Restore i-mac to as new condition

[corkman]

Dear All,

I'd like to format my i-mac so it is in an as-new condition. The easy way would be go to the Pantip and pay a guy to do it, but I can't get there for the foreseeable future so I will need to try myself.

1. Is there a "reset button"? I realise it's not that simple, but can I hold down a few keys during start-up or something to initiate an auto-reset type routine that will reinstall all the operating systems etc.

2. When this is done, do I need to (can I) set up a new Apple ID etc. and then register everything to that new ID for system updates etc.? There are actually no "App purchases" on the i-mac anyway so I will lose nothing.

In case it is relevant, the reason I want to do this is that I will give it to my 8 year old daughter and I don't want anything popping up from user history etc. I want it to be a clean start in every respect.

The machine is 2-3 years old, with no modifications other then apple updates, and as far as I can tell is in good working order.

I'm not a total idiot when it comes to IT; I know my way around a windows PC reasonably well (which incidentally, I prefer); but I am far from a tech-genius either. So hopefully this process is reasonably easy to implement?

Many thanks in advance.

CM

[Aquaman2016]

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH18869?locale=en_US

[corkman]

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH18869?locale=en_US

Thank you so much! It looks quite straight forward.

I know I probably could have googled that, but since I don't know the "apple lingo" then I never know whether I am looking at the right stuff or not.

[bubba]

Better yet, create a bootable OS X installer on a USB drive and do a clean install from that. That will go relatively quickly, plus you will have a bootable USB drive if things go south later on.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/how-clean-install-os-x-yosemite-via-bootable-usb-flash-drive-1470625

[tookwan cottage]

If you get stuck, though, like I did this week after trying myself, then IT House on the 3rd floor of Pantip is a sure thing: 085 100 0811 or 087 246 6660.