Erase and Install, no Install DVDs OS X 10.8

OS X 10.7 (Lion) doesn't ship on a DVD.

It is downloaded via the App Store the same way you get Mountain Lion.

Mountain Lion installer doesn't offer an erase option.

It will not remove your iLife apps.

To erase & install Mountain Lion, follow the directions here. (You can choose the secure erase option if you want.)

You will lose the iLife apps that originally came with the Mac if you erase the disk (unless you can get the original system discs from Apple, which may be possible for a small fee if you furnish the serial number of the Mac).

System disks for older Macs are handy to have, if for no other reason than you can run the Apple Hardware Test from them.

I think the point is that the original owner should have reverted the system to that which it had when new ie. Snow Leopard. The Lion will be registered on MAS in his name, which will cause problems with updates accessing iTunes etc. You need to de-authorise these services against the computer serial number too.

You need to put in the Snow Leopard disk and run the Disk utility to re-partition/erase the present system and install SL. Then update it to 10.6.8 in order to access MAS in your own name and purchase your own copy of Mountain Lion from there.

Here is an article, after the fact, but maybe of assistance to you

http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20011109-263.html

putnik wrote:

You need to put in the Snow Leopard disk and run the Disk utility to re-partition/erase the present system and install SL.

Note that the OP said he does not have the system discs so this is not of much help.

Sorry, his second post says "The iMac was sold with Snow Leopard DVDs and iLife DVD. Lion has been installed by the previous user." so I mistakenly thought he had the disk.

Perhaps he can buy ML and put it onto a USB or external disk, so that he can do the secure erase and install he wants, from there. Will there be problems with the purchasing and authorisation if MAS sees another owner in their records?

Since you already have Lion, you therefore have access to the Apple Store. Purchase the ML and download BUT DO NOT INSTALL. Make a USB or DVD install disc of the ML ESD installer image with Disk Utility. Once done, use the USB / DVD to boot the iMac. Use the builtin DU to Partition and format the internal drive as "Mac Extended Journaled" Once done, quit DU and start the new ML installation process. Remember, everting will be lost so do have a working Clone before you start this process.

Good luck

Here are some notes on the subject, which, unfortunately I am unable to attribute to the author. I hope he will forgive me duplicating them here, in the name of trying to help.

Note: I am not sure if your model has Internet Recovery option and you would do well to get the seller to provide the original SL disk and he should de-authorise the computer in iTunes and MAS and delete his account for security.

Quote:

Internet Recovery, and Transferability of OS & iLife Apps

Selling an Old Mac:

• When selling an old Mac, the only OS that is legally transferable is the one that came preinstalled when the Mac was new. Selling a Mac with an upgraded OS isn't doing the new owner any favors. Attempting to do so will only result in headaches since the upgraded OS can't be registered by the new owner. If a clean install becomes necessary, they won't be able to do so and will be forced to install the original OS via Internet Recovery. Best to simply erase the drive and revert back to the original OS prior to selling any Mac.

• Additionally, upgrading the OS on a Mac you intend to sell means that you are leaving personally identifiable information on the Mac since the only way to upgrade the OS involves using your own AppleID to download the upgrade from the App Store. So there will be traces of your info and user account left behind. Again, best to erase the drive and revert to the original OS via Internet Recovery.

Internet Recovery:

• In the event that the OS has been upgraded to a newer version (i.e. Lion to Mountain Lion), Internet Recovery will offer the version of the OS that originally came with the Mac. So while booting to the Recovery Disk will show Mountain Lion as available for reinstall since that is the current version running, Internet Recovery, on the other hand, will only show Lion available since that was the OS shipped with that particular Mac.

• Though the Mac came with a particular version of Mac OS X, it appears that, when Internet Recovery is invoked, the most recent update of that version may be applied. (i.e. if the Mac originally came with 10.7.3, Internet Recovery may install a more recent update like 10.7.5)

iLife Apps:

• When the App Store is launched for the first time it will report that the iLife apps are available for the user to Accept under the Purchases section. The user will be required to enter their AppleID during the Acceptance process. From that point on the iLife apps will be tied to the AppleID used to Accept them. The user will be allowed to download the apps to other Macs they own if they wish using the same AppleID used to Accept them.

• Once Accepted on the new Mac, the iLife apps can not be transferred to any future owner when the Mac is sold. Attempting to use an AppleID after the apps have already been accepted using a different AppleID will result in the App Store reporting "These apps were already assigned to another Apple ID".

• It appears, however, that the iLife Apps do not automatically go to the first owner of the Mac. It's quite possible that the original owner, either by choice or neglect, never Accepted the iLife apps in the App Store. As a result, a future owner of the Mac may be able to successfully Accept the apps and retain them for themselves using their own AppleID. Bottom Line: Whoever Accepts the iLife apps first gets to keep them.

For information only: A step by step guide

1. Open Carbon Copy Cloner.

2. Select the Source volume from the Select a source drop down menu on the left side.

3. Select the Destination volume from the Select a destination drop down menu on the right

side.

4. Click on the Clone button. If you are prompted about creating a clone of the Recovery HD be

sure to opt for that.

Destination means a freshly erased external backup drive. Source means the internal

startup drive.

Step Two - Prepare the machine for the new buyer:

1. De-authorize the computer in iTunes! De-authorize both iTunes and Audible accounts.

2, Remove any Open Firmware passwords or Firmware passwords.

3. Turn the brightness full up and volume nearly so.

4. Turn off File Vault, if enabled.

5. Disable iCloud, if enabled: See.What to do with iCloud before selling your computer

Step Three - Install a fresh OS:

A. Snow Leopard and earlier versions of OS X

1. Insert the original OS X install CD/DVD that came with your computer.

2. Restart the computer while holding down the C key to boot from the CD/DVD.

3. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu; repartition and reformat the internal hard drive.

Optionally, click on the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.

4. Install OS X.

5. Upon completion DO NOT restart the computer.

6. Shutdown the computer.

B. Lion and Mountain Lion (if pre-installed on the computer at purchase*)

Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because

it is three times faster than wireless.

1. Restart the computer while holding down the COMMAND and R keys until the Mac OS X

Utilities window appears.

2. Select Disk Utility from the Mac OS X Utilities window and click on the Continue button.

3. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the left side list. Click

on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

4. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on the Security button

and set the Zero Data option to one-pass.

5. Click on the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.

6. Quit DU and return to the Mac OS X Utilities window.

7. Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.

8. Upon completion shutdown the computer.

*If your computer came with Lion or Mountain Lion pre-installed then you are entitled to transfer your license once. If you purchased Lion or Mountain Lion from the App Store then you cannot transfer your license to another party. In the case of the latter you should install the original version of OS X that came with your computer. You need to repartition the hard drive as well as reformat it; this will assure that the Recovery HD partition is removed. See Step Three above. You may verify these requirements by reviewing your OS X Software License.

It seems the situation is even more problematic than I thought possible. These iMacs have some model specific software changes. As this article says, you must use the DVD that came with the computer, so you shouldn't even try to beg, buy or borrow a replacement.

The Lion on the computer now would be in the name of the previous owner. So maybe Internet Recovery will work for you, but I doubt it. The disk needs to be erased and re-partitioned to get rid of the Lion Recovery Partition, to start afresh. This needs to be done from an external source.

I would ask Apple if they can provide you with the correct disk for your particular model.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3479?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US