Prepping iPad for Sale/Return

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Level 1

14 points

Prepping iPad for Sale/Return

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to sell/return my iPad.

What steps do I need to take to "clean" the device of all my stuff? I assume I can just delete the apps, remove the email accounts, but how do clear bookmarks and any other traces of me on it?

Thanks for any help. 🙂

iMac 24"; Macbook Pro 13", Mac OS X (10.6.1), 3.06 4GB 1TB; 2.53 4GB 250GB

Posted on May 5, 2010 4:26 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Doug Eldred

Level 4

3,296 points

May 5, 2010 5:11 PM in response to Penman61

Connect it to your Mac/PC. In iTunes, do a "Restore". That will erase everything and reinstall the OS and factory defaults. When it asks if you want to sync it with something, say "no". If you're really paranoid, you might do this a couple of times, filling it with non-sensitive stuff (music, movies, whatever) in between Restores, but once should be enough unless you had really sensitive stuff on it.

Doug

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Answer 2

May 5, 2010 5:18 PM in response to Penman61

Settings-General-Reset-Reset All

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Answer 3

daddave2

Level 1

129 points

May 5, 2010 5:19 PM in response to Penman61

Why do you have to return it? Did you buy it less than fourteen days ago?

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Answer 4

Penman61 Author

Level 1

14 points

May 5, 2010 5:32 PM in response to Penman61

Thanks, all. Those steps sound like it will clean it up. 🙂

As to why: It's a beautiful device, but for me:

1) The VGA connection won't mirror the iPad on a projector; Apple having made a special iPad VGA cable might make one think otherwise...but no.
2) No IR remote capability. I shoulda known this, but didn't.
3) The keyboarding, for me, is much less optimum than on my MacBook. I can keep only one. It's like Sophie's Choice, but with Apple products.

I purchased it yesterday, so I plan on heading back to the Applestore to return it. 😟 I know one day Apple will make the perfect device for me. I will wait. 🙂

Message was edited by: Penman61

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Answer 5

May 5, 2010 7:33 PM in response to ProfGHDorr

That does NOT remove data, just settings.

Doug

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Answer 6

Onag

Level 1

10 points

May 6, 2010 1:53 PM in response to Doug Eldred

Then is the process incomplete? How should he remove the data? Curious because I am also returning, though in my case because I want to order the 64G version and eat the re-stocking fee!

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Answer 7

Penman61 Author

Level 1

14 points

May 6, 2010 2:02 PM in response to Onag

I did the Restore in iTunes AND I did the Settings clean-up on the iPad itself. When I returned it to the Applestore this morning, the clerk said that should do it. He also said that had I done nothing, Apple would have cleaned the data off it. YMMV.

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Answer 8

May 6, 2010 3:35 PM in response to Onag

"General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings" does more than "Reset All Settings", according to the verbiage shown if you select them, but it still doesn't reinstall the OS, which I would argue is useful. I think Restore is sufficient, but I certainly wouldn't argue against "Erase All..." followed by a Restore.

Doug

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