CharlieA44

Q: How can I unlock the Macintosh HD to reinstall OS X Lion?

I am trying to reinstall Mac OS X Lion on my mac and it says the HD is locked. I cannot turn my Mac on because it shuts off while its booting up. A gray bar appears on the loading screen then shuts off. I am trying to reinstall Mac OS X Utilities from Recovery Mode.

iMac

Posted on Aug 21, 2013 5:13 PM

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Q: How can I unlock the Macintosh HD to reinstall OS X Lion?

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  • Helpful answers

  • by Kappy,Helpful

    Kappy Kappy Aug 21, 2013 5:16 PM in response to CharlieA44
    Level 10 (270,222 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 21, 2013 5:16 PM in response to CharlieA44

    OS X v10.6- Gray progress bar appears under Apple logo during startup

     

     

    Install or Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion from Scratch

     

    Be sure you backup your files to an external drive or second internal drive because the following procedure will remove everything from the hard drive.

     

    Boot to the Recovery HD:

     

    Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.

     

    Erase the hard drive:

     

      1. Select Disk Utility from the main menu and click on the Continue button.

     

      2. After DU loads select your startup volume (usually Macintosh HD) from the

          left side list. Click on the Erase tab in the DU main window.

     

      3. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Optionally, click on

            the Security button and set the Zero Data option to one-pass. Click on

          the Erase button and wait until the process has completed.

     

      4. Quit DU and return to the main menu.

     

    Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Install button.

     

    Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible

                because it is three times faster than wireless.

  • by CharlieA44,

    CharlieA44 CharlieA44 Aug 21, 2013 5:22 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Aug 21, 2013 5:22 PM in response to Kappy

    erasing the HD won't mess anything up? and after I delete it will the HD be unlocked and I can reinstall OS X Lion?

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Aug 21, 2013 5:30 PM in response to CharlieA44
    Level 10 (270,222 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 21, 2013 5:30 PM in response to CharlieA44

    Erasing the HDD will delete everything on it. It should unlock it. Be sure to backup your data or it will be lost.

  • by CharlieA44,

    CharlieA44 CharlieA44 Aug 21, 2013 5:31 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (12 points)
    Aug 21, 2013 5:31 PM in response to Kappy

    is there a way i can back up my files from recovery mode?

  • by Kappy,

    Kappy Kappy Aug 21, 2013 5:35 PM in response to CharlieA44
    Level 10 (270,222 points)
    Desktops
    Aug 21, 2013 5:35 PM in response to CharlieA44

    Not if you are already in recovery mode.

  • by robinf40,

    robinf40 robinf40 Apr 23, 2014 5:25 PM in response to CharlieA44
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 23, 2014 5:25 PM in response to CharlieA44

    i have had the same problem with my mac mini. If you go to Macworld and type in, How to split a Fusion drive they will explain how to unlock this drive. Some how when you set up a hard drive it makes it a fusion drive and if you have a ssd in there it block's it out. Try this and let me know how you do >

  • by khanahmed123,Helpful

    khanahmed123 khanahmed123 May 6, 2014 6:39 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (10 points)
    May 6, 2014 6:39 PM in response to Kappy

    I tried to reinstall osx but failed. Found that there is no fee space in my disc I tried to increase the size of this partition but found that the disc is licked so tried to use disc utility and unlock the disc but it was like PC hanged up there was sign if busy PC and took toooo much time always there for I had to restart

    Now the issue is

    Can't down load new osx because that partition has no Space so t

    Tried to increase the partition size but HD disc is locked

    Tried to unlock but PC stuck

    What to do now

    Regards

  • by khanahmed123,

    khanahmed123 khanahmed123 May 10, 2014 11:42 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (10 points)
    May 10, 2014 11:42 PM in response to Kappy

    I have MBP late 2011 13"

    The issue now is the active disc that contains OS is full with no single byte free and doesn't mount or load OS to computer run and always a grey bar appears upon starting the PC that takes 20 to 30 min

    I tried to increase Macintosh HD space from  partition but it says you can not change the partition because the disc is locked. When tried to unlock disc from disc utility and than startup disc the PC stands still or hangs up.that means I can't unlock it.

    I can not run MBP in safe mode also because the shift doesn't work when trying to open in safe mode.

    I don't have Mac OS disc or any apple shop in me area.

    Please help me as soon as possible

    Thanks indeed

  • by khanahmed123,Helpful

    khanahmed123 khanahmed123 May 10, 2014 11:44 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (10 points)
    May 10, 2014 11:44 PM in response to Kappy

    I have MBP late 2011 13"

    The issue now is the active disc that contains OS is full with no single byte free and doesn't mount or load OS to computer run and always a grey bar appears upon starting the PC that takes 20 to 30 min

    I tried to increase Macintosh HD space from  partition but it says you can not change the partition because the disc is locked. When tried to unlock disc from disc utility and than startup disc the PC stands still or hangs up.that means I can't unlock it.

    I can not run MBP in safe mode also because the shift doesn't work when trying to open in safe mode.

    I don't have Mac OS disc or any apple shop in me area.

    Please help me as soon as possible

    Thanks indeed

    I can't find recovery disc also

  • by Raj_LA,Helpful

    Raj_LA Raj_LA Aug 4, 2014 9:51 AM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Aug 4, 2014 9:51 AM in response to Kappy

    How do i do back up before erasing my drive. I tried restore to USB drive, and left for 6 hours, but nothing happened.

  • by coolcourt123,Helpful

    coolcourt123 coolcourt123 Sep 13, 2014 11:04 AM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Sep 13, 2014 11:04 AM in response to Kappy

    Thank You For Your Help! best response ever this worked perfect for me didn't even waste time backing up but all well at lease my issue is offically resolved after spending 4 hours on this macbook!! definably doing a youtube video for this!

  • by Prasant Varanasi,Helpful

    Prasant Varanasi Prasant Varanasi Dec 29, 2014 5:49 AM in response to coolcourt123
    Level 1 (15 points)
    Dec 29, 2014 5:49 AM in response to coolcourt123

    Hi Mr Cool

    Happy to see you message here seems u have solved the issue, am struggling on the same issue for almost for 2 weeks still not resolved , Can you please help  me to solve the issue .. 

     

    The Drive is locked is the error .. eagerly waiting for your reply ..

     

    Thanks

    Prasant

  • by Alidabour12,Helpful

    Alidabour12 Alidabour12 Jul 28, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Kappy
    Level 1 (5 points)
    Jul 28, 2015 4:40 PM in response to Kappy

    I Want help