User files appear to be stored in Macintosh HD, not Macintosh HD - Data. Is this normal?

Hello,

Thanks for that explanation, it sounds like we're all OK. It's been a useful education for me (and plenty of OS installation practice).

Here's the diskutil list output:

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *500.3 GB   disk0

   1:                        EFI ⁨EFI⁩                     209.7 MB   disk0s1

   2:                 Apple_APFS ⁨Container disk1⁩         500.1 GB   disk0s2

/dev/disk1 (synthesized):

   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER

   0:      APFS Container Scheme -                      +500.1 GB   disk1

                                 Physical Store disk0s2

   1:                APFS Volume ⁨Macintosh HD⁩            15.4 GB    disk1s1

   2:              APFS Snapshot ⁨com.apple.os.update-...⁩ 15.4 GB    disk1s1s1

   3:                APFS Volume ⁨Preboot⁩                 269.5 MB   disk1s2

   4:                APFS Volume ⁨Recovery⁩                1.1 GB     disk1s3

   5:                APFS Volume ⁨VM⁩                      2.1 GB     disk1s4

   6:                APFS Volume ⁨Macintosh HD - Data⁩     55.0 GB    disk1s5

Disk Utility shows the Macintosh HD - Data volume filling up as I add music (to what appears to be Macintosh HD in finder, but is actually Macintosh HD - Data, if I understand correctly):

Thanks for all your help, this is an excellent community and a refreshing change from fiddling with Windows.

Will.

Hi.

I've run that command and got this (my HDD is 500GB):

0:      APFS Container Scheme -                      +500.1 GB   disk1

                                 Physical Store disk0s2

   1:                APFS Volume ⁨Macintosh HD - Data⁩     67.0 GB    disk1s1

   2:                APFS Volume ⁨Preboot⁩                 269.5 MB   disk1s2

   3:                APFS Volume ⁨Recovery⁩                1.1 GB     disk1s3

   4:                APFS Volume ⁨VM⁩                      2.1 GB     disk1s4

   5:                APFS Volume ⁨Macintosh HD⁩            15.4 GB    disk1s5

   6:              APFS Snapshot ⁨com.apple.os.update-...⁩ 15.4 GB    disk1s5s1

   7:                APFS Volume ⁨Macintosh HD - Data⁩     7.8 MB     disk1s8

What next?

Thanks.

Hi, It's an SSD.

Disk Utility Partitions shows this:

Any clues what's going on?

I seem to be able to create and delete files on both volumes so everything currently works OK, but would rather fix it if there are likely to be problems later.

Thanks.

Weird, isn't it.

No, I didn't partition it, the two volumes were there when I received it. I (think I) erased them both and put a fresh install of Monterey on Macintosh HD.

I do have everything backed up, what's the best process to start again?

Thanks for your help,

Will.

Bad news: I wiped and reinstalled the OS, ended up going back to Yosemite, then Catalina, now back to Monterey, and my user files (e.g. imported music) are still on Macintosh HD.

Weirdly, I can see the Macintosh HD - Data volume on disk utility but not in Finder. Under Computer it just has Macintosh HD.

Anything else I can try?

Alternatively, what are the risks of leaving it as it is and my just storing everything on Macintosh HD?

Let me know if you’d like any more info.

Thanks.

Thanks.

What’s the best way to reformat and reinstall? Just to make sure I don’t end up in the same place again.

Will.

Many thanks for your help, much appreciated.

Will.