1

I've giving my 2009 iMac to a friend. It was running El Capitan and Windows 10 on Bootcamp. I've tried to be clever (which apparently I'm not) and I've done a clean reset of Windows 10, not understanding that I would no longer be able to see or access Mac. Yes, all traces of macOS have disappeared. Even the Mac keyboard doesn't work, presumably because I've lost all Bootcamp drivers.

The Mac partition may still be there somewhere, as the Windows partition only takes 130GB of the 500GB HDD. So somehow, I need to restore macOS using a Windows mouse and keyboard. Oh dear.....

Any advice would be much appreciated.

Improve this question
5
  • 1
    support.apple.com/en-us/HT201065
    – user7886229
    Commented May 4, 2018 at 11:18
  • While booting, hold Option (Alt on a Windows/PC keyboard). Can you boot macOS?
    – Allan
    Commented May 4, 2018 at 11:29
  • Thanks Allan. I held Alt whilst booting and I got the choice of disc, but clicking on Mac just produced the no entry sign - can't boot.
    – Glenn
    Commented May 4, 2018 at 11:48
  • But there was a "recovery" option as well.
    – Glenn
    Commented May 4, 2018 at 11:49
  • Can you boot to recovery?
    – Allan
    Commented May 4, 2018 at 12:10

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1
  1. Find your original installation (grey) DVD or acquire a DVD that is not bound to the machine (e.g. "Snow Leopard" DVD with the animal picture, not a grey CD).
  2. Boot from the DVD
  3. Using the disk utility (available from the DVD), fully erase the drive.
  4. Install the original OS (e.g. "Snow Leopard 10.6.3")
  5. If you installed snow Snow Leopard, get the "10.6.8" combo upgrade package and install it.
  6. Search on Apple's site how to install OS X El Capitan on old MacBooks. I remember the link is not easy to find, but there's one. Download it and install it.
Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .