- How To Reinstall Macos After Erasing Hard Drive
- Reinstall Macos Wipe Hard Drive
- Reinstall Mac Os X Wipe Hard Drive Download
- New Hard Drive Os Install
Choose the disk on which you want to reinstall OS X by clicking its icon once in the pane where you select a disk. If only one suitable disk is available, you won’t have to choose; it will be selected for you automatically. Click the Install button. A sheet asks for your Apple ID and password. Step 2: OS X Utilities window will appear. Choose Disk Utility. Find your startup disk or other startup-related information and select it- click on the Erase tab. After it, Format option will appear and set it to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Again choose Erase.
Jun 08, 2020 • Filed to: Solve Mac Problems • Proven solutions
Once the process will finish you hard drive will be clean from all data and ready to be used again. Now you can install a fresh version of OS X or donate it to a local charity. Of course, you can still smash it with a hammer or drill a hole in it. Aug 25, 2018 Mac Secret Trick - How to Clone Mac Hard Drive with Disk Utility HDD SDD MacBook Pro iMac 2010-2019 - Duration: 10:09. Gunner Tierno x Yeezy God 353,070 views 10:09.
“Is it possible to reinstall macOS without losing data?”
If you have a similar question in mind, then we have got you covered. Just like any other computer, Mac systems can also suffer from unwanted issues at times.
In this guide, we will teach you how to boot Mac into recovery mode and reinstall macOS without losing your data. Let’s explore this macOS solution in detail.
When to reinstall macOS?
There are all kinds of reasons for us to reinstall macOS on the system. Following are some of the common problems that force a complete reset on a Mac.
- Firmware issues – Mostly, a firmware issue related to macOS demands a reinstallation of the operating system. It can happen when macOS seems to malfunction and can’t complete the needed operations.
- Startup issues – Apart from the firmware, there would be a problem with your Mac’s startup or bootstrap program as well. Mostly, the issue is resolved by visiting Mac recovery mode.
- Corrupt OS – Ideally, your macOS can get corrupt or compromised due to different reasons. In order to fix it or run troubleshooting, you would need to reinstall the OS.
- Malware attack – A virus or malware can also infect the core function of macOS and would demand a complete reinstallation of the tool.
- Other issues – There could be numerous other issues with your Mac as well that would demand a reinstallation. For instance, if your system has been upgraded to a corrupt macOS version or the update was halted in between, then you need to reinstall OS X.
Preparations before reinstalling macOS
Before we teach you how to reinstall macOS X, there are certain vital things that you need to consider.
- Mostly, it takes 30 minutes to 3 hours to reinstall macOS (the exact time would vary among different OS and system models). Therefore, your Mac should be charged enough to complete the installation.
- During the reinstallation process, your Mac might be overheated or restart multiple times. It is recommended to not keep it in the direct sunlight or a hot place during the process.
- Chances are that your existing data on Mac might be deleted after the reinstallation. Thus, you can consider taking its backup if you don’t want to lose it.
- Disconnect all the attached units like USB drive, SD card, etc. from your Mac beforehand. Also, if you think your system has been infected by a malware, then consider formatting it as well.
- Your system might download the needed patches and updates during the process. Keep your Mac connected to a stable internet connection for a seamless updating.
Once you are ready, simply take the following steps to reinstall macOS without losing its data.
How to Reinstall Mac OS?
Step 1: Backup Files on Mac
If you don’t want to suffer from an unexpected loss of your important files during the reinstallation, then you should take a backup of your data beforehand. There are different ways to backup data on Mac.
1. Backup files Using Time Machine
Time Machine is the inbuilt solution to backup data on Mac and restore it afterward. If you do not want to let go of your important files during the reinstallation process, then consider taking their backup beforehand. You can use an external data source, so that Mac can create a Time Machine on it. Mostly, Time Machine will detect a connected unit and would ask you to take its backup automatically. If not, then follow these steps to backup your Mac data using Time Machine.
- Simply connect a secure data storage to your Mac and launch Time Machine by visiting Menu > System Preferences > Time Machine.
- Here, click on the “Select Backup Disk” so that you can manually choose a location to save the backup content.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
- To further customize things, you can visit its “Options” and even enable the automatic backup feature.
- As a pop-up screen would appear, just select the available drive and confirm your choice. If you want, you can choose to encrypt your data as well.
2. Backup files Using Cloud Storage
As you know, Time Machine will only take a manual backup of your Mac data to a dedicated storage unit. If you want to save your data on the cloud, then take the assistance of iCloud, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, or any other cloud-based service. Since iCloud is the native cloud storage solution from Apple and an inbuilt Mac app, it is widely recommended. You can easily backup files to iCloud from Mac by following these steps.
