Erasing an M1 before return

[johnalan]

I have to return my M1 Mac because it has disk issues.

I had already transferred some personal files to it and I'd like to do what I used to do for the last 15 years and Erase with DiskUtility and restore a fresh copy of the OS.

All the support articles from Apple now state "Intel ONLY" instructions...


These two articles are contradictory, one English, one Irish:

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT208496

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208496


So what's the reality, can't clean install on an M1 without hacking away with Apple Configurator?

 

[cupcakes2000]

Can’t you start from recovery mode on an M1 mac and erase like normal?

 

[aajeevlin]

I’d also like to know without bricking it.

 

[johnalan]

Can’t you start from recovery mode on an M1 mac and erase like normal?

I have some cryptographic key material that’s important to me. I want to erase it properly. Format the disk and reinstall. Apparently there are issues doing this on an M1

Apple Provides Instructions to Fix macOS Reinstallation Errors on M1 Macs

Shortly after the launch of Apple's new M1 Macs, we saw reports that attempts to restore and reinstall macOS on those machines right away could...

www.macrumors.com

Assumed this all temporary but looks like their support articles don’t mention erasing an M1.

 

[smoking monkey]

Try typing this into your search engine of choice: "apple M1 recovery mode"
and see if you get any hits that will help you out.

EDIT: Oh seems you've just posted again and I'd imagine you've already done this.

 

[aajeevlin]

Try typing this into your search engine of choice: "apple M1 recovery mode"
and see if you get any hits that will help you out.

EDIT: Oh seems you've just posted again and I'd imagine you've already done this.

There has been some issues with it, I think we are just looking for first hand most direct experience. I recalled there was a way to recovery it if needed, but it requires another Mac, I don't have another one for that recovery process.

 

[johnalan]

Yep they just don’t mention erasing an M1.

I don’t mind bricking this one it’s going back for repair anyway.
But I’m using lots of random libs and I’d like to be able to clean install from time to time.

multi architecture versions of homebrew etc.

 

[Chompineer]

I ended up using DFU with my iMac to reset the one M1 air I returned.

 

[johnalan]

Well it’s strange they included the feature to nuke the disk from disk utility if it’s not supported.
I guess they will fix this by 11.1

 

[aajeevlin]

Well it’s strange they included the feature to nuke the disk from disk utility if it’s not supported.
I guess they will fix this by 11.1

Let me me know if you do find anything. Or whatever to get it to work. Thanks.

 

[Irishman]

I have to return my M1 Mac because it has disk issues.

I had already transferred some personal files to it and I'd like to do what I used to do for the last 15 years and Erase with DiskUtility and restore a fresh copy of the OS.

All the support articles from Apple now state "Intel ONLY" instructions...


These two articles are contradictory, one English, one Irish:

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/HT208496

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT208496


So what's the reality, can't clean install on an M1 without hacking away with Apple Configurator?

My understanding of Big Sur on M1 macs is you can’t easily do a clean install of it.

 

[Lumpydog]

My understanding of Big Sur on M1 macs is you can’t easily do a clean install of it.

I just did it. It's different than past processes - so don't assume the older methods will work. But it's not that hard. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Just make sure you've installed the 11.0.1 update first...

 

[Zazoh]

If an error occurred while updating or installing macOS - Apple Support

The message might say that an error occurred while downloading, preparing, or installing, or that the software is damaged, could not be verified, or failed to personalize. The cause of messages like these can vary, and sometimes they're only temporary.

support.apple.com

 

[Mcdevidr]

Mines getting returned even without being able to reset it. Tried the command line process and it wouldn’t work.

 

[delsoul]

Even people that have updated to 11.0.1 have been having issues with reinstalling. Hopefully Apple fixes this sooner than later

 

[Lumpydog]

Even people that have updated to 11.0.1 have been having issues with reinstalling. Hopefully Apple fixes this sooner than later

I bet. When reinstalling the OS, there are a few ways to run headlong into some non-user-friendly error messages/roadblocks. It def needs to be streamlined/improved. After erasing and reinstalling the OS on my MI Air, I ran into several installation and other process-related unfriendly dead-end error messages. I was able to work around all but you get a little "beta tester" feeling every once in a while.

