How to reformat mac os el capitan

Disk Utility supports many different functions, all involving one or more disks, volumes, or partitions. We're going to use Disk Utility to format a drive, regardless of the type. The formatting process will format the selected drive by creating a partition map, and apply an appropriate file system that your Mac can work with to the drive. While you can format a drive to contain multiple file systems, volumes, and partitions, our example will be for a run-of-the-mill drive, with a single partition formatted with the standard OS X Extended Journaled file system.

The process of formatting the drive will erase all data currently stored on the device. Make sure you have a current backup if you intend to keep any data already present on the drive. The process of formatting a drive is often confused with erasing a volume. The difference is that formatting affects an entire drive, including any volumes and partitions that have been created on it, while erasing a volume affects just that volume, and doesn't destroy partition information.

That being said, the version of Disk Utility included with OS X El Capitan and later actually doesn't use the word format; instead, it refers to both the formatting of a drive and the erasing of a volume with the same name: So, while we're going to be formatting a drive, we'll use Disk Utility's Erase command. That's all there is to the basics of formatting a drive using Disk Utility. For downloaded apps, I usually save their.

That gets backed up along with everything else. After a clean install — which I wholeheartedly agree is the only way to go — I reinstall the apps from there. Usually a bit faster than re-downloading everything. Funny thing; I visited a local authorized Apple repair business yesterday and after describing my concerns was told that their defacto OS upgrade policy, which they highly recommend, involves Migration Assistant as a vital part of the process. As you mentioned, reinstalling apps, while admittedly tedious and time-consuming, is by no means an insurmountable task. I followed all the preparatory steps downloaded installer, created bootable USB and formatted disk but got an error during installation, something like: You saved my life.

I was about to slam my face on the keyboard.

Even if you had mentioned not to follow your process if one has a fusion drive, at least it would have helped!!! Thanks so much! Adding a note on Fusion drives would have made this article great. The extra steps required if you have a Fusion drive basically, you need to delete the core storage volume, and then create a new logical group and volume—detailed explanation here: Be prepared to wait a good hour in my case, it appeared nothing else was being written to the USB for the last 20mins.

I tried the clean install from a USB and it keeps looping. To set up the installation of OS X, click Continue. To repair your disk using Disk Utility, restore your computer from a Time machine backup, or perform other tasks using utilities, choose an option from the Utilities menu. After the clean El Capitan install, after manually restoring files from Time Machine, how do you resume new Time Machine backups without deleting the old Time Machine backups?

Hi folks, for the non-tech savvies, pls advise; The above article says: Or will Boot Camp users also need to back-up and migrate the contents of their Bootcamp partition? Especially proprietary docs and precious MS Office licences etc. The answer to your question is found at the end of the same paragraph you quoted from: That said… Regarding your question about Bootcamp, i think the answer depends on how you set it up. There could be a danger of losing your Bootcamp partition, depending on its configuration and how you choose to erase the drive.

Is there a way to do it? That will not perform a clean install, it will perform a direct copy of the entire hard drive, however. Ok- so I got my Mac erased and when I try to reinstall it wants to install mountain lion- not El Capitan. Can someone help??

Thank you very, very much for your tutorials. They are very clear. You saved me a trip to the Genius Bar, and now I know how to erase a hard drive and make a bootable disk. Thank you, thank you!!!! Everything went easy. I would like to save them for later use. Followed every step. Went to Disk Utility and ran First Aid.

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Advice please. Thank you. Can you help me please? I did this tutorial and all seemed to work well right up to the point of clicking the install OSX button. Everything up to that step worked flawlessly. Did you find any solution?! I am installing Mavericks on my iMac right now and I have the same problem! Please helppp!! So, if I skip the disk utility section of this tutorial, I can still use the USB bootable drive to just update to El Capitan without a clean install and without having to download the installer files onto every device, right?

Thank you for your help! So after doing this and having a fresh install basically like a new computer , can I use Time Machine to restore and have it back to original? Is there a link to that tutorial? You may want to try recreating the installer disk format the Flash USB drive, create a new one with a new installer from Apple , or use a different flash USB key to make the drive out of it.

