Macintosh HD erased by Disk Utility in recovery mode

sebman28 · Dec 4, 2015

New 27" Mac, was going to reinstall El Capitan. Followed these instructions : https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21973?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

Now in Disk Utility the indented Macintosh HD drive is missing. When I go in to reinstall the OS X ,Macintosh HD is missing.

I tried starting in about every mode with no success. With a tech at apple for an hour couldn't figure it out and said I needed to bring it in. Seems strange that there isn't anything I can do.

I have an appointment at the apple store but I thought I'd see if anyone had advice so I could forego the appointment.

Thanks in advance for any help!

keysofanxiety · Dec 4, 2015

sebman28 said:
New 27" Mac, was going to reinstall El Capitan. Followed these instructions : https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21973?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

Now in Disk Utility the indented Macintosh HD drive is missing. When I go in to reinstall the OS X ,Macintosh HD is missing.

I tried starting in about every mode with no success. With a tech at apple for an hour couldn't figure it out and said I needed to bring it in. Seems strange that there isn't anything I can do.

I have an appointment at the apple store but I thought I'd see if anyone had advice so I could forego the appointment.

Thanks in advance for any help!

So just to confirm, nothing shows up in Disk Utility? Or is it just the indented volume that isn't visible?

Because you could try clicking the master HDD and then selecting Erase which should then create a new volume, and it'll be back. What happens when you try to do that?

sebman28 · Dec 4, 2015

Fusion drive shows up nut not the indented Macintosh HD. The recovery disk is there. Clicking on the Fusion drive and trying to partition or first aid do not work.

Fishrrman · Dec 4, 2015

If you get nowhere, take it to the nearest Apple Store -- it's still under warranty.

Weaselboy · Dec 4, 2015

sebman28 said:
New 27" Mac, was going to reinstall El Capitan. Followed these instructions : https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21973?locale=en_US&viewlocale=en_US

Now in Disk Utility the indented Macintosh HD drive is missing. When I go in to reinstall the OS X ,Macintosh HD is missing.

I tried starting in about every mode with no success. With a tech at apple for an hour couldn't figure it out and said I needed to bring it in. Seems strange that there isn't anything I can do.

I have an appointment at the apple store but I thought I'd see if anyone had advice so I could forego the appointment.

Thanks in advance for any help!

It sounds like you inadvertently separated the Fusion drive. Try this...

Hold command-option-r to boot to Internet recovery. Once you choose your wifi you will see a spinning globe while the recovery utility loads. Once that is done you will see the recovery screen. Click in the utilities menu up top and select Terminal. Type in the line below exactly like I have it including the quotes and hit return. That will kill the Fusion drive.

Code:

diskutil cs delete "Macintosh HD"

Now quit Terminal and launch Disk Utility. It should look like this and offer to fix the Fusion drive. Go ahead and tell it to fix it and it will combine the two drives and format.

Then quit Disk Utility and click reinstall OS X.

sebman28 · Dec 4, 2015

Weaselboy, I believe you were on the right track. I had my appointment at the Apple Store today and the first thing he did when it would only start in recovery mode was go to the terminal. It didn't take him long so I'm assuming he probably typed in what you mentioned there and then the disc was created then they want to head and installed OS X.

I'm doing the user set up right now transferring data so I'm hoping that this is the end of it reply to this post and let you know the outcome.

Thank you all for replying!!! this with my second iMac in a month! My first had a motherboard issue so you can imagine my frustration.

Donfor39 · Dec 5, 2015

sebman28 said:
Weaselboy, I believe you were on the right track. I had my appointment at the Apple Store today and the first thing he did when it would only start in recovery mode was go to the terminal. It didn't take him long so I'm assuming he probably typed in what you mentioned there and then the disc was created then they want to head and installed OS X.

I'm doing the user set up right now transferring data so I'm hoping that this is the end of it reply to this post and let you know the outcome.

Thank you all for replying!!! this with my second iMac in a month! My first had a motherboard issue so you can imagine my frustration.

This is interesting, what caused the missing mac hd, fusion drive separates? -thats new to me how does that happen

sebman28 · Dec 5, 2015

I'm still not sure what caused it. The apple tech gave me his # so I'm going to call him for further explanation just in case I need to do it again.

