Macbook Pro A1707 - 820-00281-A fixed, but now what?

[jimanez11]

Looking for some advice on how to advance before I do something dumb and brick this machine. Bought the machine from Ebay from a reputable reseller who received it as part of a lot. Was able toget it up and running by replacing one of the CD3215s and it also had no backlight (flexgate). After getting everything fixed, when I turn the machine on it takes me to the login screen for the previous user (which I don't know their password) and a guest user (which only has access to Safari). I would like to use this machine, or at least get it to a usable state. At the moment, if I access recovery mode and use terminal to reset the password, it takes me to the "reset via icloud username and password" window (which I obviously dont know because I'm not the previous owner). I can also access the disc utility and have the option to delete the active partition. Clicked on it to see what would happen and it didn't ask for a password (which I am hoping is promising). I am not familiar with the T1 machines and if erasing the contents / reinstalling the OS will potentially bring me to an activation lock. I have no way of getting in touch with or finding out who the original owner is (except by googling their profile name) and the ebay seller is a reseller who received the machine in a lot, so no luck in going back through them either. Any advice is appreciated...

[Stephen]

Re: Macbook Pro A1707 - 820-00281-A fixed, but now what?

No wiping the device will not bring an Activation lock. Only T2 Machines do that. A1707 is a T1 machine so it will not lock if you have access to this disk.

[Stephen]

Re: Macbook Pro A1707 - 820-00281-A fixed, but now what?

Also you can easily wipe it. If there is a firmware password then (which assuming it does not have one if you can boot into an external usb OS) then wiping is perfectly easy. If it is firmware locked, its an easy EFI chip you can swap out or just remove and reprogram the bios. Pretty easy stuff.

[jimanez11]

Re: Macbook Pro A1707 - 820-00281-A fixed, but now what?

Fantastic! Thanks for the reply. Was lucky and there was no firmware lock or EFI lock on the machine, so it was a straightforward wipe and reinstall of the OS. Computer is good to go and working great! Thanks again!

[Stephen]

Re: Macbook Pro A1707 - 820-00281-A fixed, but now what?

Fantastic! Thanks for the reply. Was lucky and there was no firmware lock or EFI lock on the machine, so it was a straightforward wipe and reinstall of the OS. Computer is good to go and working great! Thanks again!

of course!