac to Factory Settings. Grab the all-new MacKeeper 5 with a lovely discount. Here where it's possible to erase your data. Click Edit in the Mac screen's upper left corner in the menu bar. Since you don’t, uncheck the boxes for everything you want to delete. So I recently came across an old iMac G3 by a dumpster (It is perfectly functional, the fact that I found it by the dumpster has nothing to do with the problem). There are a few methods if you need a fresh start or want to sell your Mac. I brought it up to find out that every user created on the computer is password protected. When you want to restore your laptop to factory settings in order to get a fresh and clean start, or get ready to sell it to others, make full use of recovery partition.. Find the original CDs that came with the iMac, stick "Disk 1" in, reboot the computer and hold down "C" to boot from the CD drive. Restoring your Mac to its factory settings will erase all your data from the hard drive, as well as your preferences and customized settings. How to choose which disc to get if you can find multiple OS versions? As you are all set by now, you could now reset the MacBook. Then wipe the hard drive and re-install the operating system (possibly called 'Erase and install' in the options) For extra security, back up all your files before restoring your MacBook to factory settings. Disk Utility shows the recommended format by default — stick with that unless you have a specific reason for another format. The longer you use your Mac — the odds are it will start acting up. Step 3: Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner and select Restart on the drop-down menu. By clicking “Submit”, you agree to get your download link via email. Step 1: Shut down your Mac and restart it as you would normally. With over 5 years of supporting Mac users, Ruslana lives and breathes everything Mac. So then I created a user account and everything was fine. Step One: Boot From Recovery Mode, or an Installer. After the installation process, you have been successfully factory reset your Mac. It should work for almost Mac (iMac, Macbook, Mac mini) produced since about Mid-2010. We think we have an easier solution for you! Power on or restart your Mac. Erasing your hard drive is simple, but once it’s wiped, you’ll need access to your Mac’s factory settings. That way, you'll be able to make sure that none of your personal details are compromised while your Mac is fully prepared for the new owner. We have guides that walk you through backing up data to an external drive as well as backing up data with iCloud if you need any help. MacKeeper will help you find and delete useless files, remove duplicates, free gigabytes of memory, and clean junk from your Mac. Step 4: Once your Mac restarts, press the Command + R keys together. When you're up and running on your new Mac, you can restore everything in a snap. When it’s finished, close Disk Utility to return to the MacOS Utilities window. Immediately after turning your computer on, hold down the Command + R keys, then release the keys when you see the Apple logo. All rights reserved. How to Reset a Hard Drive on PC or Mac. The Microsoft System Restore function returns the computer to a previously chosen restore point, which resets all of the settings for the operating system to those settings that existed at the time the restore point was created. There might be several reasons to reset iMac to factory settings: You are about to sell your computer. Want to restore a Mac to its factory settings? I don't have the system password either. This will turn your Mac off and leave the setup assistant waiting for the new owner. Intel processor: make sure your Mac has a connection to the Internet. In Windows 7 and 8, there is system recovery partition provided. Follow our step-by-step guide to reinstall your macOS by reading through these sections: Note: the following sequence is applicable to both MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. It will remove all the data from existing account that is kind of reset. Don't rush into a factory reset if your Mac is performing badly or if you find a number of strange or unusual files. Step 3: Select the Overview category listed on the left and then click the Sign Out button. Nevertheless, if you move forward with this method, follow the steps below. I need to delete the previous owner's info and set it up for me. Reinstalling OS required internet connection and OS file, but an admin can be removed and added without Internet. • Since you do not have the startup discs, what you can do is this: •Click on Apple menu (apple icon located in upper left window of your screen on the Apple menu bar.) I was given an IBook G4 recently and I wasn't given anything except the laptop and the charger. I started it up and the introduction began, "welcome to Mac" blah, blah, blah,. If you use iMac, Mac Mini, or Mac Pro, you will need to connect a wired keyboard to perform the steps. Since you don’t, uncheck the boxes for everything you want to delete. Click Delete APFS Volume from the menu bar or click the Remove button in the disk utility bar. It is best to use Time Machine, a built-in macOS utility that will do all the heavy lifting for you. This step is optional, but it’s a good idea because it checks the consistency of the hard disk before moving on. If something is not working correctly — factory reset seems like a good plan. Step 6: Your Mac’s startup disk is listed on the left, typically named “Macintosh HD” by default unless you renamed it. The MacOS Utilities pop-up appears on your screen. Instead, you’ll need the original MacOS installation disc that came with your computer. 