Issues rebuilding a 2010 iMac

[Keiz]

I am giving my 2010 iMac 27" to my nephew, and have removed all of the personnel files. I have no idea what occurred, but I was unable to restart the iMac. When I power it on, it takes a good 20 minutes to show a screen with macOS Utilities. There is no internet connection and no tool bar across the top. I have no Time Machine Backup, Reinstalling macOS can't find the server, Can't get Help Online and if I perform a disc repair it just says done and I revet back to where I was. (Screen grabs attached) Any advice or is it a throw away machine?

 

[Raz0rEdge]

You are in the Recovery Console that's used to re-install the OS should you need to. The way that you get in there is by holding down CMD+r during boot. It shouldn't get in there automatically though unless somehow you've messed up your macOS installation.

You will want to reconnect to the Internet by click on the WiFi icon on the top right and reentering your network password. I would then recommend you go to Disk Utility and erase the contents of the partition and then do a re-install of High Sierra.

Once the installation is completed and the computer restarted and comes up to the setup page, just power it off by holding down the power key.

Now you can give this iMac to your nephew and when powered it, it will take him through new Mac setup process and he can set it up how he wants it.

 

[pm-r]

Now you can give this iMac to your nephew and when powered it, it will take him through new Mac setup process and he can set it up how he wants it.

No doubt any young nephew regardless of the iMac's OS shape or condition will be able to get it repaired and booted if need be... Just let him get his hands on it...


- Patrick
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[beygan4]

Your hard drive may have corrupted during the resetting and clearing process. Because of this, you may have to repair it by replacing the hard drive and reloading Apple OS into the machine.

Hard drives these days aren't expensive. One can spend less than $50 on a test drive in order to determine whether the hard drive was indeed the culprit.

Macs are usually pretty well built for them to be throw away machines so quickly. PowerMacs are still in existence and they still work, despite being obsolete.

Hope this helps.

 

[harryb2448]

This may help. You cannot erase a drive you are booted from, hence this option in Recovery is the go. Erase will clean everything off the drive so backup any files you want to save to an external drive or DCD.

How to Start Up a Mac in Internet Recovery Mode

If your Mac isn't connected to a storage drive with macOS installed, or your boot drive is corrupted, the computer will flash a question mark...

www.ifixit.com