- Firstly, go to System Preferences and launch the iCloud app. If you are not logged-in, then enter your Apple account details to sign-in.
- The iCloud app has options to sync various data types. Simply enable the features (by checking it) and turn on the backup feature.
- There is an “Option” button adjacent to some data types (like Photos) that you can visit to customize your backup.
- You can go to the “Manage” section from here to view how much space is left on iCloud. Since only 5 GB of space is provided for a free (basic) account, you can also upgrade your account as well to get more space on iCloud.
3. Backup files Using External Hard Drive
If you are running short on time, then you can also take a manual backup using an external hard disk as well. Just connect the hard disk to your Mac and make sure that you are using a hard drive that is compatible with your macOS. Now, simply copy the content from your Mac’s storage that you wish to save and paste it to the external hard disk. In this way, you would be able to maintain a second copy of all the important data at a dedicated source.
In the contrast, you need to know how to recover files from external hard drive.
Step 2: Boot Mac in the Recovery Mode
Once you have taken a backup of your Mac data, you need to restart in the recovery mode. The Mac Recovery Mode is a dedicated module in the operating system that provides all kinds of firmware and disk-related options. You can run disk utilities via the Recovery Mode on MacBook, reinstall macOS, recover Time Machine backup, and do so much more. In order to learn how to restore Mac in recovery mode, follow these steps:
- Firstly, go to the main menu by clicking on the Apple icon and choose to restart your system.
- While the system is restarting, press the Command and R keys at the same time till your Mac enters the Recovery mode.
- When you get the Utilities window on the screen, just click on the “Reinstall macOS” option and continue the process.
Please note that if you wish to upgrade your Mac instead, then press the Option + R keys instead of the Command + R key combination.
Step 3: Erase the Mac Hard Disk
This is an optional step during the reinstall macOS process as a lot of people would like to delete the existing data on their system. If you are reselling your Mac or your system has been infected by a malware, then you can consider this option as well.
- When you get the macOS utilities window, click on the “Disk Utility” option instead of reinstalling it. You can also go to the “Utilities” menu to get this option.
- As the Disk Utilities window will open, you can just select the drive that you wish to erase from the left panel.
- On the right, you will get its detailed information with numerous other tools. Just click on the Erase icon and confirm your choice (by entering the firmware password).
This will start the erasing process on the selected drive. You can also go to the Security Options here to further customize things.
Step 4: Reinstall Mac OS X without Losing Data
When you get the macOS Utilities window on the screen, you can just click on the “Reinstall macOS” option to proceed. Afterward, you simply need to follow this basic drill to reinstall macOS on your system.
- A confirmation message will appear, informing you about the reinstallation details. Just click on the “Continue” button to proceed.
- Subsequently, you will be asked on which disk you wish to install macOS. Simply select the inbuilt disk on your Mac to start the process.
- That’s it! Your system will reinstall macOS on it by performing all the needed tasks. You can just sit back and wait for the process to be completed and make sure that you don’t turn off Mac in between.
- In the end, you can just choose to restore data from the Time Machine backup. You can get this option from the macOS Utilities or just launch the Time Machine application on your system as well.
Recover Erased Files after Reinstalling Mac OS
A lot of times, users are not able to maintain backup of their data and end up losing their important files during the macOS reinstallation. If you have also lost your data on Mac due to this, then don’t worry – simply take the assistance of Recoverit Mac Data Recovery software. A highly advanced data recovery tool, it can retrieve all kinds of lost, deleted, and inaccessible content from your Mac storage. It is known to b yield positive results under all scenarios, including data loss caused by macOS reinstallation.
After installing Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac, simply follow these basic steps to get your data back.
Step 1: Select a Location
Firstly, you need to install Recoverit Data Recovery on your Mac by downloading the application from its website. Launch it whenever you want to restore notes on Mac and select a source location to scan. That is, select the native source drive of Mac and click on the “Start” button.
Step 2: Scan the Location
As the application would start scanning your Mac for the lost notes, you can just wait for a while for the process to be completed. The interface will also display the progress of the entire process for your convenience.
Step 3: Preview and Recover
When the extraction process is completed, the application will notify you. Now, you can just preview and select the files you wish to get back. Click on the “Recover” button and make sure that you save your notes to a trusted location.
