How do I Delete "macOS Base System" ?

Question

How do I Delete "macOS Base System" ?

Running Mojave on MacBook Air 2017

My girlfriend sent me these two links:

https://www.eglobalcentral.eu/xiaomi-redmi-note-9s-4gb-64gb-dual-sim-blue-international-ver-1.html

https://www.gs https://discussions.apple.com/thread/416

She wants a new cell phone, (I recommend iPhone); she likes unique things. When I am viewing the websites I realize the videos weren't running. A pop up appears, for certified Adobe Pepper Flash Player 29.0. With my guard down I do a quick review online, 98% of people who downloaded it kept it, its pretty run of the mill and more common outside the USA. I download, unpack & install.

Problems. Slowness, flicker screen, movement I have not done. I recheck this time noticing the official release is 15.0 so why did I have 29.0? I reboot, COMMAND-R, and USB Mojave install. Disk utility, wipe main SSD, install again. Notice:

very slow install

slower load and restart

same problems flickering and some odds and ends

I attempt to delete the APP, no go, I attempt to delete the download, no go, I attempt to delete the unpack file, no go. So I cannot delete the DOWNLOADED PACKED file-Unpacked File-or find the APP. I had to go through pretty unusual means to find and delete these. I add this as a curious note. ONCE this was done:

Reboot, COMMAND+R, Disk Utility, this is when I notice my "macOS Base System" is now 2.0 gb instead of 1.9 GB in size.. something is on there..

(again unusual latency and flicker even in reboot screen)

I shut down, COMMAND+OPTION+R+P to try to force a dismount, doesn't work (oddly enough)

reboot again, CMD+OPT+R+P,

in TERMINAL I enter the following command:

defaults write com.apple.DiskUtility DUDebugMenuEnabled 1

Then I close terminal; go back to Disk Utility and the Debug 1 menu doesn't appear next to the HELP menu.. I tried this several ways, including in OS, in REBOOT menu, etc. I want to delete my "macOS Base System" so that I can fresh install and be free of this mess.

I followed whitewash2 on how to show DUDDebugMenu 1 (it didn't work)

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4166852

HOW DO I DELETE THIS PARTITION AND START IT FRESH?

it appears to have been infected by whatever was in the install.

It appears to infect new installs from this recovery partition (I think macOS Base System is a recovery image)

I cannot Unmount, I cannot figure how delete it

I had a movie it didn't let me load it so I youtubed:

https://youtu.be/QDM_XzkJO_U

MacBook Air

Posted on May 13, 2020 8:51 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Matti Haveri

Level 7

20,454 points

May 14, 2020 12:01 AM in response to AdonaiTzevoat

If you want to install from scratch. Backup. Make a bootable USB installer and boot from it (you may have to enable external booting on a T2 equipped Mac). In Disk Utility enable the device view and erase the internal disk. Then install. The Recovery partition will be recreated (it can be wiped with Carbon Copy Cloner but I suggest keeping it on the internal disk, external backup volumes can be without it). The recovery partition might be modified during system updates but AFAIK otherwise it is read-only.

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Answer 2

Barney-15E

Level 10

123,500 points

May 14, 2020 7:11 PM in response to AdonaiTzevoat

You didn't need to erase anything to fix your problem. You could have just removed the adware you installed using EtreCheck or MalwareBytes.

If you erase the entire drive, you will have erased the recovery volume that holds the macOS Base System image, not that it matters.

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Answer 3

Barney-15E

Level 10

123,500 points

May 13, 2020 9:28 AM in response to AdonaiTzevoat

macOS Base System has nothing to do with your download.

HOW DO I DELETE THIS PARTITION AND START IT FRESH?

You don't. It is the Recovery OS that runs the Recovery UI.

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Answer 4

May 13, 2020 10:09 AM in response to Barney-15E

Barney, thank you for taking the time to respond to my plea for help.

Question, I understand it is the UI for recovery, yet How do we know a virus cannot be installed there? Also, how can I wipe and refresh it so its solid? or is this impossible?

are u able to confirm this? I don't do recovery I do fresh install. But I imagine that when I COMMAND+R ur saying this is the UI load source? I have always counted on the security of these files systems since we opted to add them on all apples. another way to outpace microsoft without meaning to, by simply doing what is right.

but I believe there is a some infection, or I fear somehow someone figured out how to do it.

I need to be secure to move forward.

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Answer 5

May 14, 2020 7:05 PM in response to Matti Haveri

that is correct.

thank you.

barney was trying but I know the system well I helped design the architecture I am no coder however.

I already have the USB and I have tried to do this. I will once again enable device view. but ur saying just by erasing the main disk it will fix the partition. I am unsure I will try that now and connect after.

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