 

[delsoul]

I bet. When reinstalling the OS, there are a few ways to run headlong into some non-user-friendly error messages/roadblocks. It def needs to be streamlined/improved. After erasing and reinstalling the OS on my MI Air, I ran into several installation and other process-related unfriendly dead-end error messages. I was able to work around all but you get a little "beta tester" feeling every once in a while.

Apple is supposed to be ‘ease of use’. I’d imagine many of the average users wouldn’t feel comfortable going into terminal, punching a few lines of code, etc to do something that should be a bit more linear. I hear you completely

 

[johnalan]

Well it can’t be normal to brick them they will remove the ability to erase the disk or fix it in next release surely.

 

[johnalan]

I just did it. It's different than past processes - so don't assume the older methods will work. But it's not that hard. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Just make sure you've installed the 11.0.1 update first...

Thanks.
My issue is the erase step. It says intel only.
Did you erase?

 

[Lumpydog]

Thanks.
My issue is the erase step. It says intel only.
Did you erase?

Yes - with Mac OS 11.0.1 here are the steps I used to successfully Erase my M1 Mac and reinstall the baseline OS:

1: Shut down your M1 Mac
2: Press and hold the power button down to enter recovery mode
3: Click the "Options" Gear-cog icon and then press the "Continue" button that appears below it
4: On the next screen, STOP. Look to the upper left corner - to the right the Apple Logo in the menu bar, select "Recovery Assistant" (it is the only menu item)
5: In that drop down menu, select "Erase Mac..."
6: Follow the on-screen steps from there

Note - you will need wifi access. From what I can tell, using this process completely reformats the Mac hard drive to a single partition, downloads a fresh copy of Big Sur, creates a new recovery partition and a new OS partition with an OS only install (no Garage Band, iMovie, Pages, Keynote, etc - which you can install later). The process took about an Hour and ten minutes.

Per Apple's instructions - After the OS re-installation is complete, your Mac might restart to a setup assistant. If you're selling, trading in, or giving away your Mac, 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.

BTW, in step 4 above, if you continue and log into the recovery workflow with Admin credentials - further along in the recover workflow are the more classic recovery options - including Disk Utility. As of 11.0.1, I do not recommend using the Disk Utility to erase the M1 Mac. Even with 11.0.1 installed, I initially erased the hard drive using Disk Utility and it ended up creating problems. I'd dead-end at a "No users available for authorization" error message when I went to subsequently use recovery mode's "Reinstall MacOS Big Sur" option. To recover from that dead-end, I used the steps described above and that "Erase Mac..." process accomplished what I needed - a fresh baseline install of the OS without the Apple bloat-ware.

The obscure "Erase Mac..." selection in the Recovery Assistant drop down menu is the easy button to wipe/reset your Mac's OS.

 

[johnalan]

@Lumpydog appreciate the time you took to write this up.

I will test this out and come back, sounds good though.

I wonder why they don't have a support article which explains this.

Like to hear your view on these two items:

1) Why not update step 7 here (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201065), so that it includes M1 information??
2) Do you think Apple will restrict this erase for M1 in the future? (they had said at Platform state of the union, multiple OS versions would be supported, suggesting flexibility in this context.

 

[Lumpydog]

@Lumpydog

I wonder why they don't have a support article which explains this.


Why not update step 7 here (https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201065), so that it includes M1 information??

I agree... I found mention of this "Erase Mac..." menu option in a developer forum. It's an obscure option and seems unmentioned elsewhere - BUT, it appears to do what others have struggled to do with Disk Utility and the more traditional Mac recovery process... It puts you back to base install and I really like that it does not install all the ancillary programs like Garage Band, etc.

My guess is that this menu option was introduced in 11.0.1 and in future releases we'll see the "Erase Mac" option be more prominent and streamlined into the Recovery Mode workflow.

 

[Zazoh]

@Lumpydog best solution ever.

edit: just tested for fun. Works fine.
And the beauty of having everything in the Cloud, nothing to copy over, I'm ready to roll.

 

[johnalan]

I also used “Erase Mac” to nuke my old Mac being returned.

I think now 11.1 should allow standard approach using disk utility to erase the master disk.

not sure if anyone tried yet?

 

[RvXtm]

Looks like using disk utility to wipe drive and reinstall causes a strange issue where users cannot be created after the installation completes. I do a lot of app testing and configuration changes, it’s a big minus for me if there is the chance to brick my m1 machine at every reinstall.
I don’t have another mac to do the Apple Configurator 2 restore, and there is no apple store in my country. This is disappointing.