How to format a MacBook Pro version 10.4.11?

[ry_ryh]

My friend gave me his laptop and I want to start fresh. How do I format it. I cant log into it either because he forgot his password. Do I need a cd? Or do I just press a button?

 

[SchizTech]

Why is this in the Windows 8 section if it's a Mac? To be clear, which operating system do you want to load on that?

 

[ry_ryh]

Why is this in the Windows 8 section if it's a Mac? To be clear, which operating system do you want to load on that?

Yeah I don't know why it did that. Its running OS X and I want it to be OS X.

 

[SchizTech]

If that Mac had OSX 10.7 (Lion) or later it should have a recovery utility built in.

https://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/

 

[SchizTech]

If it's older you need the disk -by 10.4.11 are you referring to MacOSX version? That's an older version you'd want to upgrade anyway. How old is the Mac?

 

[ry_ryh]

If that Mac had OSX 10.7 (Lion) or later it should have a recovery utility built in.

https://www.apple.com/osx/recovery/

If it's older you need the disk -by 10.4.11 are you referring to MacOSX version? That's an older version you'd want to upgrade anyway. How old is the Mac?

I have no idea how old it is. Where would I look for that?

 

[SchizTech]

Let me look it up. On the underside of the laptop there should be a code starting with an A followed by four numbers "A1234" or something. Can you post that code?

 

[ry_ryh]

Let me look it up. On the underside of the laptop there should be a code starting with an A followed by four numbers "A1234" or something. Can you post that code?

I found the serial number its: W86160ZQVWX

 

[SchizTech]

That's coming up as a pretty old mac (from 2006 to be precise) It'll run but it's not compatible with any OSX newer than 10.6 (snow leopard)

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

 

[ry_ryh]

That's coming up as a pretty old mac (from 2006 to be precise) It'll run but it's not compatible with any OSX newer than 10.6 (snow leopard)

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573Z/A/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard

So just get the 10.6 recovery cd?

 

[SchizTech]

That's your best bet.

 

[SchizTech]

When you get the disk, boot with the disk in the drive while holding down the "option" key. That should bring up a boot choices screen, use the arrow key to select the install disk. When that boots, go to utilities on the top menu bar and select "disk utility". Erase the hard drive, then close disk utility and continue the installation.

Then you should run the updates, in the upper left hand "apple" logo go to "software update" and run that a couple of times until no more new updates are available.