You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.
I have late 2013 imac 21.5".
How do I restore it to factory default since it comes with no cd nor drive? I want to go back to the way it was when I first turned it on with ilife and osx etc, everything.
iMac, OS X Mavericks (10.9.2), Late 2013 21.5" imac
First make a backup of your files because you will lose everything on the drive.
Than restart/boot up in Internet Recovery mode by holding down Command + Option + R keys. You will see a spinning globe for a while and then be connected to Apple's servers. Once there, launch Disk Utility and wipe your drive. After that, choose to reinstall the OS - it should install the original system. You can then port back your files.
First make a backup of your files because you will lose everything on the drive.
Than restart/boot up in Internet Recovery mode by holding down Command + Option + R keys. You will see a spinning globe for a while and then be connected to Apple's servers. Once there, launch Disk Utility and wipe your drive. After that, choose to reinstall the OS - it should install the original system. You can then port back your files.
It should and if you got your iLife apps by accepting and/or downloading them from the app store, they should be listed in your Purchases tab there and you can just re-download them. Using recovery means that you are using the hidden recovery partition and a new one will be created when you do a new OS install. You can stop the process right after the download is finished (and before the install begins) and find the installer in your Applications folder. Copy it to a safe location and then double click it to proceed with the install.
Here is some info including how to reinstall iLife:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718
Please note that if you are selling the Mac, you cannot include those apps - any app or OS obtained from the app store is not transferable - it is tied to your apple ID forever and the buyer must purchase their own license.
Thanks. Will this make the iMac exactly the same with iLife and everything just like it was the first time I turned it on?
Also is there anyway to make a system recovery partition to use instead? I know this requires third party software.
Thanks.
All this did is reinstall osx and there is no hidden recovery partition. It downloads the whole thing.
It did not make the Mac exactly the same. You must not know how it works exactly. Im not meaning bad when i say that. It only installed osx and it downloaded it. If there was a recovery partition then it would not download anything. It did not download iLife for keynote etc.
The first time I turned on my iMac it had a lot more stuff then just osx. It had iLife with the word processor, database, presentation, web site builder, garage band, iMovie etc. doing the command option r on boot up only downloads and installs osx.
Also the apps installed iLife etc would go with the Mac if sold and if I never entered in a App Store account. I'm not selling tho.
It's a shame apple got rid of the disc drive and not including a recovery partition to go back to factory defaults.
I guess I should just return it to best buy.
You asked how to reset to factory - that is what recovery does minus any apps which are not an actual part of the OS (which means iLife and iWork). They might have been "included", but never were part of the OS itself.
All this did is reinstall osx and there is no hidden recovery partition. It downloads the whole thing.
It did not make the Mac exactly the same. You must not know how it works exactly.
Well, I do know how it works - I've tested it several times. Yes, I know it downloads the installer for the OS which is +/- 5 GB. It also automatically installs a hidden recovery partition - which is hidden; you can test to see if you have it by booting up while holding Command + R - if it boots into the Mac OS Utilities screen with a choice of reinstalling the OS or doing a limited number of other things, then you are booted into the recovery partition.
It's a shame apple got rid of the disc drive and not including a recovery partition to go back to factory defaults.
It had iLife with the word processor, database, presentation, web site builder, garage band, iMovie etc. doing the command option r on boot up only downloads and installs osx.
And, I told told you that the "extra" apps would not be automatically downloaded. The recovery method (whether local or internet) only installs the OS; this has been so since Lion and digital only delivery was introduced. Apple has made dramatic changes to the licensing agreements/terms.
The support article I linked to explained how to re-download iLife (if it originally came with your Mac).
And, if you accepted them originally, then no, they cannot be transferred to another owner because their license is not transferable. If you did not accept/install them and never updated them, then yes, they can be transferred. All that information is included in the various SLA's.
If your iLife and iWork were on disks originally, then that is an entirely different situation.
You can also purchase an external optical drive. I've used one for years.
Returning it or not - it's your decision.
How do I restore my late 2013 iMac 21.5"
