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How do you make sure there's no data left on your computer?

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido

Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Answer

Do a secure erase under your Disk Utility. Instead of just marking files for deletion, that will write over the hard drive with a series of ones and zeros at the machine level.

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What should I do - when I turn on my Mac, nothing is left, only the drive?

Lucian Lees

Community Answer

You didn't re-install OSX. You have to go to Safari (default app on a Mac), and get a browser, like Chrome. Go to the Command+R menu, and click Re-Install OSX.

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Question

Will this not affect my other laptop which has the same data?

Community Answer

If the data is located/stored in the cloud, and the laptop is not accessing the data directly from the cleaned Mac, the other laptop should not be affected.

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Question

Why would I get a question mark after wiping a hard drive?

Community Answer

During start up? You didn't re-Install OSX. When In the Command+R menu, click reinstall OSX.

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Question

How to install OS on an erased MacBook?

Lucian Lees

Community Answer

When you go back to that main screen you get when you go to the OSX utilities (Command+R), you click "Reinstall OSX".

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Question

Do I have to install the extra software? Can I just skip it?

Community Answer

You don't need to reinstall anything; if, for example, you are selling it. If you are still keeping it, it's your choice.

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My Mac won't boot up. Can I wipe it from another machine?

Lucian Lees

Community Answer

No. You have to wipe that drive. The only thing you would be able to wipe are iCloud files from another computer.

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Question

The utilities window is not showing up when I hold Command+R down during reboot. What should I do?

Community Answer

Hold it down as soon as you see the Apple symbol. Keep holding it and don't let go.

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Question

If I erased my Macbook Air, would my installation of Microsoft Word disappear?

Community Answer

Yes, it would. If you erased your Macbook Air, everything on it would disappear, including the Microsoft Word installation.

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