How to do a clean install, just bought my first mac

Hello I'm new here, I just purchased my first mac after many years of windows it's a second hand Mac Pro 2007.

It's still got the previous owners details on it so I want to do a new install so it's like starting with a new computer, I didn't get any discs with it at all and I am totally new to macs so it's all a little confusing at the moment.

It's running 10.6 and I wouldn't mind upgrading to 10.7 when I re boot it all if possible?


Thanks in advance

Welcome to Mac-Forums..

It sucks that you didn't get the discs with the purchase. But at least it's running, and OS X 10.7 is the highest version you can go to.

Update the Mac to 10.6.8 if it isn't already at that version and you should have the Mac App Store. Open the Mac App Store and search for OS X Lion and purchase it for $19.99. Now use DiskMaker X to create a USB drive with the Lion installer and then use that to launch the installer.

Once in the installer, use Disk Utility to erase the contents of the HD and do your clean install..

As a suggestion lash out and buy the Snow Leopard OS X.6 discs from Apple Online - $19.95 posted. You can boot from the DVD, erase and format the drive and do a clean install setting up with your name, password, network settings etc. and then if you wish upgrade to Lion.

Thanks for the replies, very helpful!

I think I will have to buy the disc as at the moment it's not connected to the internet as I use wireless and it doesn't have it, I have a dongle I used to use but without the internet to get a driver I can't use it lol