Restarting/transferring MBP after factory reset

[badshoehabit]

Hi

HELP please! Bought myself a shiny new MacBook Air but having problems clearing and restarting the old MBP (100% working order) which I want to give to a relative. Think I managed to delete all but starting it up again (Cmd + R) I've manged to get:

1) Disk Utility, restore El Capitan - but it won't load, probably because it doesn't exist (I was on Moneterey)
or
2) this screen which shows a ? symbol but there's no way of clicking on it or the text below. It was working fine until I started the changes.

What am I doing wrong, where do I go from here please?

 

[ferrarr]

If you can get back to Monterey, you can use Reset to factory setting.

Erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings - Apple Support

Use Erase All Content and Settings to quickly and securely erase all of your settings, data, and apps, while maintaining the operating system currently installed.

support.apple.com

 

[MacInWin]

The "?" means there is no operating system on the drive. To fix, you need to install something, as Bob said. You can try Recovery, but you might need to go back to Internet Recovery if you actions wiped out the Recovery boot, too.

 

[pm-r]

1) Disk Utility, restore El Capitan - but it won't load, probably because it doesn't exist (I was on Moneterey)

I would suggest your boot Drive is in the wrong format to install El Capitan as a lingerie install would have been using Apple file system and El Capitan probably using the older OS X extended format.

I would think you might need to reformat the drive to a compatible format if you are going to install El Capitan on that Mac.



- Patrick
=======

 

[MacBiter]

I would suggest your boot Drive is in the wrong format to install El Capitan as a lingerie install would have been using Apple file system and El Capitan probably using the older OS X extended format.

I would think you might need to reformat the drive to a compatible format if you are going to install El Capitan on that Mac.

Wow, I didn't get that in my Christmas stocking...

 

[pm-r]

Wow, I didn't get that in my Christmas stocking...

My apologies, but I don't seem to be understanding what you mean by a reply. I guess I'm misunderstanding something




- Patrick
=======

 

[badshoehabit]

Made a right mess, haven't I? None of the instructions to factory reset would work so I've managed the nuclear option.

My apologies, but I don't seem to be understanding what you mean by a reply. I guess I'm misunderstanding something




- Patrick
=======

Lingerie?

 

[pm-r]

Lingerie?

Thanks Sue, I'll just blame Apples Dictation and Grammarly for not catching that.

But to be honest, my mind is focused on getting my wife and my 2011 27-in iMacs ready to use Migration Assistant to the two two 2020 27 in iMacs, one of which got delivered yesterday and the other is due to be delivered this morning. Actually, it should have been delivered by now so I hope there isn't another screw up and I don't know why they didn't arrive together yesterday.

We were getting tired of all the upgrade notices that are browsers Etc we're going to expire in 2025 and I am tired of hacking and mucking about to get older stuff working I'm too old for that now, and apple doesn't give us much choice for replacement models when we wanted to stick to 27 inch displays and the 5K retina screens are reportedly an excellent display and also come with eyesight camera, nice speakers better microphone Etc already built in which is lacking from third party displays and overruled my previous thinking of using a Mac Mini and are old 2011 iMac display screens. Please might be the last iMacs I actually get to use before I expire.

Anyway, they were available at at an excellent Boxing Day price and I actually saved over $2,000 Canadian off there already low pricing for fully guaranteed restored iMacs, one was from an open box and reduced by another $1,400 Canadian from their regular price. I can live with that even if they are not the latest and greatest smaller screens from Apple's refurbished selections.

So here's hoping the second one arrives fairly soon today. But it's still a busy time for all the couriers.




- Patrick
=======

 

[Rod]

Made a right mess, haven't I? None of the instructions to factory reset would work so I've managed the nuclear option.

So, does that mean you've fixed it?
The usual process with earlier macOS on Intel devices is to boot into Recovery, use Disk Utility to erase Macintosh HD then Reinstall MacOS from the Recovery Options window.
This results in an erased HD and a fresh copy of macOS which will boot into the Setup Assistant.

Later macOS come with an Erase option in the Apple Menu and Settings, a bit like an iPhone.

 

[MacBiter]

We were getting tired of all the upgrade notices that are browsers Etc we're going to expire in 2025

Actually Firefox 115 ESR will not expire in March - it just won't be supported anymore. However, Firefox Dynasty is based on FF 134, so should last a lot longer.

 

[badshoehabit]

So, does that mean you've fixed it?
The usual process with earlier macOS on Intel devices is to boot into Recovery, use Disk Utility to erase Macintosh HD then Reinstall MacOS from the Recovery Options window.
This results in an erased HD and a fresh copy of macOS which will boot into the Setup Assistant.

Later macOS come with an Erase option in the Apple Menu and Settings, a bit like an iPhone.

Having another attempt now to reinstall, having found the original disks. White screen with apple logo in middle, nothing else...

 

[ferrarr]

Is the disc in the Mac? You should be able to hold "c" down to force optical disc start. Maybe use the diagnostics that came on Mac OS System Install Discs.

 

[badshoehabit]

Using my Apple superdrive. Will try that.m I can get to the four options menu (Time Macine, Disk Utility etc) but none of them pans out.

 

[ferrarr]

What are the specs of the Mac you are using? If your Mac did not come with an optical drive, then this should work, to use Apple Diagnostics on the Installer disc, hold "d" down when starting your Mac.

 

[badshoehabit]

What are the specs of the Mac you are using? If your Mac did not come with an optical drive, then this should work, to use Apple Diagnostics on the Installer disc, hold "d" down when starting your Mac.

If I hold down 'd' it asks me to choose a network then won't accept the password.


MBP 2015 15", think 8gb RAM, 512gb memory.

 

[ferrarr]

I don't think a MBP 2015 came with install discs.

If you have a different Mac, that does connect to the internet, you may be able to use an ethernet cable to connect both Macs with Wi-Fi Internet Sharing. This way you don't have to enter a password to connect to the internet.

 

[badshoehabit]

It was all set up when I got it but I have the disks. It was just a try. Thin k I'll have to go begging at the local computer shop tho they mostly deal with Windows.

I can get an internet comnection when I occasionally get to the four reinstall options with the OS disk attached but there is no 'continue' button.What do I do next?

Going to try with Time Machine back up - says nothing to find. I have a back up on a hard drive.