I’m sure that after following this guide, you would be able to reinstall macOS without losing data. Since working on Mac can be a bit tricky at times, it is recommended to always maintain a backup beforehand. Also, consider using a data recovery tool like Recoverit Data Recovery as well. In this way, you can take immediate measures as soon as you lose any information and get it back without much trouble. Recoverit also provides data recovery solution for Windows as well and is considered a must-have application for both Mac and Windows users.
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If you’re selling your computer or trading it in for something newer, you’ll probably want to wipe your hard drive.
After all, you don’t want to give it to its new owner with all your pictures and documents on it — or lose those things!
But how do you wipe it? How do you erase everything on your Mac and restore it to factory settings, so the next person gets a clean computer with none of your documents?
We’ve got all the answers right here!
Read on to find out how.
Jump To:
Backup Your Computer Using Time Machine
Before you even think about wiping your hard drive, make sure that you have everything backed up.
After all, even if you don’t want the computer anymore, you probably want all of the stuff on it.
How To Reinstall Macos After Erasing Hard Drive
And once you restore your computer to factory settings, all your photos, videos, documents, and downloads are going to be gone.
Whether you’re getting rid of the computer or wiping your hard drive to fix an error, the best way to back up your Mac is to use Time Machine.
Essentially, this is a tool that Apple created to help people create a “copy” of their computer that could be accessed at a later date.
Read Related Article: Hard Disk Drive vs. Solid-State Drive (SSD)
Here’s how you use it to back up your computer:
- Open System Preferences, located on the Apple Menu bar.
- Select the Time Machine icon in the System Preferences folder.
- Click Select Backup Disk, located in the top-middle of the window.
- Choose the disk you’d like to use to back up your computer. Typically, you’ll want to plug in an external hard drive and select that. This will create a copy of your internal hard drive and write it onto the external one.
- It’s a good idea to do this regularly even if you don’t plan on wiping your hard drive. By plugging in an external HD and backing everything up to Time Machine on a regular basis, you’ll create a copy of it that you can use in case you lose your data for any reason (it happens, believe us).
- If you’d prefer not to use Time Machine for any reason, you can use alternative methods. For example, you can use iCloud or another cloud storage solution to store all of your files online.
Click here to learn how to back up your computer to iCloud.
Deauthorize Your iTunes Account
If your iTunes account is connected to your computer, then the next owner will be able to access it.
So, you need to deauthorize the account. That way, your account will no longer be linked to the machine.
Here’s how you do it:
- Open iTunes on your computer
- Select Account from the options on the Menu bar.
- Scroll down to Authorizations and select Deauthorize This Computer.
- iTunes will ask you for your Apple ID and your password. Once you enter that, it will give you the option to Deauthorize your account. Click that, and you’re all set.
Log Out of iCloud and iMessage
Reinstall Macos Wipe Hard Drive
Similar to iTunes, you have to sign out of your iCloud account, too. Otherwise, the next owner may be able to access it.
Luckily, it’s pretty simple.
Here’s what you do:
- Select System Preferences from the Menu bar.
- Click on the iCloud icon.
- Click the Sign Out option on the bottom-left side of the window.
Once you do that, you’ll be signed out!
Reformat Your Hard Drive Disk (HDD)
“Reformatting” is a fancy tech word for wiping the hard drive clean and reinstalling the operating system. Once you reformat it, everything will be gone, and the computer will be restored to factory settings.
The first step in the reformatting process is erasing the drive.
You can erase your computer by using the Disk Utility feature in any version of Mac OS.
Here’s how you do it.
- Turn your computer off entirely.
- Boot it up again by pressing and holding the power button, just like you would if you were starting it up for normal use.
- This time, however, you want to hold the command and R keys down simultaneously. Press and hold them as soon as you hit the power button.
- An Apple logo should appear on your screen. Once that appears, you can let go of the buttons.
- The Apple logo should be followed by a Mac OS X Utilities Menu with several different options. Select Disk Utility (it’s a little hard drive with a stethoscope) from the Menu and click Continue.Screenshot via Macworl
- Once you enter the Disk Utility, you’ll have to select the drive you want to erase.
In this case, you’ll want to choose Macintosh HD to wipe the entire drive.
- Then, click the Erase button at the bottom of the window.
Note: The Erase option will only appear as a clickable button when the computer is booted up using the command + R keys. If you attempt to reformat your hard drive after starting your computer as you normally would, this option won’t be clickable.
- Once you click the Erase button, you’ll have the opportunity to choose from a range of different security options. The security options window contains a sliding bar that allows you to select the comprehensiveness of the erasure.
