Rradetzky

Q: Reset iMac to factory settings but keep Microsoft Office

Hello,

 

 

I have an iMac 27" I bought at the beginning of 2010. I would like to reset it to the factory settings, but would like to keep Microsoft Office. Is that possible? And how would I do this?

 

Thank you very much!

 

P.S. I have next to no knowledge about computers, I just about know how to use word and the internet (which is all I usually need) so please excuse me if my question is very simple/ stupid.

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 28, 2013 4:23 AM

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Q: Reset iMac to factory settings but keep Microsoft Office

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  • by mende1,Helpful

    mende1 mende1 Mar 28, 2013 4:27 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 28, 2013 4:27 AM in response to Rradetzky

    Welcome to the Apple Support Communities

     

    Unfortunately, if you reset a Mac to factory settings, you will lose all the installed applications, including Microsoft Office, and it's not possible to change this. After restoring the iMac to factory settings, you will have to reinstall Microsoft Office.

     

    To reset the Mac to factory settings:

     

    1. Insert the Mac OS X Install Disc that came with your iMac and hold the C key while your Mac is starting.

     

    2. Choose your language, and go to the Utilities menu (on the menu bar) > Disk Utility.

     

    3. Choose your hard drive on the sidebar, go to the Erase tab and erase the drive.

     

    4. Close Disk Utility and reinstall Mac OS X.

     

    5. When the installation finishes and you have set up the computer, install iLife applications from the Applications DVD and then, install Microsoft Office

  • by Ralph Landry1,Helpful

    Ralph Landry1 Mar 28, 2013 4:31 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 4:31 AM in response to Rradetzky

    Your question is not stupid by any means.  the basic problem is resetting a computer to factory settings means erasing the hard drive and reinstalling the operating system.  When that is done, all content is erased, you cannot selectively erase everything but MS Office.  So, the problem at hand is having a backup of the hard drive so you can then erase and install Mac OS X and then restore just MS Office.

     

    Do you have an external hard drive you can use to backup the internal hard drive?  If not, that is always a good idea to have so you do not loose your content if the internal drive fails or has to be erased for some reason.

     

    Is there a specific reason you want to restore to factory condition by keep Office on the drive?  If this is to sell the iMac, you have to deal with transfer of the MS Office license.  If there is a problem you want to clean up then there may be another way to address that issue.

     

    By the way, a great source of external hard drives is the Mac specialist, OWC at http://www.macsales.com I have three of their drives, great experience dealing with them.

  • by Eric Ross,

    Eric Ross Eric Ross Mar 28, 2013 4:35 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 6 (11,681 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 4:35 AM in response to Rradetzky

    This is something that you could do, but as you stated you are not a tech person it has a leaning curve. Why do you want to reinstall the OS are you having some type of problem?

     

    If you would like to do a clean install of Mac OS X 10.6 take a look at this link, http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910

     

    You would also need to have the Microsoft Office original DVD to reinstall office. 

  • by Rradetzky,

    Rradetzky Rradetzky Mar 28, 2013 4:49 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 4:49 AM in response to Rradetzky

    Thank you all for your replies, it is really great that you are willing to help me.

     

    The reason I wanted to reset it to factory settings is that I have so many things on the iMac I no longer need and have never used (e.g. a lot of programms I installed to help the loud fan noise which in the end I did not use), and I want to wipe everything clean and start anew.

     

    I know there are ways to sweep the computer of files but I read through them, and I find some of them a bit complicated, as I am not sure I would recognise those files which are essential to running the computer.

     

    I do have an external harddrive to save all the important documents on. I also have the original install dvds.

    I also have the Microsoft Office install disc, but I used up all of the product keys, and I am not sure if I can reuse them (I am currently googling that as well).

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Mar 28, 2013 4:54 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 28, 2013 4:54 AM in response to Rradetzky

    In that case, you may have problems with the product key. I think you should try deleting the applications instead of erasing the hard drive and reinstalling everything. Normally, most of the apps can be uninstalled just dragging them to the Trash and emptying the Trash, so try deleting the files you don't need

  • by Eustace Mendis,Solvedanswer

    Eustace Mendis Eustace Mendis Mar 28, 2013 4:58 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 7 (25,402 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 4:58 AM in response to Rradetzky

    • I also have the Microsoft Office install disc, but I used up all of the product keys, and I am not sure if I can reuse them (I am currently googling that as well).

     

    It can be done, but it's a bit of a pain. (I went through this recently.) You will have to call - not email - MS support and tell them what is going on. They will first ask for a credit card #, then say it cannot be done for free, then that it cannot be done at all. Be insistent, and you can get the product reinstalled without having to pay again.

    http://support.microsoft.com/contactus/?ws=support

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Mar 28, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 5:01 AM in response to Rradetzky

    In addition to what mende says, before dragging an application to the trash, open it and see if there is an uninstall  option...some have that under the name of the app on the menu bar or in the preferences.  If there is an uninstall option that will clean up files that may be stored in other locations than the main application's folder.

     

    As a side note -  avoid the "cleaning" programs, they are more trouble than they are worth and can create problems for you.

  • by Rradetzky,

    Rradetzky Rradetzky Mar 28, 2013 5:27 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 1 (2 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 5:27 AM in response to Rradetzky

    Thank you for your advice!

     

    I will begin deleting apps, as well as call Microsoft Office to see if they can help me with the product key code. So I could revert to the factory settings if I still need to.

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Mar 28, 2013 5:28 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 10 (93,324 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 28, 2013 5:28 AM in response to Rradetzky

    Good luck. You are welcome

  • by Ralph Landry1,

    Ralph Landry1 Mar 28, 2013 5:30 AM in response to Rradetzky
    Level 8 (41,782 points)
    Mar 28, 2013 5:30 AM in response to Rradetzky

    You're welcome, and that is a good plan, get the Office key code so you have an option if you run into problems and have to do a clean install.