Bootcamp wiped out my OS X partition

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Level 1

3 points

Bootcamp wiped out my OS X partition

Hey all, I'm really in need for a big help now. So here's the thing. I attempted to perform a bootcamp for my iMac and everything was going smoothly until i was brought into this windows setup screen and i was told to perform a format out of 4 partition. I forgotten which i have selected and formatted but I'm pretty sure after what is happening now, i stupidly chose the OS X partition and formatted it into windows NTFS format. Now every time i boot my mac, it jumps straight to windows and i can't boot into OS X at all! I know i screwed up big time because of of the 4 partition, 3 of them could not be used so i went for the last one which could be formatted instead and now, my OS X is gone!. I don't mind losing all data but i just want it back because i still have a macbook pro with my data in it. So anyone could lend me a hand here? I tried pressing the alt option to switch OS but it didn't work. I even tried the command, option, p, r but it still didn't work. Any help is much appreciated.

iMac, OS X Yosemite (10.10.2)

Posted on Sep 2, 2015 5:54 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

361,741 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:03 PM in response to Stewart987

What version of OS X was originally installed when the iMac was new? You have to repartition and erase the drive then reinstall OS X from scratch.

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Answer 2

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:08 PM in response to Stewart987

Stewart987 wrote:

Hey all, I'm really in need for a big help now. So here's the thing. I attempted to perform a bootcamp for my iMac and everything was going smoothly until i was brought into this windows setup screen and i was told to perform a format out of 4 partition. I forgotten which i have selected and formatted but I'm pretty sure after what is happening now, i stupidly chose the OS X partition and formatted it into windows NTFS format.

You no longer have any data in what was once an OSX installation, do you have a backup of it?

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:16 PM in response to Stewart987

If you are not certain, before you go beating yourself up,

1. Do you have Bootcamp Drivers installed on the Windows side? If you have a Bootcamp item Control Panel -> System, then try to switch to OSX. If you cannot boot into OSX, it may not be lost yet.

2. Try running the following two steps and test booting using Alt/Option key, if step 1 does not work.

Resetting the System Management Controller (SMC) on your Mac - Apple Support

How to Reset NVRAM on your Mac - Apple Support

3. There is a utility called Gdisk (GPT Fdisk - http://sourceforge.net/projects/gptfdisk/) , which can be used to read the partition table, to find out if you really formatted the OSX partition or the one named Bootcamp.

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Answer 4

Stewart987 Author

Level 1

3 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:16 PM in response to Kappy

It's running the latest version of Yosemite. I don't mind losing all data as I have a mac book pro with my data in it. Please I need to know how to do it.

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Answer 5

Stewart987 Author

Level 1

3 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:17 PM in response to Csound1

No I don't. It's OK if I lose data but I just want to get back to OSX

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Answer 6

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:18 PM in response to Stewart987

Power down your Mac, power it back up and press the Alt/Option key. What selections do you see? If you see more than one, which ones are they?

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Answer 7

Stewart987 Author

Level 1

3 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:19 PM in response to Loner T

That is the problem. The thing is it doesn't pop out boot camp installer window after windows was successfully installed. It just brings me to the windows home screen and nothing happened. I surfed the Web and saw that you have to head to the USB directory and launch one kind of setup of something but mine wasn't related to boot camp at all. The setup exe file was from windows corporation not apple.

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Answer 8

Stewart987 Author

Level 1

3 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:22 PM in response to Loner T

It didn't work. I tried numerous times. Holding the alt key down during the booting chime it just jumps to the windows loading screen. I'm in deep trouble now. I just want back my OSX partition.

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Answer 9

Loner T

Level 9

59,471 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:24 PM in response to Stewart987

Yes, it will. If the Windows Installation completed successfully, use the Reset SMC and Reset NVRAM and then try the Alt/Option key while powering up. If your EFI directory is intact, it will work.

There are other ways, if you have second Mac, you can use Target Disk Mode, with appropriate cables.

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Answer 10

Stewart987 Author

Level 1

3 points

Sep 2, 2015 6:26 PM in response to Loner T

I wonder if my keyboard is having problem though. I really did try to the command option p r method but still no disk utility recovery window came out. It's as if it's just plain windows running in the system. I will give it a shot again.

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