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I bought a second hand mac mini late 2014 with 256GB SSD storage and with OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6. I do not know the seller and I assume the device is virus-ridden! I am mainly concerned that the previous owner might have installed spyware or just their mac mini was infected with one. This is the only macos computer I have access to. I have also access to a Windows 10 computer.

How can I wipe out the entire disk so that even if there are any spyware on the mac mini I can get rid of them?

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  • Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer.
    – Community Bot
    Apr 11, 2022 at 19:30
  • What operating system does it run? Monterey? Catalina?
    – Peter Nielsen
    Apr 11, 2022 at 21:04
  • Now, I have added it to the question. It has OS X El Capitan version 10.11.6.
    – MOON
    Apr 11, 2022 at 21:18

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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Since it is a Mac Mini late 2014, it is able to run macOS Monterey. If it is, indeed, running macOS Monterey, then you can reset by shutting the computer off, then turning it back on and simultaneously pressing Command+R. This should take you to the Recovery menu. Click on the option saying "Disk Utility". Then click on the topmost disk (likely labeled Macintosh HD), the one containing all the other volumes. (Make sure external disks are disconnected.) Then in the toolbar click "Erase". This will take some time and erase your disk. Then press Command+Q to quit Disk Utility in Recovery. Then click "Reinstall macOS ". This will reinstall whatever version of macOS it previously had. From here you can upgrade to Monterey by installing it from Apple.com or the App Store.

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