You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

The utility cannot reinstall my Mac OS! I am unable to reinstall my Mac OS I already tried all of the solutions written on the instructions! My hard drive was deleted by mistake and I am unable to get back on my desktop! Please help!

Hi my name is Phil! I made this account for my mother because she want to use my Mac once I fix it. I am no longer a Mac user. I am now using Windows due to my troubles expericing with Mac and it was my very first time buying a Mac before I realized it is not a great computer for me but I still hate to waste it so I want to fix it so my mother can use it instead.


Anyway about my current issue with it, I been using my Mac since 2015 and it was in perfect condition until 2021December the speakers stop working as I no longer hear music or sound playing. I tried to reinstall a brand new Mac OS to restore everything but strangely it says operation cannot be done. So I tried another method and when I read the instructions it says "delete the hard drive" I badly wish I shouldnt have done that. I lost my hard drive now and cannot go back to my desktop screen. Not only that, I tried to reinstall the OS after deleting my hard drive and the same message keeps saying operation cannot be done.


I do not understand why the Mac was ever designed like this or how am I supposed to reinstall a new OS if it keeps saying operation cannot be done? I am terribly sorry if most of you people including the staff might think its easier said and done but to me I think its extremely complicated because I am still badly new with my Mac, like I said I am still a first time Mac user and even to this very day I still badly regret buying it.


I now purchased Windows 11 and I have never been more than happy with it. I still want to resolve this issue because my mother now wants it and been asking me to fix the Mac for days since I got my Winodws 11 PC. I have no other issues with Mac. I only want to install a brand new OS for the Mac. Let me know what I should do. I cannot take my take Mac to the support it will cost too much money as my budget is really tight right now. I just need to get this Mac back to working condition again including the speakers and very slow speed.


I would really appreciate your help guys! Let me know if its possible to instal a new Mac OS if I can get it online instead of wasting time with the useless utility.


Looking forward to hearing you!

iMac

Posted on Aug 9, 2022 2:26 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Aug 9, 2022 6:32 AM

OK, we need to first Format the whole drive.


1. Start up from macOS Recovery

To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold one of the following combinations on your keyboard. Command-R is generally recommended, especially if you never installed macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later… How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


In the Utilities menu choose Disk Utility...


Click the Format pop-up menu, then choose a volume format.


Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) & proceed, when done restart...


Command (⌘)-R

Install the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.


Option-⌘-R

Upgrade to the latest macOS compatible with your Mac.


Shift-Option-⌘-R

Install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.


3. Install macOS

After starting up from macOS Recovery, follow these steps to install macOS:

  1. Choose Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X) from the Utilities window.
  2. Click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions to choose your disk and begin installation.
  3. If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac. If it doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk


  1. Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. During installation, your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.

If your Mac restarts to a setup assistant, but you're selling or giving it away, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.



If you never installed macOS Sierra 10.12.4

If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later was never installed on your Mac, macOS Recovery works differently:

  • Command-R is still the recommended way to start up from macOS Recovery. This combination makes sure that the installation isn't associated with your Apple ID, which is important if you're selling or giving away your Mac.
  • Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
  • Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support 



Similar questions

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Aug 9, 2022 6:32 AM in response to Lynsmac2

OK, we need to first Format the whole drive.


1. Start up from macOS Recovery

To start up from macOS Recovery, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold one of the following combinations on your keyboard. Command-R is generally recommended, especially if you never installed macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later… How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support


In the Utilities menu choose Disk Utility...


Click the Format pop-up menu, then choose a volume format.


Choose Mac OS Extended (Journaled) & proceed, when done restart...


Command (⌘)-R

Install the latest macOS that was installed on your Mac.


Option-⌘-R

Upgrade to the latest macOS compatible with your Mac.


Shift-Option-⌘-R

Install the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.


3. Install macOS

After starting up from macOS Recovery, follow these steps to install macOS:

  1. Choose Reinstall macOS (or Reinstall OS X) from the Utilities window.
  2. Click Continue, then follow the onscreen instructions to choose your disk and begin installation.
  3. If the installer asks to unlock your disk, enter the password you use to log in to your Mac. If it doesn't see your disk, or it says that it can't install on your computer or volume, you might need to erase your disk


  1. Please allow installation to complete without putting your Mac to sleep or closing its lid. During installation, your Mac might restart and show a progress bar several times, and the screen might be empty for minutes at a time.

If your Mac restarts to a setup assistant, but you're selling or giving it away, press Command-Q to quit the assistant without completing setup. Then click Shut Down. When the new owner starts up the Mac, they can use their own information to complete setup.



If you never installed macOS Sierra 10.12.4

If macOS Sierra 10.12.4 or later was never installed on your Mac, macOS Recovery works differently:

  • Command-R is still the recommended way to start up from macOS Recovery. This combination makes sure that the installation isn't associated with your Apple ID, which is important if you're selling or giving away your Mac.
  • Option-Command-R installs the macOS that came with your Mac, or the closest version still available.
  • Shift-Option-Command-R isn't available.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support 



The utility cannot reinstall my Mac OS! I am unable to reinstall my Mac OS I already tried all of the solutions written on the instructions! My hard drive was deleted by mistake and I am unable to get back on my desktop! Please help!

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.