☀️ ***HELP, Adding recovered Files back into root System Folder [ M2 Macbook // Ventura 13.0 ] ☀️

[aduogytsaot_i03]

Hello,

I'm seeking some Guidance.
I accidentaly erased files from =

- /usr/standalone/firmware
was able to recover the erased files.


This happend using an app called Sonoma Cache Cleaner

= I did a Deep Cleaning of System Cache.+
never done that before. Didn't read the risks that were involved.

After Rebooting, none of my apps worked
normally some wouldn't Open at all,
firefox was able to run briefly before crashing.
Terminal even crashed at one point during my recovery efforts.

I was able to recover the lost files with [Disk Drill] app.

Files recovered are mostly .img4 files.
Aswell as a kernelcache (System/Library/Caches/com.apple.kernelcahes/kernelcache)
+ /var/db (.plist files)



I have tried various methods to copy the recovered files to /usr/standalone/firmware

Im aware that modifiying System files is risky.

I disabled SIP

csrutil disable

csrutil authenticated-root disable

Then proceeded to execute these commands = (might not be in the right order)

mkdir -p ~/mount

sudo mount -o nobrowse -t apfs /dev/disk1s5 ~/mount

sudo cp -Ri /Users/*username*/Desktop/standalone/firmware/* ~/mount/usr/standalone/firmware/

sudo bless --mount ~/mount --setBoot --create-snapshot

This got me into a boot loop,
which I got out of by Enabling:

csrutil disable

csrutil authenticated-root disable

- This got me back to where I was before fiddling around in terminal



Just wondering how screwed am I?


- Could these recovered files from /usr/standalone/firmware
Possibly have caused my apps/computer to behave this way?
- Or is there anything else that could have caused my MacBook to go haywire?

* Unfortunatley I have no Time Machine Backups.


Anyone have any ideas that could possibly help?
What could have caused this?

Thanks in advance : )
I can share more of what I recovered, if anyone would like to have a look.

Keep on Rolling, Ride or die.

 

[Bigwaff]

Why not boot into Recovery (Command+R while booting) and reinstall macOS Ventura. Won't impact your data but always safe to have backup. Then update to most recent version of Ventura.

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

Wasn’t sure if it would save all my data.

That was my next step.

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

Just Ran the Reinstall,
8 min left and I get an Error message.

Any ideas what could help?

 

[Bigwaff]

Error message is …. ?

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

“An error occurred while preparing the installation. Try running the application again”

I tried a reinstall first
then a reinstall with SIP disabled.
= same outcome both times.

Should I undo the mount copy of the recovered files?

 

[Bigwaff]

In Recovery, open Terminal and post the output of “diskutil list”. Let’s see what’s going on. Is SIP enabled or disabled at the moment?

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

 

[Bigwaff]

Try re-enable SIP and then reinstall macOS.

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

First time I did a reboot - SIP was disabled.
2nd Reboot - SIP was enabled.

both giving me exactly the same resutls + message.

 

[Bigwaff]

First time I did a reboot

Do you mean “reinstall macOS” rather than “reboot”?

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

Do you mean “reinstall macOS” rather than “reboot”?

Yes meant reinstall

*Late / stressfull night last night.

 

[Fishrrman]

I think I'd avoid using any "cache cleaners" again for a while.

Sounds to me like the best course of action would be:
1. Use the "erase all content and settings" option to "nuke the MacBook" back to "moment zero".
2. Connect your backup
3. Start over with setup
4. Use Setup Assistant to migrate from your backup...

 

[TechnoMonk]

Don’t use these apps where you have no idea what they are deleting. Are you sure if those are the only files that are deleted causing the issue. I. Would vote @Fishrrman suggested above.

 

[aduogytsaot_i03]

I think I'd avoid using any "cache cleaners" again for a while.

Sounds to me like the best course of action would be:
1. Use the "erase all content and settings" option to "nuke the MacBook" back to "moment zero".
2. Connect your backup
3. Start over with setup
4. Use Setup Assistant to migrate from your backup...

This worked, thanks gang.

1. Backup via Time Machine.

2. Recovery mode > Disk Util. > Mac HD Erase.

3. Fresh Catalina 13. install (USB installer)

4. Recovery assistant - migration from Time Machine Backup.
*** Took around 10-12hrs.

Woke up yesterday morning to my MacBook back to normal like nothing had happened. Best day ever 👽.

Been a very anxious week, to say the least.
Paranoid I might lose 10+ years of valuable work.

Learned a lot through this journey + my MacBook M2 - Definitely feels way smoother than before.

Thanks y’all for all the help & advice.
Been Lurkin for a long long time.

First time posting. This was the definitely the trickiest pickle Ive gotten myself into.


Stay safe everybody. Tomorrow is Sunday & I’m eating Ice Cream.
Hell to the yeaurr.

- Peace ✌️