How to Test Old Mac Before Selling?

Apple hardware test shipped on the original grey installer disks - if you have them read the tiny text, one disk have give instructions for the startup keys.

You may also use this list to find the version & download AHT from Apple…

https://github.com/upekkha/AppleHardwareTest

Burn them to a CD (via Disk Utility & it can be used to boot the test). Run extended test repeatedly to see if it dies when hot.

Apple Hardware Test ins't perfect - it can report errors for no good reason & can miss others, just note any error strings & google it.

Once a Mac gets past a few years the only way to tell is to set it up & run it for a few days, it may be more work than you want to do, sadly some bugs only show up when you work for a few hours.

Some older Macs have a small battery on the logic board that helps a

micro processor store certain system information, the PRAM battery

or clock battery, as some refer the cell. This should be replaced in the

chance some new user may find the time and system messed up or if

the computer will not start up correctly. This battery may vary across

several models, so you may need to research computers to match part.

To be able to include system install-restore disc media of the correct

kind and type for each model is expected; getting this may be difficult

since you cannot necessarily or easily acquire replacement lost discs.

A call to Apple support or applecare with each computer serial number

and build model, may be helpful to determine if they may still have any

appropriate replacement install restore discs, available. If not, then a

wider search for good, used, system discs. These may be retail and

of the last supported OS X version system install discs for each Mac.

Amazon, ebay, used computer stores, craigslist, moving sales, university

or school rummage sales, or local Apple user groups, may be helpful.

Sources online also may include fluke or off-hand pure luck findings.

If you install a new system from an install DVD, for test purposes, do not

personalize the installation; give the main admin user an anonymous

name and other fiction, so personal info is not tied to the computer...

If need be, for demonstration purposes, you could temporarily install a

system into more than one old computer to test the hardware function.

The software end user license implies each computer is required to

have its own install DVD for the system installed within it. Proof is the

disc itself, in cases where older computers use install DVD/CD media.

The github access to these hardware tests and other old manuals that

can be of great help to those attempting to assist others use obsolete

Mac hardware + old software, is a resource that is generally unavailable.

Hopefully you have no trouble in testing, restoring these for re-use.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