How to Permanently Wipe Data on Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

Quick Navigation:

• What Should Do Before Wiping Data on Mac OS X Mountain Lion?
• How to Wipe Hard Drive (Internal SSD Included) on Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?
• Permanently Wipe All Data on Mac OS X Mountain Lion
• Conclusion

In an age where data security is paramount, knowing how to properly wipe your Mac computer's data is essential. Whether you’re preparing to sell your Mac, give it away, or just want a fresh start, securely erasing all data ensures that sensitive information remains private and inaccessible. This guide will walk you through the steps necessary to wipe data on a Mac running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, ensuring that all personal information is thoroughly removed.

The need to wipe data from a computer can arise for various reasons. Perhaps you're planning to sell or donate your Mac, or maybe you're just looking to start fresh with a clean slate. In either case, simply deleting files or even formatting the hard drive might not be enough to protect your privacy. For users of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, knowing how to perform a thorough data wipe is crucial to ensure that no residual information remains accessible. This guide provides a detailed walkthrough on how to prepare for and execute a complete data wipe on your Mac.

What Should Do Before Wiping Data on Mac OS X Mountain Lion?

Before you begin the process of wiping your data, it's essential to prepare adequately. Proper preparation not only ensures that you don't lose any important information but also helps in maintaining the overall security of the data being wiped.

Backup Your Data:

The first step is to back up your data. This ensures that you have copies of important files and settings that you may want to restore later. There are several methods to back up your data:

1. Time Machine: macOS's built-in backup solution, Time Machine, automatically backs up your entire system. Connect an external hard drive, set up Time Machine through System Preferences, and let it complete the backup process. Time Machine creates incremental backups, allowing you to restore your system to its exact state at a particular point in time.
2. External Drives: For a more manual approach, you can copy important files and folders to an external hard drive or USB stick. This method is more time-consuming but provides more control over what data is backed up.
3. Cloud Services: Cloud storage solutions like iCloud, Dropbox, or Google Drive offer convenient ways to back up files online. Ensure you upload all necessary documents and photos before proceeding with the wipe.
4. Disk Clone Software: Use disk cloning software (such as DoYourClone for Mac) to clone all data including Mac OS X Mountain Lion, user files, apps, settings from the internal drive to an external hard drive, making a full bootable clone backup.

Deauthorize Accounts:

Before wiping your Mac, you should deauthorize any accounts linked to it. This step is crucial to prevent issues with account limits or activation restrictions later on.

1. iTunes: Open iTunes, go to the "Store" menu, and select Deauthorize This Computer. You'll need to enter your Apple ID and password to complete this step. If you have a subscription to Apple Music or other services, make sure they are also deauthorized.
   
2. Other Applications: Some applications, like Adobe Creative Suite, might have their own deauthorization process. Check each application's documentation for instructions on how to deauthorize or sign out.

How to Wipe Hard Drive (Internal SSD Included) on Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion?

With your data safely backed up and your accounts deauthorized, you're ready to start the process of wiping your Mac's hard drive. Disk Utility is the built-in tool that macOS provides for managing disks, including erasing data. This section will guide you through each step in detail, ensuring you understand the process thoroughly.

Step 1. Open Disk Utility in macOS Recovery mode:

To begin, you need to access Disk Utility, which can be done through macOS Recovery or using the OS X Installation Disk. Here's how:

Recovery Mode

1. Restart Your Mac: Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select "Restart." As your Mac restarts, hold down the Command and R keys simultaneously. This action boots your Mac into Recovery Mode, which is a special environment designed for troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.
2. Enter macOS Utilities: Once your Mac has booted into Recovery Mode, you will be presented with the macOS Utilities window. From this window, you can access various tools, including Disk Utility.

OS X Installation Disk

1. Insert the Installation Disk: If you have a physical copy of the OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion installation disk, insert it into your Mac’s optical drive.
2. Restart and Boot from the Disk: Restart your Mac and hold down the C key while it boots up. This will force your Mac to start from the installation disk instead of the internal drive. You'll see the installer screen; choose "Utilities" from the menu bar, then select "Disk Utility" from the dropdown menu.

Step 2. Find and select the drive you want to erase:

Once you've launched Disk Utility, you'll need to select the drive you wish to erase. Follow these steps to ensure you choose the correct drive:

1. View Drive List: In Disk Utility, you’ll see a list of available drives and volumes on the left side of the window. This list includes internal and external drives. The internal drive where macOS is installed is usually named Macintosh HD or something similar.
2. Select the Drive: Click on the drive you want to erase. Make sure you select the physical drive (not just a volume) to perform a complete wipe. If you have multiple drives or partitions, be very careful to choose the correct one. The drive you select will typically be listed with its name and capacity, which can help you identify it.
3. Verify Drive Information: Double-check the drive's information before proceeding. Confirm that you've selected the correct drive by comparing its name and capacity to the drive you intended to erase. Selecting the wrong drive could result in the loss of important data.

