IanE - GB

Q: Recently acquired iMac - Want to do fresh install of El Capitan

Hi,

I am new to he world of Mac - I have recently acquired my Sons iMac (27 inch late 2009) which has been well looked after and has already been upgraded to El Capitan.  I am not a complete novice in computers as I have been using, building and repairing PC's since MS Windows 3 onwards... and I have to wonder why it's taken me so long to get to Mac??


There are things I would like to do with this new (to me) iMac before I start to use it in earnest firstly it has lots of apps and programs and games which my son installed and used that I probably never will, I'd like to do a fresh install of OS-X El Capitan so that I can refresh the whole system as if new. I would also like to upgrade the memory, it currently has 4GB of Memory (2 x 2GB Dimms) and I would like to upgrade it to it's full potential of 16Gb (4 x 4GB) I have seen compatible SODIMMS available from Crucial.com  Is this a job I could carry out given I have work on PC's etc and am no afraid to give it a go myself if its possible.


All advice will be helpful, (please excuse terminology if it's not correct in referring to all things Mac) Please be gentle :-)

Many Thanks in Advance


IanE

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Mar 6, 2016 10:12 AM

Close

Q: Recently acquired iMac - Want to do fresh install of El Capitan

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 Next
  • by Old Toad,Apple recommended

    Old Toad Old Toad Mar 6, 2016 11:29 AM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 10 (141,095 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 6, 2016 11:29 AM in response to IanE - GB

    First make sure the iMac was prepared for sale or giving away according to this Apple document: What to do before selling or giving away your Mac - Apple Support.  You may need your son's ID and password to disable iTunes, iCloud, etc. so get with him to help you thru those steps. 

     

    How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support

     

     

    Yes, it's easy to install additional RAM. Install memory in an iMac - Apple Support

    OTsig.png

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 11:39 AM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 11:39 AM in response to Old Toad

    Many thanks for that 'OT' 

     

    My son brought the iMac to mine and set me up as the user with admin rights etc, so I am assuming that he signed out of iTunes and iCloud, however, he replaced this iMac with a Macbook Pro so will no doubt be logged in on that now anyway...

    As I am now signed into those services on the iMac I assume that I should follow that myself before reinstalling OS-X  Is that correct?

    Regarding the reinstall... this iMac has no disks or anything with it and as I am used to a very long winded process in Widows PC's of installing drivers etc etc do I need anything else for this iMac other than it being connected to the internet??

     

    Many thanks for your help thus far...

     

    Ian E

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Mar 6, 2016 11:48 AM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 10 (141,095 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 6, 2016 11:48 AM in response to IanE - GB

    Why do you want to erase and insatll?  Just delete the apps and files that you don't want. 

     

    Do you have the system instrall disks that came with the iMac.  You would need them to boot into, erase and reinsatll the original system on the Mac.  The go to the App Store and download and install El Capitan.  It your only concern is for those apps that you don't wont just delete them. 

     

    I've used a 3rd part app called AppCleaner to remove apps and their associated files without incident.  I carefully check the files it wants to remove before giving it permission do do so. 

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 12:31 PM in response to Old Toad
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 12:31 PM in response to Old Toad

    Hi again,

     

    My Son will have all the original disks somewhere from when he originally purchased it from Apple but he moved to a flat with his fiancé about a year ago and much of his stuff remains unpacked in boxes thus it will take some finding.  He was told it would be easier to just reinstall El Capitan from fresh, rather than go back to the out of the box when it as pre installed with Yosemite and then upgrade to El Capitan

     

    He works in the film and media industry and has used the iMac not only as his day to day computer - apps games etc but also for film editing and encoding etc and thus it was pretty full of files etc which he has copied off onto other external drives.  He has also said that it's pretty slow now compared to how things were and that a complete reinstall would no doubt freshen it up and get it running quickly again.

     

    Obviously that appeals to me, having it fresh and quick as I'm mainly going to be using it to edit Photos (I'm a photographer).  My main problem is that I'm a long time PC man (MCSE) I have no knowledge of Mac's and if I'm honest have never considered using or buying one until this one was going to be consigned to the scrap heap. But I don't really have the time to learn all about Mac's before starting to use it for real, it's going to be a learn as I go project and I think starting from a fresh install will be the best way... to be honest I would find it quite an arduous task at this stage to try and pick my way through what to remove not knowing whats what on a Mac.  So if the reinstall i just as it states in those Apple Support documents I shouldn't need anything but the internet connection...  or are they like Microsoft... and the 'Oh well its taken for granted you would need this, that and the other, so we didn't put any of that in the directions'...

     

    Regards

    IanE

  • by Old Toad,

    Old Toad Old Toad Mar 6, 2016 1:14 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 10 (141,095 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 6, 2016 1:14 PM in response to IanE - GB

    Never having done an erase and install, Macs usually don't need them unless one is really having problems with the system.

     

     

     

    If El Capitan is currently install you can try  the method listed in this Apple document: How to reinstall OS X on your Mac - Apple Support. The erase and install directly are near the bottom of the document.

     

    And remember Macs are not like PCs.  You don't need any anti virus software nor should you run any "cleaning" or "optimizing" apps. 

