OS X Install

[X5mer]

Hi, I recently purchased a MB Air from my company before leaving. They had blocked OS X Yos install via a policy. How can I remove that policy now that I own the machine?

 

[chscag]

You need to wipe the machine clean and install Yosemite using your own Apple ID. That will also prevent any future problems with applications and updates. You might have to purchase a Snow Leopard DVD from Apple to do the wiping and then upgrade to Yosemite. It depends on the year and model MacBook Air that you have whether or not you can use the Snow Leopard DVD.

 

[pm-r]

Couldn't the OP just get whatever is needed to "unlock" the MB Air from the company considering it has been purchased making them the owner and then download and install Yosemite?

Then just setup their own User account and delete any other surplus account if needed. But maybe get a proper Apple ID User setup first if not done already.

Just a thought…

And it would have to be quite an older MB Air to run SL 10.6.x and I don't know which Air models even had an optical drive built-in to be able to use any install DVD.

 

[harryb2448]

The first five model MBA ran either Leopard or Snow Leopard originally and all MBA may come with the optional optical drive.

 

[X5mer]

I'm still getting "OS X Yosemite is blocked by IT" error message. Now what?

You need to wipe the machine clean and install Yosemite using your own Apple ID. That will also prevent any future problems with applications and updates. You might have to purchase a Snow Leopard DVD from Apple to do the wiping and then upgrade to Yosemite. It depends on the year and model MacBook Air that you have whether or not you can use the Snow Leopard DVD.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

I'm still getting "OS X Yosemite is blocked by IT" error message. Now what?

What steps have you taken? Did you wipe the entire computer? How are running the Yosemite installer?

 

[X5mer]

What steps have you taken? Did you wipe the entire computer? How are running the Yosemite installer?

I rebooted the machine and held down Command-R. From there, I selected "reinstall OS X". It connects to my iCloud account and re-installs the same old version I have. Then when I "software update" from the Apple menu, it downloads Yosemite, then gives me the "...blocked by IT" error message.

I've also heard that the mid-2013 6,2 machine that I have has the SSD glued in, so I cannot replace it.

Any suggestions???

Thanks in advance.

 

[Slydude]

I think you are still getting that message in part because the drive has not been completely erased. Booting using Command R and then installing Yosemite does not do that if I remember correctly.

I would try either creating a bootable Yosemite installer stick / external hard drive. Being booted from either one should allow you to wipe the internal drive without the need for tracking down a DVD and possibly an external optical drive as well.

 

[pm-r]

I think you are still getting that message in part because the drive has not been completely erased. Booting using Command R and then installing Yosemite does not do that if I remember correctly.

I would try either creating a bootable Yosemite installer stick / external hard drive. Being booted from either one should allow you to wipe the internal drive without the need for tracking down a DVD and possibly an external optical drive as well.

Just a remote possibility thought, if the firm had installed a key logger and/or user limiting software, not even a normal volume erase will get rid of it as I recall.

Just a thought… and a maybe…

 

[Slydude]

That thought occurred to me as well. Hopefully that's not the case because if that's what's going on it will probably require company IT department to fix that.

They shouldn't have a problem doing that in this case.

 

[pm-r]

That thought occurred to me as well. Hopefully that's not the case because if that's what's going on it will probably require company IT department to fix that.

They shouldn't have a problem doing that in this case.

I dealt with such software years ago when my youngest son's friend had purchased a G5 Tower from where he worked. The new staff had no idea as they had just taken over the firm, but I finally got rid of it — after about three days of hacking and deleting and finally clean wiped and zeroed out the drive completely. What a hassle it was…

 

[chas_m]

Hopefuly X5mer will report back and let us know what happened when he (or she) followed the directions actually given to him/her in this thread. Looking forward to finding out if that works or not.

 

[X5mer]

Hopefuly X5mer will report back and let us know what happened when he (or she) followed the directions actually given to him/her in this thread. Looking forward to finding out if that works or not.

Thanks all...I will definitely report back with updates. Going to try the boot disk and/or ext. HD.

 

[X5mer]

Hopefuly X5mer will report back and let us know what happened when he (or she) followed the directions actually given to him/her in this thread. Looking forward to finding out if that works or not.

Ok, all. Reporting back on progress. There's been no progress. Nothing has worked. I created a bootable OS X Yosemite installer using Disk Utility and still got the error saying that "IT has blocked Yosemite installs."

At this point, I'm ready to rip the SSD out and replace, if only OWC made a replacement. My old IT is no help...looks like I'm S.O.L.

Any other ideas???

 

[chscag]

Let's try a PRAM/NVRAM reset. It seems to me that a policy installs in PRAM memory and just erasing the hard drive will not purge the memory. Follow these instructions.

 

[X5mer]

I dealt with such software years ago when my youngest son's friend had purchased a G5 Tower from where he worked. The new staff had no idea as they had just taken over the firm, but I finally got rid of it — after about three days of hacking and deleting and finally clean wiped and zeroed out the drive completely. What a hassle it was…

pm-r...how did you eventually zero out the HD on your son's G5 tower?

 

[X5mer]

Let's try a PRAM/NVRAM reset. It seems to me that a policy installs in PRAM memory and just erasing the hard drive will not purge the memory. Follow these instructions.

Ok, so PRAM reset did nothing...still getting this attached message:

 

[pm-r]

pm-r...how did you eventually zero out the HD on your son's G5 tower?

As I recall I would have used Disk Utility and used the option to zero out or as it seems to called these days, Secure Erase, one pass and one partition and appropriate format with the actual drive selected, the topmost "name", not just the existing partition name.

Then wait, as a large hard drive can take a few hours to completely nuke.

 

[Jonzjob]

I don't think that this has been mention before, but is it not possible to take it into the IT people and say that they need to unblock this problem. After all it's now your kit and their program that's doing the blocking?

A slight move off topic for a moment if I may? Chas, in the link you gave for the NVRAM the instructions mention the 'Option' key. This is obvious for well seasoned Mac users, but not since I got my iMac & MBP almost 5 years back. Being thick I have to admit that I still get mixed up as to whether it is the 'Ctrl' or 'Alt' key because I have to use them under the Apple insrtuctions so infrequently.

Sorry for the hijack. Finished now ta

 

[schuenej]

OS X & Yosemite

I started to upgrade to Yosemite and decided to check the forums. Seems to me that many many users are less than pleased with the new upgrade. I read enough to put a serious doubt in my mind, so I did not upgrade. Sometimes the latest upgrade is now always the best course to take unless you are a true computer geek. As for me, admittedly I am not. Just saying!!