Step 3. Select a data erasure standard:

Disk Utility provides several options for erasing a drive. Here's how to choose the right one:

1. Quick Erase: This option deletes files but doesn't securely erase them. It's faster but less secure. Use this option if you're planning to reuse the drive on the same machine.
2. Secure Erase: This option overwrites the data with random patterns to prevent recovery. For a more secure wipe, choose the "Security Options" button and select a method. The "Most Secure" option, which overwrites the data multiple times, is the best choice if you want to ensure the data cannot be recovered.

Step 4. Erase the selected drive:

After selecting the desired erasure option, click the Erase button. Disk Utility will start the process of wiping the drive. Depending on the size of the drive and the chosen security level, this can take some time. Be patient and ensure that the process completes without interruption.

Step 5. Reinstall OS X Mountain Lion:

With your drive wiped, the next step is to reinstall macOS. This can be done through macOS Recovery or using the OS X Installation Disk.

Accessing macOS Recovery

macOS Recovery is a built-in recovery system that allows you to reinstall macOS:

1. Enter Recovery Mode: Restart your Mac and hold down Command and R keys while it boots up to enter macOS Recovery.
2. Choose Reinstall macOS: In the macOS Utilities window, select Reinstall macOS and click Continue.

Reinstalling OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Follow the prompts to reinstall OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion:

1. Select Installation Drive: Choose the drive you just erased as the installation destination.
2. Start Installation: Click Install and wait for the process to complete. Your Mac will restart several times during the installation. Ensure that your Mac remains connected to power throughout the process.

Step 6. Set your Mac again:

Once the installation is complete, you'll need to go through the initial setup process:

1. Create User Accounts: Set up a new user account and configure basic settings.
2. Restore Data (optional): If you backed up your data, you can now restore it using Time Machine or manually copy files back from your external drive or cloud storage.
3. Update Software: Make sure your system is up-to-date by checking for software updates in the App Store or System Preferences.

Post-Wipe Considerations

After wiping and reinstalling macOS, consider the following steps to ensure everything is set up properly:

Restoring Data from Backups (optional)

If you used Time Machine or another backup method, you can now restore your files. For Time Machine, follow the on-screen instructions to transfer your data back to your Mac.

Setting Up Accounts and Preferences

Reconfigure any accounts and preferences that were previously set up. This includes email accounts, application settings, and system preferences.

Ensuring the System is Up-to-Date

Check for any available macOS updates to ensure that your system has the latest security patches and features.

Note:

• If you want to erase an external hard drive, just open Disk Utility, select the external hard drive, click Erase. Then select a file system, click Erase again. (Don’t need to boot the Mac into Recovery mode)
• The data which is erased by Disk Utility is not lost forever and can be recovered by data recovery software. If you will sell, donate or dispose of your old Mac, you should user data erasure tool to wipe free disk space of the internal HDD/SSD to permanently erase all deleted/lost data.

Permanently Wipe All Data on Mac OS X Mountain Lion

To prevent data recovery on your Mac which is running Mac OS X Mountain Lion, you can use a data erasure tool to wipe free disk space of your Mac after erasing the startup disk & reinstalling OS X in Recovery mode.

Step 1. Download and install DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac, then open it on your Mac.

Step 2. Choose Wipe Free Space mode, then select the internal drive, click on Wipe Now button.

Step 3. Select a data erasure standard, click on Continue button to wipe free disk space of the drive and permanently erase all deleted/erased/lost data, leaving no trace for data recovery.

It also offers other modes for erasing data permanently on Mac OS X Mountain Lion:

Wipe Hard Drive: Wipe external hard drive, USB flash drive, memory card, and other storage devices on Mac.

Erase Files/Folders: Permanently erase files and folders from Mac-based drives and external storage devices.

Note: Once the data stored on your Mac which is running OS X Mountain Lion is erased by DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac, the data is lost for good, cannot be recovered by any method.

Conclusion

Wiping data from a Mac running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion involves several crucial steps to ensure that your data is completely erased and the system is ready for a new user or a fresh start. By backing up your data, deauthorizing accounts, using Disk Utility, DoYourData Super Eraser for a secure wipe, and reinstalling macOS, you can confidently prepare your Mac for its next chapter. Properly executing these steps not only protects your privacy but also ensures that your Mac continues to function smoothly for its new owner or for your own renewed use.