10-09-2010, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by manningfan
First of all, the iMac is a 1.83ghz core 2 duo Intel with 2 GB ram and an 80 GB hard drive. The seller said he loaded a "fresh" install of Snow Leopard on there, but the machine came with no software at all.
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Not sure what you mean by this, Snow Leopard includes a ton of software. It sounds like the seller a) didn't give you the original system restore disks (very bad of the seller, you should ask for them) and b) thus didn't load iLife onto the machine.
But even a straight install of retail Snow Leopard should include iCal, Address Book, TextEdit, Preview, Mail, Safari, QuickTime and much more. Are you saying you don't have those things?
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1) How can I really tell if its a "fresh" install. Meaning, could he have just left his old install on there and deleted his personal files?
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Possibly. Did you set up the admin account? If not, make a new one, move whatever personal stuff you have on the current account over, then delete the old one. Better yet, buy the Mac Box Set ($129 I think) from Apple, which includes ALL the software you should have gotten PLUS iWork, which is awesome.
If you're sure you don't need iWork, you could get away with just buying a retail SL disc ($30) and a copy of iLife 09 ($79) and this will essentially be the same as what would have come on a new Mac.
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2) Are there any programs I should be looking for to get rid of? I know Macs rarely have malware and don't come with much bloatware but I AM just getting off a PC.
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Nope. We don't have crapware/bloatware/trialware/stupidware. Or viruses. Welcome to Macintosh!
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3) I have a 320 gb external usb hard drive that has audio files, pictures, and a few video files that I made using a PC. I'm sure the audio and picture files will transfer fine, but does the Mac do the whole ".wmv" thing?
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It will if you download and install the free
Flip4Mac WMV Player and
Perian. But I really would convert those files to standard formats at some point.
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4) I can just buy the Snow Leopard disc off Amazon or wherever if I need to reinstall the operating system, correct?
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The SL retail disc only includes the basic level of software that comes on the Mac. If the seller had given you the install discs you would have had it all, but perhaps it was a blessing in disguise -- the original install discs might not have included an up-to-date system or iLife, so you'd have had to buy that anyway. But yes, a retail SL disc will act as a "system reinstall" disc.
I hope you got a good deal on that Mac, and I hope you enjoy it thoroughly!