How to Wipe All Data on Mac Pro Before Selling or Donating?

Quick Navigation:

• Why You Should Wipe All Data on Your Mac Pro?
• Steps Before Wiping Your Mac Pro
• Steps to Factory Reset Mac Pro
• Permanently Wipe Data on Mac Pro
• Conclusion
• FAQs About Wiping Data on Mac Pro

When you want to sell, recycle, or start over with a clean system, delete all your info from your Mac Pro. Deleting files is insufficient; you must ensure no personal information is left behind. Passwords and personal files stored on your Mac Pro are private and could be retrieved if not deleted properly.

Wiping your Mac clean can protect your privacy and make it run faster by eliminating all the junk and software problems built up over time. To safely delete all the data on your Mac Pro or factory reset it, we'll show you how to do everything from backing up important files to wiping startup disk. After that, your device will be like new.

Why You Should Wipe All Data on Your Mac Pro?

When you wipe your Mac Pro, you don't just get rid of files; you also ensure that no personal information is left behind. It is very important to do this if you want to sell or give away your Mac Pro. A full wipe ensures that old files can't be recovered, even if you're formatting your device:

• Privacy of Data: You keep private data on your Mac Pro machine, like passwords, banking information, and personal files. By wiping, you ensure that this information can't be recovered.
• Getting better results: Clutter and old files can slow down your Mac Pro. A clean wipe can get it back to how it worked before.
• Fresh Start: If you start over, you can eliminate any software problems, bugs, or extra software that has built up.

Steps Before Wiping Your Mac Pro

Here are the steps you need to do before wiping data on Mac Pro:

Step 1: Back Up Your Data

It's important to back up any important files and data on your Mac Pro before wiping it. That way, you won't lose any important data during the process.

Use Time Machine:

• Connect an External Drive: Connect a hard drive from outside your Mac.
• Open Time Machine: To get to Time Machine, go to System Preferences or System Settings > General.
• Choose the backup disk: Decide to back up your files on a hard drive.
• Start the backup: Click "Back Up Now" to begin the process.

Use iCloud:

• iCloud Drive: If you want to keep important files and papers safe, use iCloud Drive.
• Photos: Set up iCloud Photos to back up your photo library.
• Contacts and calendars: Make sure iCloud can sync your contacts, calendars, and other info.

Use Disk Clone Software:

• Download and install: Install the reliable disk cloning software - DoYourClone for Mac.
• Clone Data: Connect an external hard drive to your Mac, then open DoYourClone for Mac, choose Clone OS mode. Select the external hard drive as the destination drive, click on Clone Now button to securely clone all data from your Mac Pro to the external hard drive, making a full bootable clone backup.

Manual Backup:

• External Hard Drive: Drag and manually drop important files on an external hard drive.
• Using the cloud: Save copies of your files with Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

Step 2: Sign Out of Accounts

It's important to log out of all your Mac Pro accounts before wiping them. It ensures that your Apple ID and other account information is deleted from the computer.

Sign Out of iCloud:

• Startup System Preferences or System Settings: For your Apple ID, go to System Preferences or System Settings.
• Click Sign Out: When you're done with iCloud, click Sign Out.
• Keep a Copy: If asked, keep a copy of your info on your Mac. It will be erased soon, though.

Sign Out of iTunes (for old Mac OS versions):

• Start up iTunes: Sign out by going to Account > Sign Out.

Deauthorize Your Mac:

• Select "Deauthorize This Computer" from the iTunes permissions list.

Sign Out of Messages:

• Open Messages: Open Messages and click on Preferences.
• Sign Out: Click Sign Out next to your iMessage account in the Accounts tab.

Sign Out of Other Accounts:

• Email Accounts: Take away any email accounts connected to the Mail app.
• Other Apps: Close all of the other programs or services that are connected to your Mac.

Step 3: Disable Find My Mac (optional)

The security tool Find My Mac lets you find your Mac if you lose or have it stolen. You need to turn this option off before you wipe your Mac Pro.

• Open System Preferences: For your Apple ID, go to System Preferences.
• Select iCloud: Go off to the side and click iCloud.
• Uncheck Find My Mac: Scroll down and uncheck the box next to Find My Mac.
• Enter Password: Type in your Apple ID password to make sure.

Step 4: Reset NVRAM/PRAM and SMC (optional)

Resetting the SMC, NVRAM., or PRAM can help fix small problems and ensure the wiping process goes smoothly.

