grawingirl
Level 1 (9 points)
Photos for Mac

Q: getting an iMac G5 ready to sell

I have a G5 pc that I am selling. Thanks to archived threads, I have backed up, used disk utliity to erase with 0's, installed the original disks (Tiger) and installed 10.5.4 (disk is part of the sale). I would like to get the computer to start up fresh for the buyer. I found this on the internet:

******************************************************************************** *******************

Here are the Terminal commands to delete a temporary (or lone) account in single-user mode on Leopard (in the following commands, replace username with whatever account short name you've created). Note that this must all be done in single user mode (hold Command-S during boot).

First, the usual stuff:
$ mount -uw /
$ rm -R /Library/Preferences/
$ rm -R /Users/username/
(Note that deleting /Library/Preferences/ is optional and in some cases may cause problems after pre-configuring some third-party software. However, I do this after simple configs or installs, e.g., install an OS, apply Software Updates, and then give it to the end user to create a fresh account.)

Now here's what's new in Leopard:
$ rm /var/db/dslocal/nodes/Default/users/username.plist
$ rm /var/db/.AppleSetupDone

******************************************************************************** *********************

I've never touched Terminal before. When I try to input the commands $ mount -uw /
$ rm -R /Library/Preferences/
$ rm -R /Users/username/

It tells me it's not a legal function,

Looking for help in getting the computer to start up as a new computer.

Thanks,
Grawingirl

iMac G5, Mac OS X (10.5.4), pc

Posted on Feb 10, 2011 9:18 PM

by WZZZ,Solvedanswer
WZZZ WZZZ
Level 6 (13,112 points)
Mac OS X
A:
I don't understand your problem. You have already zeroed out the drive and installed 10.5. So what's preventing you from simply following the instruction above, "when you’re prompted to create a new user, just press Command-Q?" Since you seem to be encountering so much difficulty using the commands you gave in your first post -- and I'm not sure they're even appropriate for this situation -- this might be the best way to proceed.

However, since it seems you already missed the opportunity to quit (using Command-Q) the Setup Assistant before creating a new user account, you should now just erase (no need to zero out) the 10.5 you just installed (with no risk since there's nothing on it) and reinstall, and you should be presented with a new Setup Assistant which you can then quit at the proper moment.

Posted on Feb 11, 2011 4:09 PM

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grawingirl

Q: getting an iMac G5 ready to sell

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Niel,Helpful

    Niel Niel Feb 10, 2011 9:25 PM in response to grawingirl
    Level 10 (314,589 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 10, 2011 9:25 PM in response to grawingirl
    Don't type the $ at the beginning of each.

    (56754)

  • by Limnos,Helpful

    Limnos Limnos Feb 10, 2011 9:26 PM in response to grawingirl
    Level 9 (54,649 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 10, 2011 9:26 PM in response to grawingirl
    I've never touched Terminal before.

    Are you doing this in Terminal or while booted to Single User Mode as instructed? Terminal is an application you run while booted to OSX that gets you to the command line interface but all the setup has to be done in SUM.

    It tells me it's not a legal function,

    It or they? Those are 3 separate commands.

  • by grawingirl,

    grawingirl grawingirl Feb 10, 2011 10:09 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 10, 2011 10:09 PM in response to Niel
    That helped. Another question, when I put in rw -R /Library/Preferences/ it said override rw-r--r-- root/admin for /Library/Preferences//.GlobalPreferences.plist? What am I supposed to do with that?

    when it says -R/Users/username do I input my name or type as is.

    Please think very basic. I've always left this stuff for others but right now there's no one around to ask except the forum.

    Thanks.

  • by grawingirl,

    grawingirl grawingirl Feb 10, 2011 10:11 PM in response to Limnos
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 10, 2011 10:11 PM in response to Limnos
    I was starting it with commaqnd S as directed, but then getting out of that and using terminal. Thanks to your question, I redid it from single user mode but still ran into questions. See the other reply.

  • by Niel,

    Niel Niel Feb 10, 2011 10:16 PM in response to grawingirl
    Level 10 (314,589 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 10, 2011 10:16 PM in response to grawingirl
    What am I supposed to do with that?


    Override it.

    when it says -R/Users/username do I input my name or type as is.


    You type your home folder name and a space after the R.

    (56756)

  • by grawingirl,

    grawingirl grawingirl Feb 10, 2011 10:28 PM in response to Niel
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 10, 2011 10:28 PM in response to Niel
    Sorry for my ignorance but - how do I override it?

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ Feb 11, 2011 7:31 AM in response to grawingirl
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2011 7:31 AM in response to grawingirl
    Maybe you want to try it this way instead. BTW, he recommends a 7pass erase. That is overkill; a one pass zero out will be completely adequate. You will want to do this unless it is a close friend or someone you trust completely.

    http://hivelogic.com/articles/how-to-prepare-a-mac-for-sale

    After installation, when you’re prompted to create a new user, just press Command-Q.

    This will quit the installer, and allow you to cleanly shut down the computer. The next time the computer is turned on by the new owner, they’ll get to watch the Welcome video and go through the user-creation and registration steps on their own, just like they would if the computer had shipped to them right from the factory.


    Also, that command is rm -r (not rw) -R is OK too. EDIT: Also, you say you already zeroed out the Drive. If that's true, that means there's nothing left of your original account or installation. You don't need to remove anything now. There's nothing left to remove. You can just reinstall as in the link above.

    Message was edited by: WZZZ

  • by WZZZ,

    WZZZ WZZZ Feb 11, 2011 7:59 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2011 7:59 AM in response to WZZZ
    The rm command means remove/delete. Shouldn't be necessary since, as I said, there's nothing to remove, but

    when it says -R/Users/username do I input my name or type as is.


    As Niel pointed out, that should have been rm -R(space here)path to folder. If still needed -- and I don't know why -- copy and paste those commands you found. Typing them in can lead to mistakes. They must be entered exactly the way you found them: spaces and case are critical.

  • by Limnos,

    Limnos Limnos Feb 11, 2011 8:41 AM in response to WZZZ
    Level 9 (54,649 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2011 8:41 AM in response to WZZZ
    Good catch on the rw, WZZZ.

  • by grawingirl,

    grawingirl grawingirl Feb 11, 2011 2:11 PM in response to WZZZ
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Feb 11, 2011 2:11 PM in response to WZZZ
    I've seen this web page (and used the info to deauthorize the account). As in my original post, the problem is there because I upgraded the original disks (with Tiger) to Leopard and would now like to get that beginning movie and registration back.

  • by WZZZ,Solvedanswer

    WZZZ WZZZ Feb 11, 2011 4:09 PM in response to grawingirl
    Level 6 (13,112 points)
    Mac OS X
    Feb 11, 2011 4:09 PM in response to grawingirl
    I don't understand your problem. You have already zeroed out the drive and installed 10.5. So what's preventing you from simply following the instruction above, "when you’re prompted to create a new user, just press Command-Q?" Since you seem to be encountering so much difficulty using the commands you gave in your first post -- and I'm not sure they're even appropriate for this situation -- this might be the best way to proceed.

    However, since it seems you already missed the opportunity to quit (using Command-Q) the Setup Assistant before creating a new user account, you should now just erase (no need to zero out) the 10.5 you just installed (with no risk since there's nothing on it) and reinstall, and you should be presented with a new Setup Assistant which you can then quit at the proper moment.