02-25-2009, 07:41 PM

I do not want to do a full disk swipe of my Macbook before I sell it because it contains some programs for which I do not have the discs. If I just manually delete my personal files, will the buyer be able to re-trace my deleted files?

Thanks for the help.

02-25-2009, 08:45 PM

You may as well just wipe it and put a fresh install on the machine.

No one with an intelligent knowledge of computers will pay for programs that do not have disks.

02-26-2009, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by bobtomay

No one with an intelligent knowledge of computers will pay for programs that do not have disks.

I would disagree, depending on your definition of "intelligent knowledge." I bought a Macbook a year ago with tons of software that I find really valuable. And since I've never had to restore my OS because Macs are so reliable, I've essentially been using over $1,000 worth of free software.

Sure, I wouldn't have paid the value of the software without the discs, but it definitely made me choose to buy that person's machine over an "empty" one.

To the OP, I can't tell you from a tech standpoint, but I've sold 4 computers in the past leaving the software on and wiping my personal info, clearing all cookies and histories, etc., and I've never had a problem.

02-26-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by efuggetta

I would disagree, depending on your definition of "intelligent knowledge." I bought a Macbook a year ago with tons of software that I find really valuable. And since I've never had to restore my OS because Macs are so reliable, I've essentially been using over $1,000 worth of free software.

Sure, I wouldn't have paid the value of the software without the discs, but it definitely made me choose to buy that person's machine over an "empty" one.

To the OP, I can't tell you from a tech standpoint, but I've sold 4 computers in the past leaving the software on and wiping my personal info, clearing all cookies and histories, etc., and I've never had a problem.

The fact that you have benefitted from software piracy does not make it correct or advisable.

Advertising and selling a computer with unlicensed software is just as illegal as selling burned CDs with that software on a street corner. Just wipe the machine and sell it as it with the original disks it came with.

02-26-2009, 03:42 PM

If you just delete the data, then yes, it can likely be recovered. This program for instance does just that. I haven't tried it but I do know programs do exist to recover lost data.

This knowledge comes from bad experiences on Windows and since I don't know the ins and outs of HFS+, I don't want to guarantee that either your data is recoverable or it isn't.