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User profile for user: eHarazi
eHarazi Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

macOS not working on iMac after erasing HDD - showing Windows logo on startup

I have an iMac with Catalina. I use to have a partition splitting my 1TB HDD to have Windows using Bootcamp. After some use, I deleted the Windows partition thinking it was gone. Later I wanted to hard reset my iMac and erased data in the HD and HD - data disks. I then got a SMART error and tried to restart my iMac and found the windows logo coming on taking me to the windows error page.


I restarted and held command + R to get to Utilities. I got a spinning globe logo then the apple logo then reached Utilities, but not sure how to get macOS back again. See images on imgur for more.


This is unlikely to be a hardware problem since I have had no problems and this started literally after erasing data. Formatting possible? Any help is appreciated?


https://imgur.com/a/7rXYMDh

Posted on Oct 25, 2022 5:43 AM

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User profile for user: PRP_53
PRP_53
User level: Level 10
85,207 points

Posted on Oct 25, 2022 6:35 AM

The only correct way to remove Bootcamp Partition is from within Bootcamp.


Remove Windows from your Mac using Boot Camp


It would appear the only other way out of this situation is to use Internal Recovery Mode


Option Command r ( 3 Key combo ) on restart.


It is suggested to use an Ethernet Cable from Computer to Router.


A Globe will appear as it connects to the Apple Servers


1- It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 


2 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).


5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above. 


5A - Formatting for macOS 10.13 High Sierra and below requires HFS Journaled with the GUID Partition Map


6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 


7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 


8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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User profile for user: PRP_53
PRP_53
User level: Level 10
85,207 points

Oct 25, 2022 6:35 AM in response to eHarazi

The only correct way to remove Bootcamp Partition is from within Bootcamp.


Remove Windows from your Mac using Boot Camp


It would appear the only other way out of this situation is to use Internal Recovery Mode


Option Command r ( 3 Key combo ) on restart.


It is suggested to use an Ethernet Cable from Computer to Router.


A Globe will appear as it connects to the Apple Servers


1- It will present options >> Disk Utilities >> View >> View ALL attached Drives. 


2 - Choose the Upper Most Drive ( not the volumes indented and list below ).


5 - The drive normally is called Apple Media or Apple SSD - that is the drive to Erase and format as APFS with the GUID Partition Map. This applies to macOS 10.14 Mojave and above. 


5A - Formatting for macOS 10.13 High Sierra and below requires HFS Journaled with the GUID Partition Map


6 - Once that is done >> backup out of Disk Utilities and choose install macOS. 


7 - Follow the prompts and it may automatically reboot several time. 


8 - Upon a final reboot - Setup Assist will present with the newer version of macOS.

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User profile for user: PRP_53
PRP_53
User level: Level 10
85,207 points

Oct 25, 2022 1:43 PM in response to eHarazi

OS X Yosemite - Technical Specifications (CA)


Using a computer from that age 2012 in 2022 has seen a very long life by computer standards


Components do fail and that could be what has happened even if the User is certain it has not


If you want to hand around for a more Expert Contributor to pickup you question you welcome to do so


A certain method has already been supplied should you wish to explore that avenue

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User profile for user: eHarazi
eHarazi Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

Oct 25, 2022 7:42 AM in response to PRP_53

Hi. Thanks for the reply. All the steps worked except at step 6. Coming out of Disk Utilities, I went to "Reinstall macOS", and "macOS Catalina" came up. Going through the T&Cs I get to the part where you select the disk and it is greyed out with an alert dialog saying that "This disk has SMART errors". See picture


Also restarting has removed the windows logo but now there is a flashing folder with a "?" inside it with a link underneath it "support.apple.com/mac/startup"

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macOS not working on iMac after erasing HDD - showing Windows logo on startup

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