You need to reset your device before giving it back, or your device has a serious problem? Make it young again.
On macOS
Option 1 : your Mac starts correctly
Option 2 : an account is already registered on your Mac and you don't have the password
Option 3 : your Mac does not start correctly
On Windows
Option 1 : your PC starts correctly
Option 2 : your PC does not start correctly
On macOS
Option 1 : your Mac starts correctly
If you need to gibe back your Mac and reset it, you can back up your data beforehand.
To do this, consider the following options :
- using Time Machine
- by storing your files in iCloud
Very important : you must delete the location of your Mac on your iCloud account.
Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences, then click on Apple ID. Click on iCloud in the sidebar, then deselect Locate my Mac.
Then, turn off your Mac and follow this procedure:
- Choose the right step based on your processor:
- If your Mac has an Intel processor: make sure your Mac has an Internet connection. Then turn on your Mac, immediately press and hold Command (⌘) + R until you see an Apple logo or other image.
- If your Mac has an M1 processor: turn on your Mac and hold down the power button until the Startup Options window appears. This window has a gear icon labeled Options. Select Options, and then click Continue.
If you are prompted to select a user whose password you know, select the user, click Next, and then enter their administrator password.
2. Reinstall macOS. To do this, once you arrive at the following image, click Reinstall macOS, then click Continue and follow the instructions of the installer.
Option 2 : a user account is already registered and you don't have the password
One of your collaborators has left and has not reset his device ?
You must to ask him to delete the device from his iCloud account.
Follow the few steps below :
- Start your Mac in recovery mode
- Select Disk Utility, then click Continue.
- Click on the hard drive under the "Internal" label and delete it (If there is more than one drive, delete all of them unless it says MacOs)
- Let the installation finish (The Mac retrieves the system from the Cloud)
- Connect to a wifi network (Be careful, the Mac is in Qwerty configuration at this stage)
- Finalize the installation
Option 3: your Mac does not boot properly
If your Mac doesn't start correctly, you can follow the reinstallation procedure described in option 1.
If, despite this, the problems persist, you can visit Apple's support for more explanations.
On Windows
Option 1 : your PC starts correctly
You have to give back your Windows PC ? Then a reboot is necessary!
Such a procedure can also help you if you meet a significant problem. These problems can be related to performance during startup, shutdown and navigation, memory usage or battery life.
Therefore, follow the procedure below:
Click on the Start menu > Settings > Update and Security > Recovery.
You will arrive at the following page:
In the section Reset this PC, click the Start button.
A window will open with two options :
- Keep my files: this option will allow you to reset the PC without deleting your personal data (preferable in case of a major problem).
- Delete all: this option allows you to reset the computer completely (to be chosen if you have to give it back).
Option 2: Your PC does not boot properly
If your PC doesn't boot properly, a forced restart may solve the problem.
In this case, follow these instructions:
- Press and hold the Power button on your computer until it shuts down.
- Turn it back on.
- Turn off the computer while Windows is loading and hold down the Power button.
- Repeat steps 2 and 3 until the automatic repair starts. You will see it when the startup screen looks like this:
You will then see a window like this one:
Click on Advanced Options. Among these advanced options, click on the one that says Reset your PC, and follow the procedure.