restore macbook to original factory settings

DiNicola's step-by-step guide works like a charm for my new MacBook Pro Retina 13 bought in Jan 2014. Thanks a lot!

DiNicola wrote:

I called Apple and they said here's how you restore:

1. Start computer up, holding OPTION key

2. Select Recovery

3. Select language (I'll choose English)

4. Disc Utility

5. Macintosh HD

6. Select Erase tab

7. Erase Disc

8. back to OSX Utilities - Select Reinstall OSX (this makes it so your most recently installed operating system will be restored. I bought my Macbook as a Leopard, but it runs Mountain Lion now.)

9. Reinstall to Mac HD

That's it. I haven't tried it yet, but plan to when I get home. Nothing to buy, and if I get stuck, they said I could take it into the Apple Store and a genius would help me.

Hopefully this helps!

😀

Hi,

I got used MBP recently and tried disk utility to wipe out HD for new installation.

Well, I am new to MAC world and I didn't prepare for any consequeces.

While trying to reinstall it, it got stuck on the "verifying eligibility" stage.

I went to app store and purchased new copy of OS X Lion.

Is it possible for me to use the USB drive to reinstall OS on wiped out HD using disk utility?

Thanks.

Did you see if the instructions noted by DiNicola earlier in this thread were of help, as they worked for others with a MB/Pro...?

a link to that section: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4390401?answerId=20800560022#20800560022

The computer may have to be running a previous system before it can upgrade; or restored from a Recovery partition, if the computer had or still has it on the hard disk drive. There is a way to try & start from that, but I don't remember because it's not applicable to my antique Macs. See if the link helps.

Some details get mixed up. Sorry! LOL

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

I am returning an open box purchase (decided a prefer new). I went through the steps and all is fine except... when I set up the openbox, I upgraded to Mav. In doing a recovery, I had to signin w/my Apple ID.

Any idea what I can do to make sure there's no trace of my Apple ID when I return the laptop?

Thanks!

That's a fair enough question, and quite honestly

I do not know. But would suggest you call Apple

Sales Support, or an Apple Store, or the reseller

you bought the open stock product from, and

tell them you want to remove all your Apple ID

and residuals from there before you return it.

And ask if you bring it in, can they help.

http://www.apple.com/support/contact/

If you are taking it to a real Apple Store, or an

authorized reseller with a product specialist,

someone there should be able to help do this.

Call ahead, to tell them what you need.

Sorry to not be of more help.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Here is a link from apple. Hope it helps.

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11273

Hi DiNicola,

I was just wondering what happened to your itunes account etc, if you synced everything to the computer did your iphone/ipad/ipad want to clear the contents on the phone or did everything remain the same when you transferred to your new laptop.

Thanks 🙂

Thanks DiNicola - I followed your instructions on my old Macbook Pro so that I could gift it to my son.

Originally had Leopard, but I upgraded along the way. I was able to erase and restore with Lion, which should be fine for my kid's needs. Thanks.

i reset my computer everytime it starts to run slow, whe i reset it then my computer acts like a brand new computer with great speed and all that jazz

http://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/ much easier than everything he listed.

This worked perfectly! Thank you so much!!

Had just bought a MacBook Pro off of someone and they didn't restore it, I wanted to just wipe out all their stuff and start over and this was exactly what I needed in order to do so!!! 🙂

I tried this (and I dont have the original CD) it doesnt work. Since the latest ox was on there (mavericks) and I didnt have a cd for my macbook (2011). so I'm not sure what to do next.

I know this is old, but it worked for me too. Thankful I found this.

Hi there, i tried this but it only came up with Macintosh HD not recovery. What do i do? Cause I've just brought MacBook Pro off someone and want to reset to factory settings.

please help!!

Wow, this forum is very helpfull... Especially those that say it's impossible and suggest to authenticated every program manually...

It's simple really. There are 3 options:

1. Use build-in recovery, if available.

2. Get Mac OS X disk and re-install the OS.

3. (The simplest) Create a new admin account, log into it and remove all the other accounts without saving data.