General layout of partitions in “diskutil list” and lots of disk images in Recovery Mode

[Naxter]

Hello,

i have a question about my Mac, I used the Public Beta of High Sierra, and now when I decided to wipe my computer and install Sierra, I see that when I enter “diskutil list” into terminal in Recovery Mode, there’s one internal, physical disk0, with what it seems is a recovery, disk1 as Disk Image with “OS X Base System”, and disk2 - an internal, virtual partition with my OS. But the disks from 3-18 are disk images that I can’t get rid off, there are only there in a recovery mode, and the Apple Support chat told me it shouldn’t be that way... could anyone confirm this, or have a look and say that the layout looks alright? The disk image partitions are there even when I wipe my SSD from the GUI in Recovery Mode.

 

[MacUser2525]

But the disks from 3-18 are disk images that I can’t get rid off, there are only there in a recovery mode, and the Apple Support chat told me it shouldn’t be that way... could anyone confirm this

Those have been there any time I have installed the OS I do not know what the Apple support is talking about them not supposed to be there. Now I have not used the recovery mode at all for an install I do believe but they have always been here for normal install as long as I can remember doing it.

 

[HenryAZ]

Yep, I always see that multitude when issuing diskutil list in Recovery Mode. The first few (three in your example), and especially only the "physical disk(s)" are all you need to be concerned about if you plan to use diskutil from the command line to wipe a disk.

 

[Naxter]

Yep, I always see that multitude when issuing diskutil list in Recovery Mode. The first few (three in your example), and especially only the "physical disk(s)" are all you need to be concerned about if you plan to use diskutil from the command line to wipe a disk.

Those have been there any time I have installed the OS I do not know what the Apple support is talking about them not supposed to be there. Now I have not used the recovery mode at all for an install I do believe but they have always been here for normal install as long as I can remember doing it.

Okay, great that’s what I thought. I wanted be sure thought, first through Apple Support that unfortunately doesn’t always turn out to be right about more advanced issues, and then through the board Wanted to make sure this isn’t a some kind of fancy new virus... Thank you for help guys.

 

[Weaselboy]

All those small partitions are virtual RAM disk volumes the installer uses and it is totally normal. They will go away when you install and reboot.