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Deleted APFS volume after erasing Macintosh HD

I created a big problem doing a simple procedure.

I was erasing "Macintosh HD" on my older iMac in order to Reinstall OS, and to give that iMac to my daughter.

Used Power+Command+R > Disk Utility.

So, I erased "Macintosh HD". Then I saw some 5 GB data left, but I didn't see the sub-volume Macintosh HD Data.

But despite that, I clicked on Minus sign for the Volume in the menu bar, to delete APFS volume.


I realized I did something bad... but decided to click "First Aid" (next to Volume(+/-).

It did something and then probably asked to enter a name for a volume, so I entered "Macintosh HD".


NOW, under 'INTERNAL', "Macintosh HD" is gone.

Instead "Macintosh HD" is this: APPLE HDD HTS541010A9....(SATA Internal Physical Disk - GUID Partition Map), 1TB.

and right underneath: "CONTAINER disk3".

Clicking it shows in main window: APFS Container, and further on the right "1 TB, shared by 3 volumes"



Under "DISK IMAGES":

"macOS Base System", and underneath "Macintosh HD" (greyed out).


Clicking "macOS Base System" shows: "APFS System Volume-APFS.......1.16 GB, shared by 3 volumes0"

Clicking the greyed out "Macintosh HD" shows in the main window: an ORANGE icon of "Macintosh HD" , and underneath says: "APFS Volume - APFS..........1.16 GB, shared by 3 volumes".


Then further down(in the main window):........says: NOT MOUNTED (greyed out), and some more details:

Capacity...... 1.16 GB

Available:......zero kb

Used............. --

Type..........APFS Volume

Owners.....disabled

Connection....disk image

Device...........disk2s3



I realize it's a mess, can it be fixed ? What should I do please ?

THANKS!



Posted on Jun 30, 2023 11:28 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 1, 2023 12:16 AM

Your post is somewhat hard to follow. However, while in Recovery Mode, select the top level of the drive which should be "APPLE HDD HTS541010A9....", erase it. Quit Disk Utility then you should be able to reinstall macOS. See: How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support

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8 replies

Jun 30, 2023 11:59 PM in response to snappir

correction:

......

...

NOW, under 'INTERNAL', "Macintosh HD" is gone.

Instead "Macintosh HD" is this: APPLE HDD HTS541010A9....(SATA Internal Physical Disk - GUID Partition Map), 1TB.

and right underneath: "CONTAINER disk3".

Clicking it shows in main window: Container disk3...................."1 TB, shared by 3 volumes"

Underneath: 3 NOT Mounted(5.47 GB)...FREE (994.52 GB)

...and the table with more details: VOLUME COUNT: 3, Capacity 1 TB, Free: 994.52 GB, Used: 5.47 GB

Type: APFS Container, Physical stores: disk0s2, Connection: SATA, Device: disk3


.......

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Deleted APFS volume after erasing Macintosh HD

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