The strange thing is that when set-up finished in Disk Utility there are now two Internal Macintosh HD drives?

APPLE HDD ST2000DM001>Macintosh HD - Fusion Drive 2 TB capacity - This is the start up drive where the OS and everything else is loaded properly.
APPLE SSD SM0128G>Macintosh HD II (renamed since both were "Macintosh HD") 120.99 capacity

I'm guessing that my Fusion Drive was De-Fused?
Should I be worried about the SSD showing up under Internal and not Disk Images?

Weaselboy · Dec 5, 2015

Run the two commands below in Terminal one after the other and tell us the output of both. Also post up a screenshot of Disk Utility.

Code:

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

sebman28 · Dec 5, 2015

iMac:~ sebman$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *2.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 2.0 TB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *121.3 GB disk1

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD II 121.0 GB disk1s2

iMac:~ sebman$ diskutil cs list

No CoreStorage logical volume groups found

iMac:~ sebman$
http://postimg.org/image/s7nxjqub9/

http://postimg.org/image/b45k12xp5/

Weaselboy · Dec 5, 2015

Yeesh.... well obviously the Apple tech had no clue what they were doing. You do not have a Fusion drive setup. You have the 2TB hard drive with the OS and everything else installed on it, then the SSD sitting there empty and unused.

Go back to a command-option-r boot to Internet recovery and once you get past the globe and to the recovery screen, try to start Disk Utility and see if it offers to fix the Fusion drive like I described earlier. If it does not... just quit Disk Util and from that same recovery screen launch Terminal from the Utilities menu then enter the commands below one after the other.

Code:

diskutil cs createLVG "LVG-1" /dev/disk0 /dev/disk1

diskutil cs createLV "LVG-1" HFS+J "Macintosh HD" 100%

That should create the Fusion drive. Then you can reinstall the OS from recovery. To verify run "diskutil cs list" for me again. The output should look like the one below here, except your Macintosh HD at the top will be 2.1TB.

Code:

xxx-Mac-mini:~ xxx$ diskutil cs list
    CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)
    |
    +-- Logical Volume Group 31CBA650-4ABC-4DA6-AA73-6D96B36693E2
        =====================================================
        Name:         Macintosh HD
        Size:         1120333979648 B (1.1 TB)
        Free Space:   0 B (0 B)
        |
        +-< Physical Volume F4A50F9C-841D-4C6D-AFC4-6A10560E0717
        |   ----------------------------------------------------
        |   Index:    0
        |   Disk:     disk0s2
        |   Status:   Online
        |   Size:     120988852224 B (121.0 GB)
        |
        +-< Physical Volume C86789FD-1978-453A-BCA7-81DC05AA66C7
        |   ----------------------------------------------------
        |   Index:    1
        |   Disk:     disk1s2
        |   Status:   Online
        |   Size:     999345127424 B (999.3 GB)
        |
        +-> Logical Volume Family AA92FDF8-F962-4DE3-AC2F-1B6ABF22AA22
            ------------------------------------------------------
            Encryption Status:       Unlocked
            Encryption Type:         None
            Conversion Status:       NoConversion
            Conversion Direction:    -none-
            Has Encrypted Extents:   No
            Fully Secure:            No
            Passphrase Required:     No
            |
            +-> Logical Volume B97C9558-14FC-4BFC-B413-AFB292BD29F0
                -----------------------------------------------
                Disk:               disk2
                Status:             Online
                Size (Total):       1115853029376 B (1.1 TB)
                Size (Converted):   -none-
                Revertible:         No
                LV Name:            Macintosh HD
                Volume Name:        Macintosh HD
                Content Hint:       Apple_HFS

Of course, make sure you are backed up because this will wipe the drives.

sebman28 · Dec 5, 2015

OMG! You are a lifesaver!!! I try this later today and ket you know.

MelisaFilm · Nov 10, 2016

Weaselboy said:
It sounds like you inadvertently separated the Fusion drive. Try this...

Hold command-option-r to boot to Internet recovery. Once you choose your wifi you will see a spinning globe while the recovery utility loads. Once that is done you will see the recovery screen. Click in the utilities menu up top and select Terminal. Type in the line below exactly like I have it including the quotes and hit return. That will kill the Fusion drive.

