How to wipe an iMac for recycling

Regrets, I am annoyed at Apple's overly I/O port choices, not helpful community members. Sorry it came across that way.

Turns out USB A to USB A won't work. You need Firewire or Thunderbolt. Sigh, since my current machines don't have Firewire, plus I lost my Firewire cables in the 90's, I would need to get a firewire cable, a Firewire to Thunderbolt adapter ($30) and likely a Thunderbolt cable as the the only one I have is the power cable for the MacBook Pro, (does it carry data?). So in the current times there is no way to get all that in the time frame to use the return label and the I am not thrilled to spend $50+ just to recycle this thing. Apple's I/O port architectures have always been very paternalistic, trying to force a configuration into common use. Its been three years for my MacBook Pro and I still have to use clumsy, expensive, EXTREMELY annoying adapters to use all -repeat all-- my cabled peripherals. Its Firewire all over again. Apple needs to consider that well over half of computer use require access to legacy systems and peripherals. Wireless is fine but starting with WiFi security issues and throw in travel, and installed expensive legacy peripherals and you are marginalizing your systems.

[Edited by Moderator]

Someone suggested taking out the hard drive-- I really do appreciate the community responding and not an unreasonable thought-- unfortunately its an all enclosed iMac. If I take the time, get the tools and crack the thing open, well, it would be a major project to accomplish what should be a very simple task. If I could haul it into an Apple store all this would be moot. Alas the the timing sucks.

R

Good stuff. I used the Free Space erase. I ended up following RKauffmann87's advice deleted what I could and shipped it off. In that process, I went through and deleted everything in every folder that I was allowed to access (yeah that took a while), then erased the free space , as you described.

This would be easier if I hadn't waited until Apple changed its I/O ports and recycled the computers earlier. But it came up while going through stuff during this enforced home time. What started out as a good idea was something done much easier when accessing an Apple Store was available.

Note: your last paragraph is interesting- Do you mean you can erase the start up drive I assume. Can you boot into recovery mode over the web and then erase the normal start up drive? Recovery mode is newish to me. For my 2009 MacBook, getting on the internet is going to be tricky. My 2012 MacBook Air with El Capitan should be easier- I hope. I will research Recovery mode--Thanks all for the help.

Recovery mode seems to done it. I do not see a boot drive on start up when not connected to the Internet. I tried it with my 2009 MacBook. Good idea and thanks again.

That was the plan. Unfortunately I don’t have the needed USB to USB cable or USB 3 to USB cable so I will try to get one in time. I have 6 days left to ship, including today. Thanks for the response.