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User profile for user: halflifeben
halflifeben Author
User level: Level 1
4 points

IMac cannot find startup disk after disk image restore

I made a disk image of one iMac that I wiped and restored the startup disk of another with. Now the iMac that I wiped and restored is not finding a startup disk in the macOS recovery screen and I get a question mark in a folder when I try to startup normally. Also holding the option key on restart or boot will not show my startup disk options like it says online. Is there any solution that doesn’t involve wiping the restored drive or changing the version of macOS(High Sierra) on the image? The school that I work at wants all the files and OS of one mac onto another that has a more updated operating system that disallows the students from using final cut and other programs they need to use.

Posted on Jul 7, 2021 5:05 AM

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User profile for user: D.I. Johnson
D.I. Johnson
User level: Level 7
23,411 points

Posted on Jul 7, 2021 7:39 AM

Hello, halflifeben.


It will help us to know exactly what model and year are the iMacs in question.

For details about the iMacs click the Apple  icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. 


If I understand this, you wanted to transfer the files and OS from an older iMac to a new one because some required apps won't run under the newer OS?


This likely won't work. The iMac with the new OS may not be capable of running the older OS. iMacs cannot run a version of macOS that is older than the OS it shipped with. If the new Mac came with Catalina, for example, it cannot run High Sierra.


The only option I see here is to restart that non-booting iMac in recovery mode (use ⌘R at start up), wipe the drive and reinstall macOS that it came with.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904


If the students need to use older 32-bit applications, they'll have to continue to use the older hardware, or the school will have to find 64-bit upgrades of those apps or find suitable alternatives that will run on newer iMacs.

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User profile for user: D.I. Johnson
D.I. Johnson
User level: Level 7
23,411 points

Jul 7, 2021 7:39 AM in response to halflifeben

Hello, halflifeben.


It will help us to know exactly what model and year are the iMacs in question.

For details about the iMacs click the Apple  icon at the top left of your screen and choose About This Mac. 


If I understand this, you wanted to transfer the files and OS from an older iMac to a new one because some required apps won't run under the newer OS?


This likely won't work. The iMac with the new OS may not be capable of running the older OS. iMacs cannot run a version of macOS that is older than the OS it shipped with. If the new Mac came with Catalina, for example, it cannot run High Sierra.


The only option I see here is to restart that non-booting iMac in recovery mode (use ⌘R at start up), wipe the drive and reinstall macOS that it came with.

How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904


If the students need to use older 32-bit applications, they'll have to continue to use the older hardware, or the school will have to find 64-bit upgrades of those apps or find suitable alternatives that will run on newer iMacs.

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IMac cannot find startup disk after disk image restore

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