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Republican in training
Picture of DonDraper
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They're going to be slow. Super slow by today's standards. If you want an older slow Mac it's not a terrible choice.


--------------------
I like Sigs and HK's, and maybe Glocks
 
Posts: 2263 | Location: SC | Registered: March 16, 2011Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
magnificent creatures
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The seller says they reinstalled all of the software. What is the process to do a clean install of the OS and make sure everything previous to me using it is 100% erased? I only received the unit, no software installation discs.

Also, is there a way to see the configuration of the memory chips without opening the case?

Thank you to everyone who has been helping in this thread.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Optimistic Cynic
Picture of architect
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quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
The seller says they reinstalled all of the software. What is the process to do a clean install of the OS and make sure everything previous to me using it is 100% erased? I only received the unit, no software installation discs.

Also, is there a way to see the configuration of the memory chips without opening the case?

Thank you to everyone who has been helping in this thread.

Basic instructions:

1) boot into "recovery mode" (hold down some combination of Command, Control, Option, Shift, and R when booting)

2) format the disk with Disk Utility

3) install the OS over the network from Apple's servers, you have a choice, the OS that was originally shipped with that Mac, or the latest OS that supports that model (probably Sierra for a 12,2 or 13,2). Choice is made by which magic keystroke you used to get into recovery mode.

4) configure your own and other's login accounts

5) install whatever third-party software you want.

Apple has instructions on their help site that gives more detail. Step 3 can take a while if you have a slow Internet connection.

Apple -> About this Mac -> System Report will allow you to see the memory configuration.
 
Posts: 6398 | Location: NoVA | Registered: July 22, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
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I was surprised Apple was willing to open an Apple Care case for my used system. They also have technology classes at our local Apple store kids can take for free. That's a really smart approach to getting people to buy things.

They emailed me a document and I can call back and they will walk me through it for free.

I have a Windows keyboard, so I'll have to figure out the special keys.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Optimistic Cynic
Picture of architect
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quote:
I have a Windows keyboard, so I'll have to figure out the special keys.

Alt == Option
Windows == Command

nothing else is "special."
 
Posts: 6398 | Location: NoVA | Registered: July 22, 2009Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nosce te ipsum
Picture of Woodman
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quote:
Originally posted by jbcummings:
I have a 2009 Mac Book Pro, but it only has 2 GB RAM and while El Capitan would load and run it was slow.


I put a $50 SSD into an aluminum MacBook (late-2008). Then did a fresh install of software, which was a multi-step process. Ended up with El Cap and its running as fast as my MacAir.

It was a multi-step process because I started with the OS native to the machine as originally shipped, and perform upgrades from there.

The only "trick" was formatting the SSD correctly, which took me several tries.
 
Posts: 8759 | Registered: March 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
magnificent creatures
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by architect:
quote:
I have a Windows keyboard, so I'll have to figure out the special keys.

Alt == Option
Windows == Command

nothing else is "special."


Thank you, I appreciate the details.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Min-Chin-Chu-Ru... Speed with Glare
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
I was surprised Apple was willing to open an Apple Care case for my used system. They also have technology classes at our local Apple store kids can take for free. That's a really smart approach to getting people to buy things.

They emailed me a document and I can call back and they will walk me through it for free.

I have a Windows keyboard, so I'll have to figure out the special keys.


I helped my friend install a third party SSD on a used MacBook Air and we were stumped when it came time to reinstall the operating system. He made an appointment at the Apple Store, he explained the situation to them and they did the reinstall while he waited for free.
 
Posts: 1265 | Location: MA | Registered: December 24, 2004Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
Deepocean, You're going to be more than played with
your purchase. And, welcome to Apple. You'll never regret it.
I have a 2009 MacBook Pro and it's still screams.
I have a LG large monitor, Apple wireless keyboard and a
wireless Apple keypad for it.
If I'm traveling__detach the monitor and go.
 
Posts: 395 | Location: Green Valley, Arizona | Registered: May 01, 2015Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of cparktd
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quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:

Also, is there a way to see the configuration of the memory chips without opening the case?


If you didn't know...
Under the apple logo, top left in the menu bar, select "About this Mac". Tons of hardware and software info there if you look around. Menus and such vary with OS versions some so I can't give more specific details but mine shows available memory slots and what is in them.



If it ain't woke... don't fix it.
 
Posts: 4117 | Location: Middle Tennessee | Registered: February 07, 2013Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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Picture of SeaCliff
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Strong machines. Mine is a 27" late 2009 2.8mhz i7 with 16 meg ram.
Only real addition I need is a SSD new drive to speed it up some.
 
Posts: 1892 | Location: San Diego | Registered: October 24, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
posted Hide Post
quote:
Originally posted by SeaCliff:
Strong machines. Mine is a 27" late 2009 2.8mhz i7 with 16 meg ram.
Only real addition I need is a SSD new drive to speed it up some.


That's my next move, too. I like this 15" wide screen Macbook Pro, but the 500g HD is a bit sluggish.

A SSD drive will help get it up on its feet and I probably won't need the cooling fan under the computer.


*********
"Some people are alive today because it's against the law to kill them".
 
Posts: 8228 | Location: Arizona | Registered: August 17, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Member
Picture of muddle_mann
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Not sure which year Apple transitioned from supplying OS discs to having the OS on a partition of the internal drive.

Turn on the Mac and immediately hold down the Option key. It'll boot to a gray screen and show all your boot options. If it has the recovery drive you'll see it there. If you have OS discs put the disc in and it'll be an option to boot from.

open disk utility and you see an option for a clean install. I'd format the drive first then install the OS.



Pissed off beats scared every time…

- Frank Castle
 
Posts: 3810 | Registered: March 03, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
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I'm hoping to make a USB boot installer to have for the future. Hopefully these instructions will work:

https://www.macworld.com/artic...installer-drive.html
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
member
Picture of henryaz
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quote:
Originally posted by deepocean:
I'm hoping to make a USB boot installer to have for the future. Hopefully these instructions will work:

They will work fine, but a key element there is having the El Capitan full install package from the Mac App Store. You build the USB stick from that. Depending on what your machine came with, you might be able to weasel a download key for that package, but it is otherwise unavailable on the App Store.
 
Contact me at my email. I might be able to help.
 
 
Posts: 10778 | Location: South Congress AZ | Registered: May 27, 2006Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
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I spent a while on the phone with Apple Care tech support tonight. We tried a number of combinations of keys to try to get it to boot up into a reset. I believe he was trying to do a command R while the system rebooted from off, but nothing worked. The issue may have been the Windows keyboard.

He is emailing me some detailed instructions. I am going to try again tomorrow.

henryaz, thank you, I will email you tomorrow.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
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quote:
Originally posted by henryaz:
Contact me at my email. I might be able to help.
 


Email sent. Thank you for offering to help me.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
Nature is full of
magnificent creatures
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Is anyone here familiar with the late-2013 iMac A1419 i7 3.5GHz? Is it a solid machine?

I'm curious how the late-2013 iMac 27 display compares with the later retina screens for editing home video.
 
Posts: 6273 | Registered: March 24, 2008Reply With QuoteReport This Post
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