Reformat my MacBook Pro HD

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Late 2013 retina MBP 13" 2.6, 8GB RAM, 512 GB
After setting up and migrating to my new rMBP, I'm ready to prepare my 2009 MBP for trade-in. I have de-authorized it in iTunes, and want to wipe the drive clean now. I apparently don't need to re-install OSX. My problem is that when I go the Disk Utility and try to erase, the links are not active and nothing happens. How can I reformat/wipe the drive?
 

bobtomay

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15" MBP '06 2.33 C2D 4GB 10.7; 13" MBA '14 1.8 i7 8GB 10.11; 21" iMac '13 2.9 i5 8GB 10.11; 6S
Boot the machine from the OS X disk that shipped with the computer.

Use Disk Utility there.

Plenty of tutorials for clean installing 10.6 out there with a quick search.
 
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Boot the machine from the OS X disk that shipped with the computer.

Use Disk Utility there.

Plenty of tutorials for clean installing 10.6 out there with a quick search.

Thanks, but my issue isn't with OSX, as I still have the machine up and running on Mountain Lion. My problem is how to wipe the disk clean before turning in the laptop.
 

pigoo3

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Thanks, but my issue isn't with OSX, as I still have the machine up and running on Mountain Lion. My problem is how to wipe the disk clean before turning in the laptop.

What bobtomay advised is exactly what you need to do...and is a very straight-forward procedure.

Another way (since you have Mountain Lion installed)...is boot into the "recovery partition" by rebooting the computer & pressing command + r (2-key combo...no plus sign). Then launch Disk Utility...and secure erase the main partition

- Nick
 
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Thanks guys. It wasn't obvious to me why I had to boot into the "recovery partition" when the OSX was still active. Erasing is now in progress.
 

pigoo3

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Thanks guys. It wasn't obvious to me why I had to boot into the "recovery partition" when the OSX was still active. Erasing is now in progress.

No problems. There's usually more than one way to get something done.:)

- Nick
 

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