Now we are ready to install the copy of macOS from the installer drive on our Mac. If you want to do a fresh installation (and completely wipe your Mac) it's time to reformat your Mac's start-up. Sep 24, 2020 Clean Install on a Mac Startup Drive The second type of clean install is performed by first erasing your Mac's current startup drive, and then installing macOS Sierra. This method requires you to make a bootable copy of the macOS Sierra installer, which you can use to boot from and then erase your Mac's current startup drive. Jul 17, 2020 In Disk Utility, select 'Macintosh HD' (or the name of the disk to erase and clean install Catalina onto), then click the 'Erase' button Choose 'Macintosh HD' as the name, then go to 'Format' and select APFS, then choose 'Erase' – WARNING: THIS ERASES ALL DATA ON THE MAC Quit Disk Utility when finished formatting the disk. Wipe Your Drive in Windows 8.1. In Windows 8.1, go to Settings Change PC Settings Update and recovery Recovery.Click the Get Started button under the section heading Remove everything. Wiping your Mac will erase everything, including your operating system, so keeping a backup on an external hard drive or DVD is a good idea. 2 Insert your installation disc. Insert the installation DVD or CD that came with your computer into the computer's disc drive and wait for the computer to recognize the disc.
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These steps apply only to Mac computers with an Intel processor. The steps to erase a Mac with Apple silicon are different.
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Before erasing your Mac
- Make a backup of any files that you want to keep. Erasing your Mac permanently deletes its files.
- If you want to restore your Mac to factory settings, such as to prepare it for a new owner, first learn what to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your Mac. Then erase your Mac as the final step.
Use Disk Utility to erase your Mac
- Start up from macOS Recovery: Turn on your Mac, then immediately press and hold these two keys until you see an Apple logo or other image: Command (⌘) and R.
- If asked, select a user you know the password for, then enter their administrator password.
- From the utilities window, select Disk Utility and click Continue.
- Select Macintosh HD in the sidebar of Disk Utility. Don't see Macintosh HD?
- Click the Erase button in the toolbar, then enter the requested details:
- Name: Macintosh HD
- Format: APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled), as recommended by Disk Utility
- Click Erase Volume Group. If you don't see this button, click Erase instead.
- If asked, enter your Apple ID. Forgot your Apple ID?
- After the erase is done, select any other internal volumes in the sidebar, then click the delete volume (–) button in the toolbar to delete that volume.
Disregard any internal volume named Macintosh HD or Macintosh HD - Data, as well as any volumes in the External and Disk Images sections of the sidebar. - Quit Disk Utility to return to the utilities window.
- If you want to start up again from the disk you erased, select Reinstall macOS in the utilities window, then click Continue and follow the onscreen instructions to reinstall macOS.
If you don't see Macintosh HD in Disk Utility
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Your built-in startup disk should be the first item listed in the Disk Utility sidebar. It's named Macintosh HD, unless you changed its name. If you don't see it there, choose Apple menu > Shut Down, then unplug all nonessential devices from your Mac and try again.
If your disk still doesn't appear in Disk Utility, or Disk Utility reports that the erase process failed, your Mac might need service. If you need help, please contact Apple Support.
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Learn more
Wipe Mac Hard Drive Clean Install Tool
For more information about using Disk Utility, see the Disk Utility User Guide.
