Please help I fear I have ruined a brand new iMac

[agrannell]

The problem is a partial time machine backup from prev mac locking me out.

I have just purchased latest iMac and plugged prev time machine disk in for restore. It was due to take 2 hours to restore and then the Time machine backup disk was unattached after 3 mins in error.

On restarting the iMac it means I am locked on a password screen which I cannot get past as the password is none I have used previously (I suspect it is as the info for password has not backed up).

Basically I would like a way to wipe whatever is on iMac from the 3 min backup and start again from factory settings (and remove any wire pulling factors from the equation so i get a full restore of info).

I just want it new again like it was Saturday. Please can you help. ? I have been waiting for this computer for a LONG time and it genuinely is heartbreaking.

Thanks in anticipation

iMac, iOS 5.1.1, Brand new shop bought on 23rd june

 

[maflynn]

Boot into recovery mode and restore to factory new conditions.

The apple KB articles states how to do that
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

 

[agrannell]

Thanks for the advice (and super quick too) I really appreciate it, I will try this tonight: From to Thanks MacRumors forum!

 

[joe-h2o]

Fear not - you have not ruined it!

An aborted Time Machine restore will never break the computer in a way you can't easily fix - you can always use the restore mode to either do a fresh install of OS X or even to create a new admin account or simply change the password of the current account (it won't change the keychain pw though) so you can at least get it to desktop and then start salvaging.

 

[robgendreau]

Just a thought...if it's a new machine, why restore? That's generally what you do after a drive failure or whatever. Probably easier and faster to use setup assistant and point it to TM.

Rob