Code:

diskutil cs delete "Macintosh HD"

Now quit Terminal and launch Disk Utility.
Then we partition the harddisc, creating a new partition for mac to reinstall OSX. Thank you for your terminal code. Before that code, there was no way to create a partition.

View attachment 603786

HaraldB · Dec 2, 2017

I was really stuck when "Machintosh HD" was lost and not visible in Disc Utility (in recovery mode). I could see discs in "diskutil list" but nothing helped. I've scanned site after site for a solution, but couldn't find it befor I found your code.

Code:

diskutil cs createLVG "LVG-1" /dev/disk0 /dev/disk1

diskutil cs createLV "LVG-1" HFS+J "Macintosh HD" 100%

It gave a error running it. But somehow it made my disk visible in Disk Utility again!!!

I could then partition the "untitle" to a new "Macintosh HD" and finally reinstall OS.

HelpMeRecover · Nov 9, 2018

Weaselboy said:
Yeesh.... well obviously the Apple tech had no clue what they were doing. You do not have a Fusion drive setup. You have the 2TB hard drive with the OS and everything else installed on it, then the SSD sitting there empty and unused.

Go back to a command-option-r boot to Internet recovery and once you get past the globe and to the recovery screen, try to start Disk Utility and see if it offers to fix the Fusion drive like I described earlier. If it does not... just quit Disk Util and from that same recovery screen launch Terminal from the Utilities menu then enter the commands below one after the other.

Code:

diskutil cs createLVG "LVG-1" /dev/disk0 /dev/disk1 diskutil cs createLV "LVG-1" HFS+J "Macintosh HD" 100%

That should create the Fusion drive. Then you can reinstall the OS from recovery. To verify run "diskutil cs list" for me again. The output should look like the one below here, except your Macintosh HD at the top will be 2.1TB.

Code:

xxx-Mac-mini:~ xxx$ diskutil cs list CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found) | +-- Logical Volume Group 31CBA650-4ABC-4DA6-AA73-6D96B36693E2 ===================================================== Name: Macintosh HD Size: 1120333979648 B (1.1 TB) Free Space: 0 B (0 B) | +-< Physical Volume F4A50F9C-841D-4C6D-AFC4-6A10560E0717 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 0 | Disk: disk0s2 | Status: Online | Size: 120988852224 B (121.0 GB) | +-< Physical Volume C86789FD-1978-453A-BCA7-81DC05AA66C7 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 1 | Disk: disk1s2 | Status: Online | Size: 999345127424 B (999.3 GB) | +-> Logical Volume Family AA92FDF8-F962-4DE3-AC2F-1B6ABF22AA22 ------------------------------------------------------ Encryption Status: Unlocked Encryption Type: None Conversion Status: NoConversion Conversion Direction: -none- Has Encrypted Extents: No Fully Secure: No Passphrase Required: No | +-> Logical Volume B97C9558-14FC-4BFC-B413-AFB292BD29F0 ----------------------------------------------- Disk: disk2 Status: Online Size (Total): 1115853029376 B (1.1 TB) Size (Converted): -none- Revertible: No LV Name: Macintosh HD Volume Name: Macintosh HD Content Hint: Apple_HFS

Of course, make sure you are backed up because this will wipe the drives.

[doublepost=1541827636][/doublepost]Like an idiot I deleted macintosh HD...
Thank you, thank you I have been trying to fix this mess for a three days and this has fixed my issue!!

RhondaSL · Dec 16, 2018

HelpMeRecover said:
[doublepost=1541827636][/doublepost]Like an idiot I deleted macintosh HD...
Thank you, thank you I have been trying to fix this mess for a three days and this has fixed my issue!!

[doublepost=1545003264][/doublepost]Hoping you are still available for help I’ve been trying all these commands in terminal because my Macintosh hard drive went missing when I was in disk utility. I have no idea why
[doublepost=1545005464][/doublepost]

Weaselboy said:
Yeesh.... well obviously the Apple tech had no clue what they were doing. You do not have a Fusion drive setup. You have the 2TB hard drive with the OS and everything else installed on it, then the SSD sitting there empty and unused.

