Urgent Help Needed! Macbook Pro 15.4

Purchasing a used Mac is a task for very experienced Mac users. Most sellers of used equipment do not correctly prepare it for sale, leaving you with a mess on your hands.

Knowledgeable buyers will demand knowledgeable sellers, and a knowledgeable seller would have Apple replace the battery prior to selling it, at the very least. That leaves only one viable choice from your selection.

If you want to save a few dollars purchase from the Mac Refurbished & Clearance page.

The seller should comply with all that follows the horizontal line below, prior to selling it. You should be physically present to confirm its compliance and ensure that you can configure the Mac with your own Apple ID so that you can use it as your own.

It is not possible for any seller (other than Apple) to include the bundled apps that come with all new Macs. In other words a seller cannot include them. If those apps are important to you, budget $15 to $20 (US) each for Pages, Numbers, iMovie, etc. That adds up quickly.

Other software such as Microsoft Office has its own license transfer requirements. Generally speaking it is possible to transfer licenses of other software, but nothing sold by the Mac App Store can be transferred. Perform your own research before believing a seller is entitled to include software in the sale.

In addition to those requirements, performApple Diagnostics, for a cursory (but by no means exhaustive) test of its hardware.

I'd also insist upon a new battery replaced by Apple or AASP. If the seller replaces the battery himself, run away from the deal and do not look back. Lacking those options, budget $129 (US) for its replacement.

Buy it only after carefully considering all these cautions. There may be others I haven't thought of.

To correctly sell or transfer ownership of a Mac, even to someone in your family, you should follow these instructions.

Disregard anything you are unable to accomplish, such as references to a DVD if the Mac has no optical drive.

Refer to What to do before selling or giving away your Mac

1. If you enabled FileVault, disable it in System Preferences > Security & Privacy.
2. "Deauthorize" your iTunes account. Same for Audible if you have one.
3. System Preferences > iCloud > de-select "Back to My Mac" and "Find my Mac".
4. Sign out of iCloud. Select "Delete from Mac" when it appears.

Next: Remove all your personal information by completely erasing the Mac's internal storage.

1. If your Mac shipped with a grey System Install DVD, start your Mac with that disc inserted in the optical drive while holding the c key to boot from it instead of its internal volume, which should be erased before selling it.
2. If your Mac did not ship with discs, boot OS X Internet Recovery:
   • using three fingers press and hold the following keys: ⌘(command), option, and R.
   • With a fourth finger press the power button to turn on the Mac.
   • Keep the other three fingers where they are until you see the "spinning globe" icon.
   • This method forces the Mac to download its originally installed OS from Apple's servers, which will not require an Apple ID to install.
3. Remove any Open Firmware password if you created one: select Firmware Password Utility from the Utilities menu and remove it.
4. Select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu.
5. Remove any partitions you may have created.
6. Select the Mac's hard disk icon, then select the "Erase" tab.
7. Select the "Security Options" button and erase the disk.
   • The more "securely" you erase the disk, the longer it will take.
   • The fastest method is sufficient since all but the most expensive techniques and equipment will be able to recover securely erased data.
8. When it finishes, quit Disk Utility.
9. Select Install Mac OS X from the Utilities menu.
   • An Apple ID will not be required. If a prompt for an Apple ID appears, return to Step 5.
   • Do not create any user accounts.
10. When it finishes, shut down the computer.
11. If you want to install the bundled apps that were included with your Mac, restart by using your Applications DVD if one was included, and install the bundled apps.

    Apps bundled with newer Macs that shipped without discs cannot be transferred. Its new owner must purchase them from the Mac App Store using his or her own Apple ID.

If the Mac is being sold to someone outside the family consider the following additional information:

1. System Install DVDs that came with your Mac should remain with it forever, and must be included with the sale.
2. Consider including your AppleCare certificate if you bought it, printed documentation, even the box if you still have it.

   AppleCare stays with the equipment and is transferable.

3. Execute a bill of sale showing the Mac's serial number.
4. Once no longer in your possession, remove the Mac from your devices in My Support Profile.