Q: I bought a used MacBook Pro (mid 2010).  How do I change settings so that I am the owner instead of "tourist"?

You Wipe the drive and reinstall OS X from the Originial System reinstall DVD disc that came with that Mac when it was new. If you don't have them you can order a replacement set from Apple.

If there is another account, sign in and delete your old one, and recreate it. If there is no other way, you might need to re install Mac OSX. Refer to http://support.apple.com/kb/ph4439.

Have a great week!

I would just do a fresh install so that its back to factory default settings.

i would create a new user as an administrator, delete any other "ghost" accounts,

Login and then change the mac's network name through

System Preferences/Sharing/ "Computer Name: ________"

that should pretty much clear traces of the previous owner

the best would still be a clean install.

That Does Not clear the previous owners info. One reason is if that 2010 Mac is running Lion 10.7.x then the original and or last owner downloaded that version of OS X using their Apple ID. That copy of OS X Lion will always be TIED to that persons Apple ID. It can not be transferred to someone else.

With ALL used Mac's they should be returned to As Shipped From Factory state before being sold or given away. If the seller didn't do that then the new owner should. It is the Only Way to ensure all data from the previous owner is removed.

In this case the OP will not be able to update any Apps that have been downloaded from the Mac App Store or the OS as they will be looking for the other persons Apple ID and the password for that Apple ID.

To the OP.

This is VERY IMPORTANT!!!!!

You need to rerinstall the original version of OS X from the Original System Reinstall DVD discs. If the previous owner did not supply them you can order a replacement set from Apple at a small fee.

YOU NEED THOSE ORIGNAL SYSTEM DISCS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jamz wrote:

 

i would create a new user as an administrator, delete any other "ghost" accounts,

Login and then change the mac's network name through

System Preferences/Sharing/ "Computer Name: ________"

 

that should pretty much clear traces of the previous owner

 

 

the best would still be a clean install.

The first thing to do with a second-hand computer is to erase the internal drive and install a clean copy of OS X. You — not the previous owner — must do that. How you do it depends on the model, and on whether you already own another Mac. If you're not sure of the model, enter the serial number on this page. Then find the model on this page to see what OS version was originally installed.

1. You don't own another Mac.

If the machine shipped with OS X 10.4 or 10.5, you need a boxed and shrink-wrapped retail Snow Leopard (OS X 10.6) installation disc from the Apple Store or a reputable reseller — not from eBay or anything of the kind. If the machine has less than 1 GB of memory, you'll need to add more in order to install 10.6. Preferably, install as much memory as it can take, according to the technical specifications.

If the machine shipped with OS X 10.6, you need the installation media that came with it: gray installation discs, or a USB flash drive for some MacBook Air models. For early MBA models, you may need a USB optical drive or Remote Disc. You should have received the media from the previous owner, but if you didn't, order replacements from Apple. A retail disc, or the gray discs from another model, will not work.

To boot from an optical disc or a flash drive, insert it, then reboot and hold down the C key at the startup chime. Release the key when you see the gray Apple logo on the screen.

If the machine shipped with OS X 10.7 or later, you don't need media. It should boot into Internet Recovery mode when you hold down the key combination option-command-R at the startup chime. Release the keys when you see a spinning globe.

2. You do own another Mac.

If you already own another Mac that was upgraded in the App Store to the version of OS X that you want to install, and if the new Mac is compatible with it, then you can install it. Use Recovery Disk Assistant to create a bootable USB device and boot the new Mac from it by holding down the C key at the startup chime. Alternatively, if you have a Time Machine backup of OS X 10.7.3 or later on an external hard drive (not a Time Capsule or other network device), you can boot from that by holding down the option key and selecting it from the row of icons that appears. Note that if your other Mac was never upgraded in the App Store, you can't use this method.

Once booted in Recovery, launch Disk Utility and select the icon of the internal drive — not any of the volume icons nested beneath it. In the Partition tab, select the default options: a GUID partition table with one data volume in Mac OS Extended (Journaled) format. This operation will permanently remove all existing data on the drive.

After partitioning, quit Disk Utility and run the OS X Installer. You will need the Apple ID and password that you used to upgrade. When the installation is done, the system will automatically reboot into the Setup Assistant, which will prompt you to transfer the data from another Mac, its backups, or from a Windows computer. If you have any data to transfer, this is usually the best time to do it.

Then run Software Update and install all available system updates from Apple. To upgrade to a major version of OS X newer than 10.6, get it from the Mac App Store. Note that you can't keep an upgraded version that was installed by the previous owner. He or she can't legally transfer it to you, and without the Apple ID you won't be able to update it in Software Update or reinstall, if that becomes necessary. The same goes for any App Store products that the previous owner installed — you have to repurchase them.

If the previous owner "accepted" the bundled iLife applications (iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band) in the App Store so that he or she could update them, then they're linked to that Apple ID and you won't be able to download them without buying them. Reportedly, Mac App Store Customer Service has sometimes issued redemption codes for these apps to second owners who asked.

If the previous owner didn't deauthorize the computer in the iTunes Store under his Apple ID, you wont be able to  authorize it immediately under your ID. In that case, you'll either have to wait up to 90 days or contact iTunes Support.

Your # 2

I don't think you can use either the Setup Assistant or the Migration assistant with that old of a version of OS X.

So you'll need to Copy the files you want to move over to an external and then copy them to your newer, new to you, Mac.

Basically you can't keep any of the software installed. It is all tied to the previous owner As has been already point out several times.

You have no other real option than to Rebuild the drive and to do that you need the Original System Reinstall discs. They can be order from Apple.

YOU NEED THOSE DISCS. End of story.

The version of OS X that is now installed on that system is TIED to the Previous Owner. You have to Remove it.

The only software you can keep, IF you have the License Key Code (If the seller supplied it with the system), is Office for Mac 2011. If the seller did not supply the License Key Code then you will need to buy Office yourself.

4) Basically, my main goals are:

A)  to be able to read and write to Hard Disk of my newly purchased 2nd hand machine (the mid-2010 MacBook Pro) - instead of being forced to save files to desktop or

You will need to wipe and

reinstall the original OS as outlined by both LowLuster and Linc Davis. If you do not, you will never be able to reinstall and be running a pirated version of the OS as any OS or apps obtained at the app store is not transferable. It's license is only for the original purchaser. Call Apple and they'll send you replacement disks for a nominal fee.

B)  keep the installed software (like Office 2011) on the MacBook Pro without deleting that.  That does not seem possible if I re-install the OS?  I don't have the Office program disks or any other disks. 

That is also not a good idea; you do realize that  you do not have the license to run those because you did not purchase them. The seller should not have left them without giving you the license or transferring them properly.

Ingenuity is great - doing the right (and legally required) thing is as well.