IMPORTANT QUESTION:
WHERE are the photos you are eventually going to transfer?
Are they on ANOTHER drive (than the MBP's internal drive)?
That's going to be erased, so you MUST have them backed up elsewhere.
I would put them onto an external USB drive (or a USB flash drive if they'll fit).
If these pics are all in "Photos", then the file icon you need to save/copy is the "Photos library" icon in the Pictures folder.
Now, to get to the task of "clearing off" the MPB:
First, sign out of iCloud and iTunes.
Next, boot to INTERNET recovery:
Command-OPTION-R
at boot
You'll need your wifi password.
The utilities take a while to load, be patient as the globe spins.
When you get to the utilities, open disk utilty.
VERY IMPORTANT: go to the "view" menu and choose "show all devices".
(you cannot see the internal drive unless you do this!)
Now look at "the list on the left".
The topmost item is the physical drive inside.
We need to erase it.
Click on the internal drive, then click "erase".
Erase to "APFS, GUID partition format".
When the erase is done, quit disk utility and open the OS installer.
Start clicking through.
The Mac will reboot one or more times, and the screen will go dark for a minute or more with no other indication of activity. Be patient.
When done, you should see the initial setup screen "choose your language".
STOP RIGHT HERE A MOMENT AND CONSULT WITH YOUR SON.
What does he want his "user name" to be?
This is important because it IS NOT EASY to change a user name later on.
Also, give him an easy, temporary password that he can change later.
The password can be easily changed (but again, NOT the user name).
All you need to do at this point is to create a very basic account so he can access the MBP. Don't bother with email, iCloud, etc., leave those things to HIM to do later for himself.
OK, for getting the pics onto the Macbook, here's what I'd suggest:
You didn't tell us where the pics actually ARE.
Are they all in a "Photos library"?
Or are they in a separate "folder/file" setup?
If they're in a Photos library, you could do this:
- The Photos library icon (it's actually a folder with A LOT of stuff inside) should be copied to an external drive
- Connect this external drive to the MBP
- Let the icon mount on the desktop
- Click ONE TIME on the icon to select it
- Bring up the get info box for it (type command-i)
- At the bottom of get info, click the lock and enter the new password you assigned to your son's account
- Put a check into "ignore ownership on this volume" (sharing and permissions)
- Close get info.
This overcomes permissions problems that would occur between YOUR photos library and HIS new account.
WHERE to copy the file?
Here's what I'd suggest.
Copy it to the "Shared" folder in the "Users" folder.
Now your son can find it there, and can move it where he needs to.
I'm thinking that he may want HIS OWN Photos "library", but still have the second library (yours) for viewing also.
The library in use is easily changed when opening Photos by holding down the option key as you click the Photos icon (to launch it).
I suggest you PRINT OUT this reply.
Follow it carefully, and I predict a high probability of success.
Good luck!
