Clean Up/Fresh Start

[DT0512]

Hi,

I would like to know if there's a cheap/easy way to "restore" my MacBook. I keep everything backed up regularly via Time Machine so I have all my data. I have an older MacBook (late 2006) my brother gave it to me and left some movies and stuff on there for me. It seems to be running very slow all the time so I want a way to clean it up and make it run faster. I would really like to just wipe the hard drive and start fresh but I don't want to lose my files. Also, the account name (or the one that shows up in finder/the side bar) is still his and I want to change it without losing access to all my stuff. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks

 

[Just_Me_D]

Can you not copy your files onto a USB drive, burn them on a CD or DVD or send them to a cloud storage site for safekeeping prior to wiping the MacBook and reinstalling the OS and associated apps?

 

[DT0512]

I can but isn't Time Machine doing the same thing? How do I wipe and reinstall without discs? Like I have no software discs or anything

 

[Fausty82]

Hi,

I would like to know if there's a cheap/easy way to "restore" my MacBook. I keep everything backed up regularly via Time Machine so I have all my data. I have an older MacBook (late 2006) my brother gave it to me and left some movies and stuff on there for me. It seems to be running very slow all the time so I want a way to clean it up and make it run faster. I would really like to just wipe the hard drive and start fresh but I don't want to lose my files. Also, the account name (or the one that shows up in finder/the side bar) is still his and I want to change it without losing access to all my stuff. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks

You should be able to create a bootable install via USB thumb drive by getting this utility... the site's name specifies Lion (OS X 10.7), but the narrative says:

Lion Disk Maker is an application programmed with AppleScript that you can use with Mac OS X 10.6, 10.7 and OS X 10.8 to burn a DVD or build a bootable drive from Mac OS X Lion or OS X Mountain Lion Installation program. As soon as you launch the application, it tries to find the OS X Install program with Spotlight. Then, it proposes to build a DVD or create a bootable install disk. It’s the easiest way to build an OS X Installer in a few clicks !

Lion DiskMaker

FWIW, I used this in the past to create bootable install devices (USB) for both Lion and Mountain Lion.

 

[DT0512]

That sounds easy enough. Is there anything else I need to do or does the boot disc wipe it clean and reinstall?

 

[Fausty82]

That sounds easy enough. Is there anything else I need to do or does the boot disc wipe it clean and reinstall?

It will wipe it and lay down a fresh image... make sure everything you need is backed up somewhere...