MacBook Pro factory reset

[DavePa]

So, I took the plunge yesterday and switched on the MacBook Pro that we will be using to manage our iPads. 1st time I've ever turned on a Mac device so not familiar with the process. At one point it asked me to setup an iTunes account which I skipped and the next screen prompted me for an account name. As I was setting it up temporarily just to run through the process I did what I do for Windows computers and gave it a temporary name. In this case "TempMac". Creating an account took ages - so long that I thought it had frozen so clicked the 'next' button. When (5 minutes later) the account was finally created it went to the next screen (agreement to send information about data usage to Apple) - and the 'next' that I had clicked at the previous screen meant it went straight through. Grrrr!

 

Today I've looked at doing a factory restore which is what we do with PCs and it turns out it's not quite so simple with Macs. I#ve followed the instructions on the Apple site to reinstall OS-X but this has not prompted me to setup an iTunes account, give the device a name or agree to sending data to Apple

 

Ideally I'd like to 'factory reset' it to the condition it was in yesterday when I took it out of the box and runs through the initialisation when I power it up - is this possible? There is no data on it so no concerns about losing data.

If the above is not possible I need to change the device name and 'un-agree' with sending information about its use to Apple. I also need to create and associate an iTunes account although I'm guessing this is simple to do.

 

Any pointers please?

[ZeroHour]

A mac expert will be along soon but I think you can use disk manager in the boot tools (hold the alt button on reboot to get the menu) to clear the data first, then reboot and reinstall osx using the boot manager.

[Crumpet]

I think you need it to be connected to the internet so it can download the OS, but try this:

 

Restart the Mac in Recovery Mode (hold down Command and the R key during restart).

 

Use Disk Utility to erase the hard drive. Click on Disk Utility > Continue. Select the main volume and click Unmount then Erase). Quit Disk Utility (Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility).

 

Click Reinstall OS X and Continue. Follow the instructions to reinstall Mac OS X.

[ZeroHour]

I think you need it to be connected to the internet so it can download the OS, but try this:

 

Restart the Mac in Recovery Mode (hold down Command and the R key during restart).

 

Use Disk Utility to erase the hard drive. Click on Disk Utility > Continue. Select the main volume and click Unmount then Erase). Quit Disk Utility (Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility).

 

Click Reinstall OS X and Continue. Follow the instructions to reinstall Mac OS X.

 

The very steps I used ages ago actually, couldnt remember how to get into the console.

[DavePa]

I think you need it to be connected to the internet so it can download the OS, but try this:

 

Restart the Mac in Recovery Mode (hold down Command and the R key during restart).

 

Use Disk Utility to erase the hard drive. Click on Disk Utility > Continue. Select the main volume and click Unmount then Erase). Quit Disk Utility (Disk Utility > Quit Disk Utility).

 

Click Reinstall OS X and Continue. Follow the instructions to reinstall Mac OS X.

 

Thanks guys (and I mean that generically, not in a gender specific sense )

 

I found a guide here: 4 Ways to Reset a Macbook Pro - wikiHow and am trying method 3 at the moment as that is closest to my situation. It's pretty much what you have suggested. It's reinstalling OS-X at the moment - but at the point that it needed to download it our WiFi was already setup and connected so it's not a complete reset, at least not in terms of how it works with a Windows laptop. Hopefully when it finishes it will at least allow me to rename it, setup iTunes and disagree about sending data to Apple though.

[DavePa]

Success! Thanks @ZeroHour and @Crumpet. Despite being connected to our WiFi when it installed OS-X when it then restarted it had no record of it so I get to set everything up again which is exactly how I wanted it to be

[Brimstone]

Success! Thanks @ZeroHour and @Crumpet. Despite being connected to our WiFi when it installed OS-X when it then restarted it had no record of it so I get to set everything up again which is exactly how I wanted it to be

 

I find incredible that whoever sold you the iPads never asked you or your manager who placed the order;

 

So are your IT support familiar the using Mac OS X? If not then we can provide installation services to support you to help you get this set up.

 

(Awaits further posts on how to do and that with the iPads)