Also make sure the target Mac is compatible with El Capitan. The installation can take a while but should proceed and complete within a couple of hours. I ran through your steps and have created the bootable OS X on a flash drive. I did not create a backup but have all my important pics and such in iCloud.

Terminal or something? Please help and thank you in advance. When I get to the install it tells me that it cannot download do to an unknown error. What do I do? Suddenly it came directly to the sign in screen. What did I do wrong? Is there any other way to bring out the boot loader menu? Upgraded mid Macbook to ssd drive and wanted a fresh install of os x. I replaced hard drive and memory; plugged in bootable USB with installer and started up, formatted new drive, and installed El Capitan from usb.

No Time Machine, just uploaded photos and files needed New Mac in no time! Thanks for the clarification! So please how can I do? You can also try normal Restore mode, but Internet Recovery is more likely to work if you get an error like that. Your post solved my problem so congrats for a good write up.

Great article, but for some reason I am stuck on the las step. I can guess two possible reasons: I could use some advice! I am trying to follow this. Have gotten to the point of making the USB installer.

1. How to Clean Install OS X El Capitan on a Mac!
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4. Format a Mac's Drive Using Disk Utility (OS X El Capitan or Later).
5. 2. Open Disk Utility!

Problem comes when the USB Installer boots. Do I have to hold something else down as the system boots? I done this clean install by this way once but again I cant access to utility menu by bootable flash. Again and again I cant access.

What is your idia about this problem? So I get as far as the screen in step 4. At that point, nothing happens. Hitting return key or clicking the trackpad on the option chosen — nada! Now what? Days of lost work, being brought to tears, pages and pages of other instructions that all seemed to leave out one important step and I finally found yours and the instructions were as straightforward as a recipe for Rice Krispie squares. Then I tried with a clean partition on a firewire external hard drive and was up and running in about an hour…. Name required. Mail will not be published required.

All Rights Reserved. The installer will start, although it may take a few moments. The El Capitan license agreement will display. Read through the terms and conditions, and then click the Agree button. A sheet will drop down asking you if you really meant to agree to the terms. Click the Agree button.

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The El Capitan installer will display the default target for the installation; this isn't always the correct target. If it is correct, you can click the Install button and skip ahead to Step 6; otherwise, click the Show All Disks button. Enter your administrator password, and click OK. The installer will copy the needed files to the drive you selected, and then restart. A progress bar will display; after a while, an estimate of the remaining time will display.

The time estimate isn't very accurate, so this is a good time to take a coffee break or go for a walk with your dog. Once all the files are installed, your Mac will restart and you'll be guided through the initial setup process. The Welcome screen displays, asking you to select which country your Mac will be used in. Make your selection from the list, and click the Continue button. Select your keyboard layout; the available keyboard types will be displayed.

Make your selection, and click Continue. The Transfer Information to This Mac window will appear. You chose a clean installation for a reason, including the possibility that you were having issues with your previous installation of OS X. Before you bring data over, it's a good idea to make sure your Mac operates without issue with a clean install first. Enable Location Services. Enabling this service will generally allow apps to see where your Mac is located geographically. However, since you can enable this service later from the System Preferences, I recommend not enabling the service now.

A sheet will drop down asking if you really do not want to use Location Services. Your Apple ID can even be used as your Mac login, if you wish. This window is asking you to supply your Apple ID, and to allow your Mac to automatically sign you in to the various Apple services whenever you turn on your Mac and log in.

Once again, you can do this at a later date. Make your selection, and click the Allow or Not Now buttons. If you chose not to set up your Apple ID, a sheet will drop down asking if you really don't want your Apple ID set to log you into the various services. Read through the terms, and then click Agree. A sheet will display, asking if you really meant it, that is, agreeing to the terms. The Create a Computer Account option will display. This is the administrator account , so be sure to note the username and password you selected.

The window will look slightly different, depending on whether you chose to use your Apple ID or not. In the first case, you'll have the option pre-selected to sign into your Mac using your Apple ID. In this case, you only need to provide your full name and an account name.

A word of warning: