Caps5226
Level 1 (4 points)
Notebooks

Q: Photos and history still there after restore!

I carried a complete erase and restore on my Mac Air and then I logged back in to everything, Apple ID, Yahoo etc.  When I came to putting my photos back in to the photo app they came in on there own.  I have not got a clue why as they are not stored in my iCloud.  I also found all my Safari history and favourites were there also

When I did the erase I unmounted and erased the Macintosh HD although there was the main drive above it, I think it said something with 128GB written in it and Macintosh HD was underneath it!  Did I erase correctly?  I just find it strange that a lot of stuff has come back

I am using OS X Yosemite 10.10.5

 

Thanks

MacBook Air, OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jul 25, 2016 10:33 PM

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Caps5226

Q: Photos and history still there after restore!

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  • Helpful answers

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Jul 25, 2016 10:47 PM in response to Caps5226
    Level 10 (93,319 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 25, 2016 10:47 PM in response to Caps5226

    Welcome to the Apple Support Communities

     

    You erased it properly, but it looks like you're using iCloud. Two of the services iCloud offers you are iCloud Photo Library and Safari sync:

     

    1. iCloud Photo Library stores your photo library on iCloud, so all your photos will appear on Photos automatically even after erasing the drive. You just have to log in iCloud with your Apple ID and turn Photos on in System Preferences -> iCloud to enable or disable it. See -> iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support
    2. iCloud also gives you the option to sync your Safari history and favorites across all your Apple devices and PCs with your Apple ID. You can disable it in System Preferences -> iCloud, and unchecking "Safari".

  • by Caps5226,

    Caps5226 Caps5226 Jul 25, 2016 11:45 PM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 25, 2016 11:45 PM in response to mende1

    Thanks

    I have looked on iCloud and the photos are not on there? 

    I have checked preferences and just unchecked safari but I didn't know it was on before I erased!

     

    Cheers

  • by mende1,

    mende1 mende1 Jul 26, 2016 12:25 AM in response to Caps5226
    Level 10 (93,319 points)
    Desktops
    Jul 26, 2016 12:25 AM in response to Caps5226

    If you want to keep syncing your Safari history and favorites, leave Safari checked in System Preferences.

     

    Apart from that, when you say "I have looked on iCloud", what are you referring to? If you mean the iCloud preference pane in System Preferences (and assuming that you're using OS X Yosemite, as you say in your first reply), you should see that option in System Preferences -> iCloud. Go there, press the "Options" button next to Photos, and check that iCloud Photo Library is checked; if so, your photos are stored on iCloud, and that's the reason why they are in your Mac even after erasing the drive.

  • by Caps5226,

    Caps5226 Caps5226 Jul 26, 2016 2:52 AM in response to mende1
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 26, 2016 2:52 AM in response to mende1

    I have logged in to my iCloud account on the internet not just the preferences and the photos are not there at all, I have 3 which I have had on there awhile

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 26, 2016 8:37 AM in response to Caps5226
    Level 9 (71,329 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 26, 2016 8:37 AM in response to Caps5226

    If you restored all your data, the Photos Library was restored, which would explain why the pictures are there. The restore would also import all your user data, which would include Safari history, bookmarks, and favorites. If you sign into iCloud in System Preferences/iCloud, that data should upload to the Cloud.

  • by Caps5226,

    Caps5226 Caps5226 Jul 26, 2016 5:27 PM in response to Eric Root
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Notebooks
    Jul 26, 2016 5:27 PM in response to Eric Root

    Does that include putting Yosemite back on my Mac Air using the internet?

     

    It just seems strange to me and I can not understand where they (304 of them) have come from

     

    Thanks

  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Jul 27, 2016 9:19 AM in response to Caps5226
    Level 9 (71,329 points)
    iTunes
    Jul 27, 2016 9:19 AM in response to Caps5226

    If you did a full restore from Time Machine or another backup, your hard drive files should be the same as before you erased the disk.