WHat is the apple disk image, and how can I delete it?

Question

Level 1

25 points

WHat is the apple disk image, and how can I delete it?

I have a mid-2010 MacBook Pro that I am wiping for a family member so that they can sell it. It was connected to care patient data at one point so I want to make sure it's good and clean before we sell it. So I booted under Disk Utility and wiped the "Internal Drive" by going to erase and setting the security options.

But there is a drive under "Disk Images" called "Apple disk image Media" with "OS X Base System" under it, using 1.27 GB with 728 MB free. Just wondering what this is, and if it would have info on it? How can I delete it? I don't see any way to erase it and it isn't mentioned in any of the guides I've read.

The Mac did have Boot Camp on it, which I deleted through the OS. Not sure if it's related.

Posted on Jul 5, 2017 6:10 PM

Reply

Answer 1

⚠️

Top-ranking reply

Eric Root

Level 10

684,927 points

Jul 5, 2017 7:58 PM in response to georgek154

If you followed Niel's steps, yes.

Reply

Answer 2

Niel

Community+ 2025

Level 10

736,721 points

Jul 5, 2017 6:41 PM in response to georgek154

That's the recovery partition.

If you upgraded the Mac's firmware to use Apple's Internet Recovery system, restart into that if you haven't already, and leave the partition as is.

If not, you need to use an install DVD to perform the erasure. Rysz's link doesn't cover this case.

(151962)

Reply

Answer 3

georgek154 Author

Level 1

25 points

Jul 5, 2017 7:12 PM in response to Niel

Thank you for your reply. So that means it just has the stuff necessary to reinstall the OS? Not recover the owner's files? Which means I should be good to go to just reinstall the OS and sell at this point, right?

Reply

Answer 4

Rysz

Level 8

44,443 points

Jul 5, 2017 6:32 PM in response to georgek154

What to do before selling or giving away your Mac

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065

Reply

Quick Links

WHat is the apple disk image, and how can I delete it?