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Erase Macbook to recycle

I am having the same problem the earlier person had: I go to disk utility after starting my MacBook in recovery mode (Command + r, hold until Apple Icon appears), go to Disk Utility, Select MacIntosh HD, and the Erase button is greyed out. Can't erase! It's a 2009 model, so I no longer have the original factory installation disks.

MacBook, 10.11

Posted on Jun 2, 2021 4:30 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jun 2, 2021 7:21 PM

If it is a 2009, you may not have the ability to use recovery. In that case, you need the original install disks as you will not be able to wipe it without it. If you are going to have it recycled, you can either try to access the hard drive and take it out to destroy it or try to access it plugging in another Mac booting into it and then accessing the hard drive to erase it.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jun 2, 2021 7:21 PM in response to Ceegee6

If it is a 2009, you may not have the ability to use recovery. In that case, you need the original install disks as you will not be able to wipe it without it. If you are going to have it recycled, you can either try to access the hard drive and take it out to destroy it or try to access it plugging in another Mac booting into it and then accessing the hard drive to erase it.

Jun 2, 2021 4:50 PM in response to Ceegee6

Ceegee6 Said:

"Erase Macbook to recycle: I am having the same problem the earlier person had: I go to disk utility after starting my MacBook in recovery mode (Command + r, hold until Apple Icon appears), go to Disk Utility, Select MacIntosh HD, and the Erase button is greyed out. Can't erase! It's a 2009 model, so I no longer have the original factory installation disks."

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Installing This:

Use this link: What to do Before you Sell, Give Away, or Trade in your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support


If of No Success...


Try Amazon:

If of no success, get a Snow Leopard install disk off of Amazon, and install it with that.

Erase Macbook to recycle

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