kotoula01

Q: I wiped my mac before installing os x 10.11and it wants to install Mavericks! Help!

I wanted to do a 'clean install' of OS X 10.11 on my iMac 2010 and the instructions were, back up your files, wipe (erase) your drive, install OS X.

 

Well I'm a newbie, so I did the 2 first steps and now it brings me to Mavericks to reinstall the operating system. I want OS X 10.11, but how do I get it now that my iMac is empty? I deleted everything in the ERASE part. Whoever makes these guides obviously doesn't make them for the uninitiated. I followed apple's own guide on how to do this!

 

Good news is I have a Macbook Pro 2010 that I can use to help me fix this. I need a guide.

 

How do I make sure everything is erased on the hard drive? Even so called 'hidden partitions' or whatever they're called. I want everything gone because I think someone installed a KEYLOGGER onto my iMac and I want to start fresh.

 

I think I need to put El Capitan onto the  laptop, then onto an external hard drive (can I use the same one that has my time machine backup on it? All the web instructions say to use a USB flash drive. Why?)Then plug the external HD into the iMac, and go from there?

 

Apple tries to simplify things hey? Not really. Nothing simple about it.

iMac, iMac is wiped supposedly

Posted on Feb 12, 2016 5:05 PM

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Q: I wiped my mac before installing os x 10.11and it wants to install Mavericks! Help!

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  • by pinkstones,

    pinkstones pinkstones Feb 12, 2016 5:17 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 5 (4,209 points)
    Safari
    Feb 12, 2016 5:17 PM in response to kotoula01

    When you wipe the hard drive, you take it back to factory settings, or how the computer came to you when you bought it.  Was Mavericks the operating system that was installed on your computer when you bought it?  Also, what makes you think someone installed a keylogger on your hard drive?  Did you download something you shouldn't have from some place you shouldn't have?  Did you allow criminals remote access to your computer by calling a number you saw in a pop-up ad? 

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 6:15 PM in response to pinkstones
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 6:15 PM in response to pinkstones

    Wow thanks for the condescending questions.

    I bought the iMac from a family member. They must have had it updated to Mavericks. I don't download much, and I'm not a gamer. I need the COMPLETE HD wiped clean and any partitions. I need help to install the latest OS and I don't have a flash drive, only a western digital external HD.

     

    If you have any *actual* helpful advice please share. Otherwise keep your condescension to yourself.

  • by leroydouglas,Helpful

    leroydouglas leroydouglas Feb 12, 2016 7:34 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 7 (22,894 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 12, 2016 7:34 PM in response to kotoula01

    Install the Mavericks being offered,  then upgrade to El Capitan through the App Store.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Feb 12, 2016 6:54 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 7 (31,893 points)
    iPad
    Feb 12, 2016 6:54 PM in response to kotoula01

    If you wiped your hard drive, then the original OS will be installed. That is no problem as you can easily update it from there.

     

    So, use internet recovery (Command + Option + R) and choose to reinstall OS X. If that is Mavericks, no problem. Once downloaded and installed, update it using the app store. When it's all finished, go back to the app store and choose El Capitan - download and install.

     

    That entire procedure would be a true clean/fresh install and that is what you are trying to do, right?

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 6:56 PM in response to leroydouglas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 6:56 PM in response to leroydouglas

    Thanks leroydouglas I didn't know that was possible. Now I have another problem. I had used safari to google help, and it was stuck with that spinning ball for hours. I couldn't force safari to quit, so I held down the power button ad then pressed it again to power on the iMac.

     

    Now it has a white screen with the 'do not enter' symbol (circle with line thru it) and that gray spinning wheel thingy below it.

     

    This seems to be where it's stuck for the last 30 mins. I have powered it down twice this way, and same thing each time.

     

    Is this thing fried or what?

  • by pinkstones,

    pinkstones pinkstones Feb 12, 2016 6:58 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 5 (4,209 points)
    Safari
    Feb 12, 2016 6:58 PM in response to kotoula01

    kotoula01 wrote:

     

    Wow thanks for the condescending questions.

    I bought the iMac from a family member. They must have had it updated to Mavericks. I don't download much, and I'm not a gamer. I need the COMPLETE HD wiped clean and any partitions. I need help to install the latest OS and I don't have a flash drive, only a western digital external HD.

     

    If you have any *actual* helpful advice please share. Otherwise keep your condescension to yourself.

     

    Excuse me?  Those were honest, non-insulting, pertinent questions to the conversation.  No one here can help you unless we have all the information we need.  Knowing why the computer wants you to install Mavericks is important, so is asking why you think a keylogger was installed on your hard drive.  Two of the ways a keylogger can be installed is if you download something from a shady website or if you see something in a pop-up ad that makes you think something is wrong with your computer, and after calling the scammers on the other end, allow them remote access to your system so they can "fix" it.  These are questions we ask people every day.