There are four different levels you can choose from, ranging from fastest to slowest. If you select the slowest option, you’ll erase the maximal amount of data. But, the process takes a little longer.
If you choose the fastest option, however, the process goes quite quickly. But, the data is not removed as thoroughly (and could be restored through a file recovery application).
- After you’ve determined the level at which you want to erase your computer, click Erase. The operating system will proceed with the erasing process.
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How to Secure Erase a Mac SSD
Newer MacBooks don’t have a traditional hard disk drive. Instead, they have a solid state drive or SSD.
Now, the process for wiping your solid state drive is the same as erasing a hard drive.
So, if you want to clean it, go ahead and follow the steps outlined in the section above.
It’s important to note, however, that erasing an SSD completely is not recommended.
Here’s why:
Solid state drives can only be rewritten a certain number of times. In other words, the more times you rewrite your drive, the worse it’s going to function.
So, even if you reformat your drive just once, you may notice that it functions slightly worse afterward.
Of course, there may be cases in which you have no choice but to erase your drive. If you’re getting rid of your Mac, for example, and you want to be sure that every tiny bit of data is wiped clean from it, then you’ll probably want to erase it.
But, if you’re erasing the entire thing with the intention of restoring it afterwards — don’t.
It’s going to do more harm than good. You can either erase as many files as possible on your own or take it to the Apple store directly (provided that it’s still under warranty) and ask them to help you with whatever problem you’re experiencing.
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Don’t know if your computer has a solid state drive or not?
Here’s how to figure it out:
- Press the F4 key on your keyboard (the one with the six little squares on it).
- Select the Other icon.
- Click the System Information icon.
- Select the ATA option from the Hardware drop-down menu on the left side of the window.
- A profile of your device should appear on the right-hand side of the window.
- Look for the row that reads “Model.” The corresponding product number should have either an HDD or an SSD in it.
These letters will let you know whether your device is equipped with a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD).
You should approach the erasure process accordingly.
Reinstall the Mac OS
The second half of the reformatting process is the reinstallation of the operating system.
When you erase your data, you also delete the OS that allows you to use the computer.
So, you’ve got to install it again if you want the computer to work.
Even if you’re selling the computer to someone else, it’s a nice courtesy to reinstall it beforehand so that they don’t have to do it themselves. After all, not everyone will be able to figure out how.
Here’s what you do:
- You’ll need internet access to do this. It’s going to be impossible otherwise, so make sure that the wifi connection is turned on.
- Boot the computer up by pressing the power button.
- Hold command + R, the same way you did when you erased your drive.
- Let go once the Apple logo appears.
- In the Mac OS Utilities Menu, select Reinstall MacOS.
- Click Continue.
- You may need to enter your Apple ID upon installation. Only do this if you intend to use the computer yourself. If you plan on selling it or handing it off to another person, you can end the process here.
- Once the installation is done, you’ll be free to start using your freshly-cleaned Mac.
FAQS
Can you reset a MacBook without losing data?
The only way to reset your computer without losing data is to back it up first. Once you’ve erased your hard drive, that data is gone.
You might be able to use a recovery app to restore your files if you ran a fast, low-level erasure. But most of the time, the data is completely cleared from the device.
Do you have to wipe a Mac’s hard drive before you sell it?
![Reinstall Mac Os X Wipe Hard Drive Reinstall Mac Os X Wipe Hard Drive](https://static.makeuseof.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/recovery-hd.png)
No law says you have to. But it’s smart. Unless you erase it (and erase it thoroughly), the next owner could get access to your files.
Can you erase your hard drive and keep the same programs?
Once you reinstall the OS, your computer will be loaded with all of the programs that come with that software. Any programs you installed on your own before erasing the drive will be gone.
Of course, if you’ve backed up your drive, you can reinstall them using Time Machine.
Can you wipe a Mac without the password?
No. To erase the hard drive, you’ll have to enter the owner’s Apple ID and password. Otherwise, you will not have the option to wipe the drive.
Can you install Windows on a Mac after you erase it?
Yes. You can use Boot Camp to install Windows on your Apple computer if you’d like to. Please note, however, that not all Apple products support Windows.
Wiping Your Hard Drive is Simple
Clearing the hard drive may seem confusing at first, especially for the average Mac user, but it’s not.
Just a few clicks and you’ll have your computer restored to factory settings in no time.
Always remember to back up your data.
Reinstall Mac Os X Wipe Hard Drive Download
Whether you’re using the computer again in the future or moving onto a new model, you’ll probably want to hold onto those files.
New Hard Drive Os Install
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