Sunday, May 19, 2013

Before Selling Your Apple Computer

There is so much of your personal information embedded in your Apple computer that selling it without addressing the matter isn't much different from handing someone your credit card along with your ATM code.  This isn't a failing in Apple computers but rather it's the nature of the way modern desktop computers are managed.  It's the same with Windows computers.

The only solution I've found satisfactory is to create a boot disk with OS X Mountain Lion on it and then to use that to drive a 'clean install' of the operating system as that will wipe out the entire contents of the boot drive.  (OS X Daily:  How to Make a Bootable OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion USB Install Drive)

You cannot legally sell software you have bought from the Apple Store as it is not yours.  You have a license from Apple to use it but not to sell it.  This applies not only to the operating system but also any add-on software you have purchased such as Final Cut Pro, etc.  Selling the computer with Mountain Lion on it is not the same as selling the software as it cannot be copied to an install disk to create additional installations for other computers.  All of this will apply equally to Windows computers as software is licensed the same way on them as well.

Failing to address this, in effect, hands more personal information to someone else than a hacker could ever steal from you.  It's not so much whether you trust the buyer but rather whether you trust everyone the buyer knows or whomever will in future touch that computer.

(Personal note:  This does not mean the iMac is sold but rather I will be giving it to Harry for other reasons.)

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