Go back to a command-option-r boot to Internet recovery and once you get past the globe and to the recovery screen, try to start Disk Utility and see if it offers to fix the Fusion drive like I described earlier. If it does not... just quit Disk Util and from that same recovery screen launch Terminal from the Utilities menu then enter the commands below one after the other.

Code:

diskutil cs createLVG "LVG-1" /dev/disk0 /dev/disk1 diskutil cs createLV "LVG-1" HFS+J "Macintosh HD" 100%

That should create the Fusion drive. Then you can reinstall the OS from recovery. To verify run "diskutil cs list" for me again. The output should look like the one below here, except your Macintosh HD at the top will be 2.1TB.

Code:

xxx-Mac-mini:~ xxx$ diskutil cs list CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found) | +-- Logical Volume Group 31CBA650-4ABC-4DA6-AA73-6D96B36693E2 ===================================================== Name: Macintosh HD Size: 1120333979648 B (1.1 TB) Free Space: 0 B (0 B) | +-< Physical Volume F4A50F9C-841D-4C6D-AFC4-6A10560E0717 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 0 | Disk: disk0s2 | Status: Online | Size: 120988852224 B (121.0 GB) | +-< Physical Volume C86789FD-1978-453A-BCA7-81DC05AA66C7 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 1 | Disk: disk1s2 | Status: Online | Size: 999345127424 B (999.3 GB) | +-> Logical Volume Family AA92FDF8-F962-4DE3-AC2F-1B6ABF22AA22 ------------------------------------------------------ Encryption Status: Unlocked Encryption Type: None Conversion Status: NoConversion Conversion Direction: -none- Has Encrypted Extents: No Fully Secure: No Passphrase Required: No | +-> Logical Volume B97C9558-14FC-4BFC-B413-AFB292BD29F0 ----------------------------------------------- Disk: disk2 Status: Online Size (Total): 1115853029376 B (1.1 TB) Size (Converted): -none- Revertible: No LV Name: Macintosh HD Volume Name: Macintosh HD Content Hint: Apple_HFS

Of course, make sure you are backed up because this will wipe the drives.

I’m having a similar problem but when trying all of the advises codes my Macintosh hd has still not reappeared. I have an appointment in a few hours at Best Buy and an appointment at Apple Wednesday as back up. This all started when I did the safari update. Safari wasn’t working so I tried to fix. While i was using disk utility my Mac hd vanished. Now I can’t run the reinstall OS X. I think this could be because volume is higher than capacity?

Weaselboy · Dec 17, 2018

RhondaSL said:
I’m having a similar problem but when trying all of the advises codes my Macintosh hd has still not reappeared. I have an appointment in a few hours at Best Buy and an appointment at Apple Wednesday as back up. This all started when I did the safari update. Safari wasn’t working so I tried to fix. While i was using disk utility my Mac hd vanished. Now I can’t run the reinstall OS X. I think this could be because volume is higher than capacity?

It could be, but it is odd this started the same time you were messing about in Terminal. My guess is you broke something with one of those Terminal commands.

Tashamoni · Dec 27, 2018

Weaselboy said:
Run the two commands below in Terminal one after the other and tell us the output of both. Also post up a screenshot of Disk Utility.

Code:

diskutil list diskutil cs list

Please can I ask your advice!
I have the same issue...after trying to reboot an old IMac that was gifted to my daughter for Xmas.

I have somehow replaced Macintosh HD with El Capitan update and although I’ve tried to erase it said it cannot unmount disk.
Can I ask for your help?
Thanks & best wishes
Tash
[doublepost=1545923266][/doublepost]

Weaselboy · Dec 27, 2018

Tashamoni said:
I have somehow replaced Macintosh HD with El Capitan update and although I’ve tried to erase it said it cannot unmount disk.

It sounds like you are booted to the command-r disk based recovery and the drive cannot be formatted since you are booted to it.

Try holding command-option-r at boot to get to Internet recovery to do this. After selecting your wifi you should see a grey spinning globe as the recovery utility downloads.

Tashamoni · Dec 27, 2018

Weaselboy said:
It sounds like you are booted to the command-r disk based recovery and the drive cannot be formatted since you are booted to it.

