Macintosh HD 'Locked' when trying to do complete reinstall Mavericks.

Hi, cjtbhs.

Thank you for visiting Apple Support Communities.

As you are receiving messages that indicate your hard drive is corrupt the best option would be to erase and install. Here is the article that walks you through that process.

OS X Mountain Lion: Erase and reinstall OS X

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11273

Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard: How to Erase and Install

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3910

Make sure to backup your data prior to processing these steps.

OS X Mountain Lion: Back up your Mac

http://support.apple.com/kb/PH11371

Cheers,

Jason H.

Jason H -

Thanks for this info. However, when following the instructions I try to erase the disk it says that the HD disk cannot be unmounted. In the right sidebar "Macintosh HD" is greyed out. What do I do if I can't erase the disk this way?

Thank you.

I FIGURED OUT HOW TO FIX THIS! Mavericks royally messed up my HD and I was freaking out because I didn't have a back-up. After much research online and going back and forth from different forums here is how to fix your "damaged" HD.

So basically to save your data (if your disk is cannot be repaired in Disk Utility or you can't access it or if you keep getting stuck in the loop), you have use an external hard drive as the start up disk and install Lion or Mavericks on that then transfer your files from the HD to the external. Then shut down the computer, remove the external (so it tries to boot up on its own), go into Recovery Mode then to Disk Utility and do a level 7 erase (it will be in your security options under erase. It's the Most Secure one that the US Department of Defense uses. This will take about 12 hours and once that is done, restart your computer in Recovery Mode then reinstall Lion. To transfer your data back on your computer, plug in the external and use it as a hard drive, your data will be under the User folder and whatever username you use. TAKE THAT APPLE.

You superstar! That worked a treat - thank you so much.

I just signed to say THANK YOU! 🙂

How do you change the the start up disk to external hard drive?

Please HELP,

Unfortunately, I saw your post so late. 😟 I wish it was a month ago. Now I am trying to find a way to retrive my data for almost a month but saw your post. Please let me know if there is even a litlle bit of chance to have my folders back. I wish never ever such thing happene to any one. It is so .... 😟 Please help me people. It is kind of life saving .... help me ... I lost a very important folder.

When you boot up in recovery and it asks you to select disk, select the external.

Did you already wipe your HD or can you still see that files are on it?

I already did 😟

I want to have the data back ... I heard that it is possible and I was searching fot that alot but I could not find any ways... Please if you know any ways please let me know... I begging you

It was my 5 years work and research on implant in dentistry

I ruind my life

Please help me

You did not consider five years work worth backing up!! Do not use your Mac anymore and take it to a data retrieval expert. The more you use it now the harder it will be to get the data back. It will not be cheap.

Pete

I'm so sorry I don't think I can help with that. I'm not sure how to recover an already wiped HD. Definitely try taking it to a recovery expert.

Hi Tara,

I reinstalled OSX to my external hard drive but where do I find my files from the main hard drive so that I can transfer them to my external hard drive?

Any help would be appreciated.

Once you have loaded OS to the external, start up with that as your main hard drive. Then when you go through the set up process, it will ask you if you want to transfer files from another HD. Click yes, and select your computers HD and it will transfer your files. Hope that helps!!!

Crap I went through the process and didn't say yes to transfer file - is there a way to restart the process? How to I delete the files from my exeternal hard drive to restart?