     

    So, I'm not understanding what's condescending about asking whether Mavericks was the OS installed on your computer when you bought it or if you've done something recently that would make you think malware had been installed.

  • by leroydouglas,

    leroydouglas leroydouglas Feb 12, 2016 7:00 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 7 (22,894 points)
    Notebooks
    Feb 12, 2016 7:00 PM in response to kotoula01

    Prohibitory symbol

    When you see a circle with a slash symbol instead of the Apple logo, it means your Mac couldn't find a valid System Folder to start up from.

    If you're using your Mac at a school or business, it might be trying to start from the wrong version of OS X. Contact your IT department for more help.

    If this is your personal Mac, try reinstalling OS X by using OS X Recovery.

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 7:00 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 7:00 PM in response to babowa

    babowa said:

     

    "So, use internet recovery (Command + Option + R) and choose to reinstall OS X. If that is Mavericks, no problem. Once downloaded and installed, update it using the app store. When it's all finished, go back to the app store and choose El Capitan - download and install.

     

    That entire procedure would be a true clean/fresh install and that is what you are trying to do, right?"

     

    In reply to ^^ Yes I want a clean fresh install. I want to make sure all hard drive partitions or whatever they're called are wiped completely clean. That there's no chance of any lingering software to come to life after I reinstall OS X.

     

    This is a great idea to install Mavericks and then update to El Capitan. I didn't know it was possible.

     

    Alternatively, if I was to go back in time, would it be smart to download EL Capitan, and THEN erase everything and do a fresh install?

     

    It seems now to be a moot point since the **** thing is stuck in the white screen of the spinning circle. I don't know how to proceed.

  • by babowa,Helpful

    babowa babowa Feb 12, 2016 7:10 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 7 (31,893 points)
    iPad
    Feb 12, 2016 7:10 PM in response to kotoula01

    After it's shut down, have you tried to use the Command + Option + R keys immediately after the startup bong sound after hitting the power button to boot up? You have to hold these keys for some time until you see a progress bar that it is trying to connect to Apple servers.

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 7:08 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 7:08 PM in response to babowa

    After it's shut down, have you tried to use the Command + Option + R keys immediately after the startup bong sound after hitting the power button to boot up? You have to hold these keys for some time until you see a progress bar that it is trying to connect to Apple servers.

     

    I will try that now. So I shut it down. Power is off.  Then push the power button, and then after the bong sound I'll hold the keys you mentioned until I see some sort of progress bar. Thanks for the simple instructions. This is my personal iMac that I bought from a family member.

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 7:14 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 7:14 PM in response to babowa

    OMG I was able to get into OS X Utilities screen. Thanks babowa for your help!

     

    Ok so now what do I do first, install OS X or check to make sure the hard drive is completely erased?

     

    I will update it to Mavericks, then update to El Capitan after. My number one concern is to make sure no software or malware is lingering on the HD.

     

    I have good reason to think that someone I thought I could trust to help me with my wifi router, installed some sort of malware/keylogger. I have no proof, and when went to look at all the stuff that was installed, I couldn't tell what was friend or foe. For me the best option is to erase and start again and keep my admin password to myself always.

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 7:33 PM in response to pinkstones
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 7:33 PM in response to pinkstones

    Um no, insinuating that:

     

    "Did you download something you shouldn't have from some place you shouldn't have?  Did you allow criminals remote access to your computer by calling a number you saw in a pop-up ad? "

     

    actually has nothing to do with my question which is how to erase the HD completely and reinstall the latest version of OS X. I didn't know I could install Mavericks, and then update to El Capitain, so at least someone on here is trying to help.

     

    Not that it matters, but I allowed someone who I thought I could trust, access to my iMac with a temporary admin password so they could help me with my wifi router settings while I was at work. I have a teenager with a gaming addiction. We were trying to get time blocks on the router so my kid would be cut off  from the internet at all hours.

     

    It doesn't matter HOW the iMac got compromised, what matters is that now I need to erase it and make sure no traces of malware are left before I update the OS so I don't have any issues going forward.

     

    I just want to be able to use my computer without having to worry that all my keystrokes are being logged. That is a horrible feeling.

  • by babowa,

    babowa babowa Feb 12, 2016 7:34 PM in response to kotoula01
    Level 7 (31,893 points)
    iPad
    Feb 12, 2016 7:34 PM in response to kotoula01

    If you want to make sure, go to Disk Utility in the internet recovery and erase the drive (won't hurt to do it again). When that's finished, close Disk Utility and in the Utilities window, choose to reinstall OS X.

  • by kotoula01,

    kotoula01 kotoula01 Feb 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to babowa
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2016 7:49 PM in response to babowa

    So now I'm getting this message when I try to erase the HD  why are there so many drives I ahead of just one?
    IMG_20160212_204237.jpg

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