Reset NVRAM/PRAM:

• Turn Off Your Mac: Shut down your Mac Pro.
• Turn on your Mac: Hold down the Option, Command, P, and R keys simultaneously.
• Listen for the sound: Hold the keys, and then you hear the sound twice. Then, let go.

Reset SMC:

• Turn Off Your Mac: Off your Mac Pro.
• Hold Keys: On a Mac with the Security Chip, hold the Control, Option, and Shift keys for 7 seconds. Then, press and hold the power button for another 7 seconds. Let go of all the keys and start up your Mac.

Steps to Factory Reset Mac Pro

Step 1. Shut down your Mac, then restart it. If you are using a Mac Pro with Intel chip, just press and hold Command+R keys; if you are using a Mac with Apple silicon chip, press and hold Power button until you see macOS Recovery screen. Then select Options and click on Continue button.

Step 2. Select Disk Utility, select Disk Utility and click on Continue button.

Step 3. Select the Mac Pro's internal SSD (such as Macintosh HD), then click on Erase button. Select a file system (APFS or Mac OS Extended), click on Erase button again. Once the process gets finished, quit Disk Utility and get back to Utilities window.

Step 4. Choose Reinstall macOS XXX, then clean install operating system on the Mac.

Note: The data which is erased from your Mac Pro by using Disk Utility is not lost for good and can be recovered by data recovery software. If you want to permanently erase all data from your Mac Pro, try Mac disk wipe software.

Permanently Wipe Data on Mac Pro

Before you sell, donate or dispose of your old Mac Pro, you should permanently erase all data from it. Mac disk wipe software - such as DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac can help you securely and permanently erase data from Mac Pro or other devices.

Here are the ways through which you can wipe the data on a Mac Pro using DoYourData Super Eraser software:

Option 1: Erase Files/Folders on Mac Pro.

The hard drive on your Mac Pro doesn't always need to be wiped clean. You only need to delete some files or folders with private or secret information for good. Pick out the files or folders to delete and click the "Erase Now" button to remove them. It's very simple and safe.

Option 2: Wipe Mac Pro Volume/Device.

This mode can help you wipe external hard drive, USB flash drive, SD card on your Mac Pro. All data stored on the hard drive will be permanently erased.

Option 3: Wipe Deleted/Lost Files.

If you still have some files on your Mac Pro hard drive, you can choose this third mode. This mode lets you delete all the files you've lost or just the ones you've removed. That means you can still save the things already on the hard drive.

After factory reset your Mac Pro, you can download and install DoYourData Super Eraser, then open it.

Choose Wipe Free Space mode, then select the Mac Pro's internal drive, click on Wipe Now button.

Select the desired data erasure standard, then click on Continue button.

It will securely wipe free disk space of your Mac Pro and permanently erase all deleted/erased/lost data, making data recovery be impossible.

Conclusion:

Deleting all the data on your Mac Pro is important to keep your personal information safe. Wiping your Mac clean is safe and easy, whether you're selling, reusing, or starting over. Follow this guide to back up your data, sign out of your accounts, erase the hard drive, and reinstall macOS.

Not only does this process keep your information safe, but it also speeds up your Mac and gives it a new start. These steps will ensure your device is ready for the next part of its life, whether in your hands or someone else's.

FAQs About Wiping Data on Mac Pro

1. How to reset a Mac Pro to its factory settings?

You can start the Mac Pro into macOS Recovery mode, and reset the Mac Pro to its factory settings:

• Restart the Mac Pro, press and hold Command+R keys (for Intel chip) or Power button (for Apple silicon chip) until it boots into macOS Recovery mode.
• Choose Options and click on Continue button. Select your user account and enter your login password.
• Select Disk Utility, click on Continue button.
• Open Disk Utility, select the startup disk, click on Erase button.
• Select a file system, click on Erase button again to erase all data from the startup disk.

2. Can I use Erase Contents and Settings to erase everything on Mac Pro?

Yes, if you are using a Mac Pro with Apple silicon chip, just go to System Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Contents and Settings. Then follow the onscreen instructions to erase all data from your Mac Pro and reinstall macOS.

3. How to permanently wipe data on Mac Pro?

DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac is a powerful disk wipe program. It can securely and permanently erase data from your Mac Pro. After reinstalling macOS on your Mac Pro, just open DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac, choose Wipe Free Disk Space mode to wipe all deleted/erased/lost data from your Mac Pro.

4. What is the best data erasure program for Mac Pro?

Here are top 5 data erasure programs for Mac Pro:

• DoYourData Super Eraser for Mac
• AweEraser for Mac
• Stellar DiskWipe
• Donemax Data Eraser for Mac
• MacClean360