You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Big Sur install on to erased drives still remembers WiFi

I had cause to want to clear down my mac mini and install Big Sur afresh. I erased/reorganised the drives. Formatted for APFS, and ran installer.


I now have a clean looking mac, but I never told entered the wifi credentials and yet it's rejoined the network. I have not entered any Apple ID/iCloud account details.


How has it snuck the wifi details through to a clean system?

Mac mini, macOS 11.5

Posted on Oct 4, 2021 9:03 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 4, 2021 9:07 AM

Just to be sure that you did a "clean" install, did you follow the steps in the following two support articles?



... and NOT restore from a backup ... at least, not yet?

2 replies

Oct 4, 2021 9:54 AM in response to muppetloverinatrashcan

That is why Apple Suggests - Reset NVRAM before for Selling, Trading in or giving away an Apple Computer . The same would apply to a Wipe and Reinstallation. If not performed, it may Auto-Join a Known Network and might happen on first reboot after the clean installation.


Shut down your Mac, then turn it on and immediately press and hold these four keys together: Option, Command, P, and R. Release the keys after about 20 seconds. This clears user settings from memory and restores certain security features that might have been altered.

Big Sur install on to erased drives still remembers WiFi

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.