Fresh Install Catalina, but where?

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Level 1

9 points

Fresh Install Catalina, but where?

My mac is currently on the Catlina Beta, but I am looking to do a fresh, clean install of the public release of Catalina. I have downloaded the installer and made the bootable thumb drive and I am ready to go.

However, i'm a bit stuck at the part where I want to erase the disk and install the OS fresh. Normally, I would go into disk utility and select the Mac drive to erase, reformat and that's where I would install it, BUT, since I'm already on Catalina, it is showing the two drives:

Macintosh HD
Macintosh HD-Data

So I'm a bit confused about which one I should erase? Or erase both? Or path forward?

Thoughts, ideas, steps? :-)

iMac Line (2012 and Later)

Posted on Oct 24, 2019 5:52 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 7, 2019 10:45 AM in response to crepotski

Not to worry. I found this https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208496

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Answer 2

DonH49

Level 6

16,726 points

Oct 24, 2019 5:58 AM in response to crepotski

I boot into Mojave, I use a multiple set of bootable SSD externally. Then us Disk Utility to DELETE both Catalina volumes. Then add ONE new Catalina volume back and do the install. If you keep the Catalina volume then do the install you'll be presented with three Catalina volumes and you will not easily know which to get rid of....

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Answer 3

crepotski Author

Level 1

9 points

Oct 24, 2019 6:11 AM in response to DonH49

Not sure if it makes a difference but I wouldn't be booting into Mojave using an SSD. My plan is to boot into the USB installer I created for Catalina. And then when I get to the utilities screen, select Disk Utility to erase the drive.

Does what you're saying by erasing both Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD-Data and then adding a new volume apply?

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Answer 4

Dec 7, 2019 6:54 AM in response to crepotski

@crepotski Good day sir. Please how did you fix this? I'm having the same issue right now. I'm trying to do a reinstall from a usb drive but I don't know which drive to erase

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Fresh Install Catalina, but where?

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