1. Imac 2006 Snow leopard Disk Image Restore Problem. Our simple step-by-step guide will help you erase everything on your Mac, reinstall MacOS, and restore your machine to its original factory settings. Enter your Apple ID and password to confirm, Click the Apple logo and select System Preferences, Hover your mouse over the name of the device to unpair and click the, Turn back on your Mac and immediately press and hold, Hold the keys for about 20 seconds and then release them. Cease holding the two buttons when you see a black computer screen appear with white text. Keep Your Connection Secure Without a Monthly Bill. If you don’t have a Data drive, don’t worry — just skip ahead to step 9. Question: Q: Factory reset an iMac G3 without a disk? Can someone give me more detailed info on what to enter? My friend is in another country right now on Summer vacation for about a month and I can't get a hold of him. And factory reset is one of them. If you plan to give away, sell, or trade in your Mac, the first thing you should do is erase the data on it and perform a factory reset. Using Disk Utility inside the Recovery Menu, click on Erase and fully wipe the hard drive data. 7. Thanks If you plan on keeping your Mac, you might be interested in our guide on how to make a bootable macOS installer before the factory reset process. It's usually at the bottom-left corner of the screen. A set of Install / Restore DVDs is shipped with all modern new Macs**, and are most often grey in color. This wikiHow teaches you how to restore your Windows or macOS computer's hard drive to its original factory settings. MacBook Pro 2009, can't format/fresh install. This takes you to MacOS Recovery. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Common Reason for Restoring Mac to Factory Settings. Step 2: Click the iMessage tab in the window that pops up. Alternatively, with the Data drive selected, you can click the Minus button in the Disk Utility toolbar. Using this service means you won't have to import the files to another physical drive manually. Step 2: Select Restore From Time Machine Backup on the list. Don’t forget, you can use these instructions if you’re selling your Mac or if you want to erase your startup disk to reinstall macOS. When he gave it to me it was restored to factory settings. Step 9: Select your main volume — again, typically it’s Macintosh HD — and then click the Erase button. › iMac G3 DV 400MHz no video or mouse light › How to keep 'date created' when download vid from G4 to Imac › how to open .dll files on iMac 10.4.11 › ibook runing Mac OS X, 10.2.8 how to reset admin passowrd › how to fix a video screen that has gone green › how to set up a server › Please tell me how to open files after downlo Select the data disk under the startup disk. It’s the “lite” version of a full wipe, as you don’t need to erase the disk if you just want a clean, fresh install. At the chime (or grey screen if your chime is turned off), hold down Command+S on your keyboard to enter single-user mode. Click the menu. Once the drive has finished erasing everything, quit out of Disk Utility to return to the primary “Mac … If you already use Time Machine to store backups, you can also use it to restore MacOS. Answer: There is an easy way to get your Mac back to a “Factory Fresh” install of OS X. 10.3 - This is the lowest you should go if possible. Apple silicon: turn on your Mac and continue to press and hold the power button until you see the startup options window, which includes a gear icon labelled Options.Select Options, then click Continue. This helps prevent anyone from accessing your personal information in the future. Step by Step Guide to Factory Reset Mac and Set Up Fresh. Before you wipe your Mac and erase any hard drive data, the first thing you need to do is start from the Recovery mode. If you want to play it safe and create a bootable install drive for Mac OS X, you can do so using our guides here for Lion/Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, and El Capitan. Shut down your Mac, turn it on while holding down Command+R. If you plan on getting a new Mac to replace your old one, you may want to gift or sell your old one. We use cookies along with other tools to give you the best possible experience while on this website. Either you can reinstall the operating system or remove admin and add a new admin. Step 2: Make sure your Mac is connected to the internet, preferably through a wired connection. Step 5: After a few moments, enter your password as prompted. If you have no restoration disk, it is possible to restore your Mac over the internet. Step 1: Launch Apple Music and click Account in the menu bar. I 've reviewed previous discussions here but the instructions aren't working other than the disc check command. As always, make sure to back up any data and documents that you want to keep. How to downgrade from MacOS Catalina to Mojave, How to downgrade from MacOS Big Sur to Catalina, 10 free online storage services to claim your space in the cloud, Does your Mac really need antivirus software? Also listed is another drive with the word “Data” appended at the end. Assign a name (or stick with Macintosh HD) and select a format. If you want to sell your MacBook or restore it to its default condition, it’s a good idea to reset Mac to factory settings. There are 2 ways to reset. MacOS will ask if you want to keep your current iCloud data on the machine. If you’re selling or giving your Mac away, leave the setup assistant untouched. Reboot Mac into Recovery & Factory Reset it. Sign out of iTunes in macOS Mojave or earlier. This is useful if you want to restore particular settings and data instead of your entire OS — perhaps in an effort to save data while dealing with a bug or similar issue. If you don't unpair the devices and the new owner of your Mac gets in the Bluetooth range of your peripherals, it can inconvenience both of you. There are quite a few common reasons to restore your Mac to factory settings, the most common is due to issues with the file system. Step by Step Guide to Factory Reset Mac and Set Up Fresh.