Try holding command-option-r at boot to get to Internet recovery to do this. After selecting your wifi you should see a grey spinning globe as the recovery utility downloads.

I think it’s a 2007 Mac so does that mean it’s pre internet recovery?

Weaselboy · Dec 27, 2018

Tashamoni said:
I think it’s a 2007 Mac so does that mean it’s pre internet recovery?

Yep... that is a problem. Do you have access to another Mac you can use to make a USB installer from the El Capitan download?

Or without erasing the drive can you just reinstall El Capitan to get this machine up and running, then use it to make the USB installer you could boot to.

Tashamoni · Dec 27, 2018

Weaselboy said:
Yep... that is a problem. Do you have access to another Mac you can use to make a USB installer from the El Capitan download?

Or without erasing the drive can you just reinstall El Capitan to get this machine up and running, then use it to make the USB installer you could boot to.

Yep I have El Capitan saved on a usb. But I’m not entirely sure how to run it. When I fire it up with usb in, it still brings up the 4 options in the recovery window. Do I select install osx and that should show?

Weaselboy · Dec 27, 2018

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201372

Did you just copy the installer to the USB key, or did you follow directions like at this link to make an installer?

If you made the installer, you should be able to option key boot and pick the USB key then get to recovery from there.

Bworkman0101 · Aug 21, 2019

Weaselboy said:
Yeesh.... well obviously the Apple tech had no clue what they were doing. You do not have a Fusion drive setup. You have the 2TB hard drive with the OS and everything else installed on it, then the SSD sitting there empty and unused.

Go back to a command-option-r boot to Internet recovery and once you get past the globe and to the recovery screen, try to start Disk Utility and see if it offers to fix the Fusion drive like I described earlier. If it does not... just quit Disk Util and from that same recovery screen launch Terminal from the Utilities menu then enter the commands below one after the other.

Code:

diskutil cs createLVG "LVG-1" /dev/disk0 /dev/disk1 diskutil cs createLV "LVG-1" HFS+J "Macintosh HD" 100%

That should create the Fusion drive. Then you can reinstall the OS from recovery. To verify run "diskutil cs list" for me again. The output should look like the one below here, except your Macintosh HD at the top will be 2.1TB.

Code:

xxx-Mac-mini:~ xxx$ diskutil cs list CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found) | +-- Logical Volume Group 31CBA650-4ABC-4DA6-AA73-6D96B36693E2 ===================================================== Name: Macintosh HD Size: 1120333979648 B (1.1 TB) Free Space: 0 B (0 B) | +-< Physical Volume F4A50F9C-841D-4C6D-AFC4-6A10560E0717 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 0 | Disk: disk0s2 | Status: Online | Size: 120988852224 B (121.0 GB) | +-< Physical Volume C86789FD-1978-453A-BCA7-81DC05AA66C7 | ---------------------------------------------------- | Index: 1 | Disk: disk1s2 | Status: Online | Size: 999345127424 B (999.3 GB) | +-> Logical Volume Family AA92FDF8-F962-4DE3-AC2F-1B6ABF22AA22 ------------------------------------------------------ Encryption Status: Unlocked Encryption Type: None Conversion Status: NoConversion Conversion Direction: -none- Has Encrypted Extents: No Fully Secure: No Passphrase Required: No | +-> Logical Volume B97C9558-14FC-4BFC-B413-AFB292BD29F0 ----------------------------------------------- Disk: disk2 Status: Online Size (Total): 1115853029376 B (1.1 TB) Size (Converted): -none- Revertible: No LV Name: Macintosh HD Volume Name: Macintosh HD Content Hint: Apple_HFS

Of course, make sure you are backed up because this will wipe the drives.

I know this is super old but I’m stuck in the same boat and have no Macintosh HD disk to select in my disk Utility any chance someone may be able to help.

Thanks

Weaselboy · Aug 22, 2019

Bworkman0101 said:
I know this is super old but I’m stuck in the same boat and have no Macintosh HD disk to select in my disk Utility any chance someone may be able to help.

Thanks

What year and model Mac do you have?

Can you command-option-r boot to Internet recovery?

Macintosh HD erased by Disk Utility in recovery mode

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