Wiping out the hard drive of my 2012 MacBook Pro was the first thing I had to do before anything else. You may have purchased a computer that has already been set back to its original factory settings. I did not have that luxury and in case you do not either, keep reading.
Here are the steps I followed and a few key pieces of information I wish I had known when trying to wipe clean my 2012 MacBook Pro.
I first referred to this page provided by Apple support, What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. I found that for me, since the computer was gifted to me, all I need was step 6, which is How to erase a disk for Mac .
These pages provided by Apple were extremely helpful. And when followed almost to a T, you should have no problems at all. I have found there is always a little bit of variance between current Apple Support instructions and my specific needs for a 2012 Macbook Pro. I have also found that if I dig deep enough I can find a solution to my problem or an answer to my questions.
Something to keep in mind while in Disk Utility is when viewing all Drives and your Internal Hard Drive is labeled Apple HDD, do not fret. HDD means you have a Hard Disk Drive, not a Solid-State Drive. This just means you have the original Hard Drive type the 2012 MacBook Pro was originally made with.
Also, pay attention to whether you are formatting to APFS or Mac OS Extended. Refer to Apple Support’s page on which format is right for you.
Before you begin the process of deleting your Hard Drive, I would recommend making sure your computer is plugged in. I wouldn’t risk the entire process or wiping out the Hard Drive, and if you choose to, reinstalling Mac OS without having a solid battery lifeline.
Also, an extremely important thing to note is when you are turning the computer back on, after wiping out your hard drive, is to hold down command key + R key. This will provide the ability for you to reinstall Mac OS. Next, just follow the steps given by apple via the re-installation process, they are self-guiding and explanatory.
Also, be patient with yourself and realize all you are doing is taking everything back to factory settings. Once the Hard Drive is erased and you reboot your computer, you will reinstall Mac OS.
I hope this helps clear any questions or freak out moments you may have about wiping out HDD on a 2012 MacBook Pro. Cheers