Erasing all data on a MacBook Air.

Question

Erasing all data on a MacBook Air.

I'm about to inherit my son's almost new MacBook air to replace my tired MacBook Pro.

However he's a doctor and I've assured him I will erase all the data on the Air when I receive it as some is confidential patient data.

Fine but the Air doesn't have a disc slot so how do I go about erasing everything securely and then re-installing from My MacBook Pro's Time Machine.

Thoughts?

Guidance ?

Ta.

🙂

MacBook Pro (15-inch Early 2008), OS X Mavericks (10.9), MacBook Pro 4,1 4 Gb RAM

Posted on Mar 6, 2014 6:26 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

themachead

Level 3

774 points

Mar 6, 2014 6:52 AM in response to David Graeme-Baker

Welcome to Apple Discussions

One way would be to have your son create a new Administrator account before he passes you the machine. By logging into that account he can delete his old account. Also he should deauthorize the machine so that it will bind to a different users (yours) Apple ID

Reply

Answer 2

Mar 6, 2014 6:54 AM in response to themachead

Ideally I would like to completely re-format the drive in the Air so he can have total confidence in it's security.

I've found that deleting USERS merely makes them inaccessible and doesn't truly delte (or overwrite) the information.

Reply

Answer 3

Mar 6, 2014 7:06 AM in response to David Graeme-Baker

From a repair boot (command-R) you can access Disk Tools-Disk Utility:DFA and errase (security options:most secure) then repartition the boot drive, then reinstall the OS and it's as clean as you'd want.

Sitll should have your son change the owner of record at Apple.

added secure errase information

Message was edited by: themachead

Reply

Answer 4

Mar 6, 2014 7:08 AM in response to themachead

Ah now that sounds more like it.

After erasing and partitioning I would have an empty machine (right?)

Can I then simply attach it to my Time Machine or do I have to do something else to get an operating system on it ?

Thanks for the help.

Reply

Answer 5

Mar 6, 2014 7:28 AM in response to David Graeme-Baker

You reinstall the OS on the wiped drive... then when you start up your erased Mac for the first time, the Setup Assistant asks you if you would like to restore from backupand you follow the steps.

OR If you've already set up your new User account, you can use the Migration Assistant (located in Applications/Utilities) to do the same thing.

Added link to TimeMachine information

Message was edited by: themachead

Reply

Answer 6

Mar 6, 2014 7:52 AM in response to themachead

From where would I install the new OS on the wiped Air ?

I guess it should be OS 10.9.2 now, but as I will not have anything on my wiped hard drive I do not have any discs from which to upload the operating system nor the ability to connect to the internet ?? It will just be a virgin box with nothing on it.

Reply