  • by babowa,Solvedanswer

    babowa babowa Mar 6, 2016 2:11 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 6, 2016 2:11 PM in response to IanE - GB

    He was told it would be easier to just reinstall El Capitan from fresh, rather than go back to the out of the box when it as pre installed with Yosemite and then upgrade to El Capitan

     

    Yes, that may be easier; however, the problem with that is: any download/purchase from the app store is tied to the Apple ID used to obtain it and is NOT transferable. Therefore, it would be much easier to do what he should have done (per the licensing agreement): erase the hard drive and reinstall the original OS.

     

    You can do this now by booting into internet recovery: reboot the Mac while holding down Command + Option + R right after the startup chime. You will need to hold those for a while until you see a progress bar. The Mac will be attempting to connect with Apple's servers to get you into recovery mode (will take a while). Once you see a Utilities window, choose Disk Utility and erase the hard drive. When finished, simply click on reinstall OS X and it will install a factory fresh OS which you can then associate with your own Apple ID during the setup phase.

     

    If you have any files on it you want to save, back them up first as you will lose everything.

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 2:20 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 2:20 PM in response to babowa

    Hi babowa,

    Yes of course... but I think as he moved over to the Macbook Pro this iMac just became redundant and it was myself who decided to rescue it... he just set me up to use it as I wanted to 'have a play' in the first instance to see if I could make the transition and our contact has been by phone only since then and it's now me that is pushing to move on and he is away working at present.

     

    I have contacted him this evening and he can locate the original Disks as supplied with the iMac so I'm not so worried about screwing up on this reinstall now...  One question the Command + Option + R - What is the Option Key please is it the Alt Key?

     

    Many Thanks for your help

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Mar 6, 2016 2:56 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 6 (14,340 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 6, 2016 2:56 PM in response to IanE - GB

    The Option key is also the Alt key; some regions had both names on the key, others not.

     

    Good luck!

  • by babowa,Apple recommended

    babowa babowa Mar 6, 2016 3:39 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 6, 2016 3:39 PM in response to IanE - GB

    Ok, if there are install disks, you can use that - you just boot into that (by holding down the C key right after the chime), go past the languages screen and go to that Disk Utility to erase your drive - then reinstall.

     

    Aside from the licensing requirements/rules, I would always start with a fresh install, especially on a used machine. That way you know what you've got on there and, since you associate with your Apple ID, you can then go ahead and do whatever you need at the app store.

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 3:55 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 3:55 PM in response to babowa

    Thanks again...

     

    I have tried with the Command + Option + R and all went well, I erased the disk called Macintosh HD (2TB) there was also a 650GB Partition which I left alone? then went to the Reinstall OS X came up with Installing OS X Yosemite and then afetr I put in my Apple ID and PW came back quickly with This item is temporarily unavailable... cxan't get any further...

     

    Looks like turn it off and wait for my lad to get back with the disks...

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Mar 6, 2016 4:03 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 6, 2016 4:03 PM in response to IanE - GB

    That is most likely because of the licensing/Apple ID issue.

     

    There is a 650 MB recovery partition - that needs to go as well (that is what allows you to restore your OS via the internet - however, we need to start at the beginning). You need to erase the entire thing as the recovery is still tied to your son's Apple ID. So, use the install disk; erase the entire drive, reinstall the original OS, update to 10.6.8 to get the app store and then you can download a more up to date OS.

     

    FWIW, you might as well try one more thing - don't know if it'll work, but it's worth a try: boot back into recovery (Command + Option + R) and, this time, erase your entire disk. Then choose reinstall and see if that will work. If not, back to the install DVDs.

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 4:26 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 4:26 PM in response to babowa

    Hi,

    I agree babowa - I think it's a licensing issue... I think even though I have erased the disk it still looks at Sons ID on the recovery and fails to reinstall due to that...  On entering disk utility this is what I see (below) ... Is Disk 1 a partition of the Hitachi 2TB? as it seems I am unable to erase Disk 1 its all greyed out...

    and an attempt to repartion the Hitachi 2 YB as 1 partition also fails stating Couldn't unmount disk?  Think I'm waiting for the set up disks. If only this was a PC lol

    2016-03-07 00.14.23.jpg

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Mar 6, 2016 4:57 PM in response to IanE - GB
    Level 7 (32,034 points)
    iPad
    Mar 6, 2016 4:57 PM in response to IanE - GB

    Ok, first, you need to highlight/choose your Hitachi disk.

     

    Second, you do not need to repartition - the recovery partition is a hidden partition and you cannot control it. Do not worry - if you choose your 2 TB drive, the whole thing will be erased.

     

    I'd first highlight the 2 TB, then try this first: click on Partition, choose 1 and hit format or, if that does not work, choose the 2 TB and hit erase.

  • by IanE - GB,

    IanE - GB IanE - GB Mar 6, 2016 5:20 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 6, 2016 5:20 PM in response to babowa

    Yes I have done that - The item entitled 2 TB Hitchi came up with an error when clicking erase saying 'couldn't unmount disk'   but the item entitled Macintosh HD allowed me to erase it....

    There is only the option to Partition 2TB Hitchi and have tried but again get an error saying 'couldn't unmount disk' again

     

    Very frustrating

Page 1 Next