How can I make my iBook G4 sellable without disks?

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How can I make my iBook G4 sellable without disks?

I need to know how to wipe my data off of the iBook G4 without wiping the operating system. I also have no disks for the computer, so is there a way to do it with no disks?

Mac OS X (10.3.x)

Posted on Jul 1, 2011 9:17 AM

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Answer 1

Jul 1, 2011 9:22 AM in response to dry@me

You can create a new users with admin privilages then login as that user and delete your current account.

1. Go to System Preferences

2. Go to accounts

3. Click the "+" to make a new accounts

4. Give it a name and easy password, make sure to select "User can admintrate this computer"

5. Go to the Apple menu and log out of your account, then on the login screen log into the new admin account.

6. Go back to System Prefernces > Accounts

7. Select your old account and press the"-" button

8. Make sure to select "Delete Home Folder"

Alternitvaly you can call AppleCare and oder a new install disc. It is about $15, or at least it was when I orders a replacement for my Man Mini a couple of weeks ago.

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Answer 2

Jul 1, 2011 9:25 AM in response to dry@me

You can purchase the original install/restore disks that came with your computer, direct from Apple, for a very low fee. You might find such disks on eBay very, VERY cheap if you look around and have some patience.

Barring that, or purchasing a retail install of an OS usable by your iBook G4, you can't securely delete your own data and leave an OS behind. It's just not possible.

The closest you'll be able to come is to create a new user account (with admin privileges). Then log into that new user account. While logged into that new account, go to System Preferences-->Accounts and fully delete all the other accounts. You can also use the Finder to delete any applications installed on your iBook G4 that you don't wish to sell with the computer.

Remember, though that the process I described is not a secure delete. Anyone who REALLY wants to could recover some or a lot of your data. The thing is, most people who will buy an old computer like that aren't going to do so to be identity thieves. Purchasing a computer just to do that is more expensive and trouble than it's worth for most of the criminally-inclined. Frankly, I wouldn't worry about it much, especially if you're going to sell it to someone "in person" rather than to some anonymous eBay dude with a PO box.

If you're really worried about identity theft or other data recovery issues, remove the hard drive and sell it without a hard drive. Or buy a new one and sell it with the new hard drive and no OS. Seems extreme to me, unless you're keeping the nation's nuclear secrets on the old drive.

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