Does clean install reset everything, including SMC?
TL;DR: Does a clean install reset everything (like SMC, for example)? If not, what else should I do to be sure the computer is completely reset, like it just came from the factory?
My macbook has been acting weirdly for the past few weeks, so I decided to give it clean install with Yosemite.
I think I messed up the SMC and resetting it does not help. I have a Bootcamp partition that I used to play games. My macbook pro would get very hot while gaming on Windows, so I installed Lubbo's Fan Control. That worked for a couple days, until I realized that while booted in OSX the fans were not working at all or working full speed. I tried resetting the SMC, but that didn't help. So I installed iStat Menus, and controlled my fans manually (yeah, a lazy solution). Now I have one fan controlling app on Windows and one on OSX, and neither work as expected (in iStat when I set it to 'default' the fans stop working).
Also, I have been installing a lot of things, and leftover files are all over the place. So, now I'm getting rid of Bootcamp and clean installing Yosemite. How do I go about doing this properly and thoroughly? I'd like to make the computer fresh as it just came out of the factory. Should I do anything besides a clean install?
Solution 1:
A fresh OS install won't reset the hardware, SMC or PRAM. It might be well worth checking both those are correctly reset before going so far as a wipe & install.
Reset the PRAM first - hold Cmd/Opt/P/R at the chimes & wait for the chimes to happen a second time.
SMC varies per machine, Mac Pro is sufficient to power off & leave the mains plug out for a minute. MacBooks are different - http://support.apple.com/kb/ht3964 covers all the variations.
Extract :
Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting the SMC on Mac portables with a battery you can remove
- Shut down the computer.
- Disconnect the MagSafe power adapter from the computer, if it's connected.
- Remove the battery.
- Press and hold the power button for 5 seconds.
- Release the power button.
- Reconnect the battery and MagSafe power adapter.
- Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Resetting the SMC on portables with a battery you should not remove on your own Note: Portable computers that have a battery you should not remove on your own include MacBook Pro (Early 2009) and later, all models of MacBook Air, and MacBook (Late 2009).
- Shut down the computer.
- Plug in the MagSafe power adapter to a power source, connecting it to the Mac if its not already connected.
- On the built-in keyboard, press the (left side) Shift-Control-Option keys and the power button at the same time.
- Release all the keys and the power button at the same time.
- Press the power button to turn on the computer.
Note: The LED on the MagSafe power adapter may change states or temporarily turn off when you reset the SMC.
Resetting the SMC for Mac Pro, Intel-based iMac, Intel-based Mac mini, or Intel-based Xserve
- Shut down the computer.
- Unplug the computer's power cord.
- Wait fifteen seconds.
- Attach the computer's power cord.
- Wait five seconds, then press the power button to turn on the computer.