Can't boot into Recovery Mode and hard disks not showing to allow me to erase my drive

What is the exact model of your laptop? You can get this information by clicking the Apple menu and selecting "About This Mac" or if you cannot boot into a full version of macOS, then you can get the information by entering your serial number here:

https://checkcoverage.apple.com/

Also, what version of macOS is being attempted to install from Internet Recovery Mode?

Try running the Apple Diagnostics.

dende07 wrote:

PLEASE HELP!!

I am trying to erase my 2016 macbook pro running Big Sur to return it to a brand new state. I have erased/reinstalled on macs for years, and this is the first time i've had an issue like this.

First I try to go into Recovery Mode (command + R), but this seems to force me into Internet Recovery Mode. I have tried multiple times, did a PRAM reset, et al, and still I can only get into IRM. From here, when I go to disk utility, my drives do not show up, at all. The only thing that shows in Disk Utility is the base drive, a small amount of space (about 2GB), obviously not my hard drive.

*Note: when i'm logged in to my computer normally and go to disk utility, all the drives and their sub-drives show up in disk utility, just not in internet recovery mode.

There is no option to "view all" in case it was hidden or anything.. so it's like the drive isn't there, except it obviously is (and my computer still works, boots up). I tried to see if I could at least re-install MacOS in internet recovery mode, and it walks me through the steps to do so but when it asks to select the drive that you wish to do the install on, there are no options again. Literally nothing to select, so nowhere to install MacOS.

I have been on chat with apple and have spent hours searching forums but so far i haven't seen my exact issue addressed.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your - Apple ...

How to erase your Intel-based Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208496

How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

The USBbootable installer contains, as well as a Time Machine Backup a Disk Utility if you can not get to Recovery/ Internet Recovery

How to create a bootable installer for macOS - Apple Support

Apples support article (How to set up and use an external Mac startup disk - Apple Support) you can select your TM backup drive (”EFI Boot”) from the Startup Manager and it will boot into Recovery Mode—from which you can use the Disk Utility to format a replacement drive—and subsequently use TM to restore its content