Think twice before doing an erase/reinstall on your M1

[SpeQ]

Error message displayed after erasing Macintosh HD and then attempting to reinstall Mac OS.

Workaround for that error is to delete Macintosh HD - Data volume, which will then allow you to install OS, but will lead to the next error.

Error message displayed when trying to create new account. If computer is restarted after this point, you will be confronted by a normal-looking login screen, but your password will not work.

Press and hold the power button on your Mac until you see “Loading startup options.”

Click Options, then click Continue.

When the 4 icon options appear, ignore them and go to top menu bar and find "Terminal”. Launch Terminal.

Type "resetpassword" in Terminal and hit enter.

A GUI password reset dialogue window will appear. Ignore this, go to top menu bar and choose "Erase Mac" (If the option is not listed, click on the edge of the Reset Password dialog box to bring up the menu options for Recovery Assistant).

(This is not exactly accurate pic - it should not say Password Failed. This is pic found on internet.)

If the Mac is still associated with an Apple ID namely Find My Mac, it may prompt you to type credentials, otherwise it will literally nuke the whole volume right away.

To dissociate the Mac, on another device, go to https://appleid.apple.com/ and delete the Mac from your profile. Note: You may be forced to enhance your security settings to access these settings; password strength requirements, additional security questions and D.O.B.

Erasing Mac should take minutes, after it is done you can go back to Recovery Assistant to do a fresh Big Sur install in the normal 4 icon window without restarting (there is no need to go Disk Utility, the drive is literally empty and macOS installer will create necessary volumes from scratch).

 

[SpeQ]

I got an M1 Air on day 1. Over the Big Sur updates pretty much every time it bricked on me so I have had at least 3 occasions of having to erase & restore, and I went into similar barriers and also tried different solutions, involving using 2nd Mac with Apple Configurator doing DFU reset.

So I have come to the conclusion that this has to be the one method that is almost guaranteed to rid of absolutely everything regardless of the state of your M1 Mac, including all data and system volumes, all user accounts and passwords, Apple ID association, and start fresh:

1) do the usual "hold power button" to boot into macOS Recovery
2) when the 4 icon options appear, ignore them and go to top menu bar and find "Terminal", launch it
3) type "resetpassword" and go
4) a GUI password reset dialogue window will appear, again ignore this, go to top menu bar to find "Erase Mac" and go
5) if the Mac is still associated with an Apple ID namely Find My Mac, it may prompt you to type credentials, otherwise it will literally nuke the whole volume right away
6) probably takes minutes, after it is done you can go back out to do a fresh Big Sur install in the normal 4 icon window without restarting (there is no need to go Disk Utility, the drive is literally empty and macOS installer will create necessary volumes from scratch)

I have gone this route twice, didn't give me the create user accounts error once Big Sur was installed and through the setup process (which definitely would appear if just a plain restore was done)

So take a look there and see if you agree with my editing. If I added something you disagree with, I'll remove it.

 

[SpeQ]

If you have an extra Mac, buy another USB-C cord and use the Configurator 2 method. You will save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

My other Macs don't have USB-C. Too old.

By the way, SimplyMac cannot charge you a fee, as your M1 is under warranty and you were directed to said place by Apple.

I'm sure they get away with it every day, based on the way they dealt with me. After rushing there, 15 miles or so, to make the appointment in time, and being faced with having to drive even farther to the Apple store, I was almost tempted to pay the $100, but the 2 days made it too much to swallow. I was totally shocked. I will not be going back. I was actually planning on buying a phone from them while I was there. I'll just buy it online now.

 

[Chancha]

So take a look there and see if you agree with my editing. If I added something you disagree with, I'll remove it.

I am glad that worked for you. In fact I couldn't have figured that myself, it was when goggling for solutions in previous attempts that I stumbled upon another helper detailing those steps on stackexchange. But of course this totally worked for me so I am confident to lay it out for others. The key is to bring up the "Erase Mac" drop down, where the reset password utility with a GUI seems to have multiple ways to engage but in Recovery Mode, typing resetpassword in Terminal is the only definite way... if only the Apple support material mentioned this.

I agree with the sentiment in your original post, all these shouldn't be this complicated and Apple should be the one responsible to detail these in support documents, and train their support staff on it.

As for your screen shots post; I only vaguely remember the steps in removing Apple ID association, I think it prompted one extra step of dialog box saying my Apple ID is x*****.mac.com and asked me to type the rest, plus password of curse. So definitely it didn't require me to do that elsewhere via Apple website or whereever else, i.e. I never had Apple ID related trouble with any one time of M1 restore, including that crazy route of DFU reset with 2nd Mac.

 

[Clausewitz]

Sometimes people are doing it just because that's what they do when they get a new computer. The purpose can be to re-install a slightly stripped down version of macOS - ie without Numbers, GarageBand etc.
Others have wanted to re-install before returning a mac to Apple.
Others, like me, just like to find out what works and what doesn't and why

Again, I am being naive here but why not just delete GradgeBand, iWorks, iMovies, etc., that most people don't use much or at all? Wouldn't manual delete or a good third party uninstaller app suffice for this? I understand that some people want to completely uproot some of the bloatware from their Macs but as long as their residual files are not adversely effecting the system or taking up too much space there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

 

[SpeQ]

I am glad that worked for you. In fact I couldn't have figured that myself, it was when goggling for solutions in previous attempts that I stumbled upon another helper detailing those steps on stackexchange. But of course this totally worked for me so I am confident to lay it out for others. The key is to bring up the "Erase Mac" drop down, where the reset password utility with a GUI seems to have multiple ways to engage but in Recovery Mode, typing resetpassword in Terminal is the only definite way... if only the Apple support material mentioned this.

I agree with the sentiment in your original post, all these shouldn't be this complicated and Apple should be the one responsible to detail these in support documents, and train their support staff on it.

As for your screen shots post; I only vaguely remember the steps in removing Apple ID association, I think it prompted one extra step of dialog box saying my Apple ID is x*****.mac.com and asked me to type the rest, plus password of curse. So definitely it didn't require me to do that elsewhere via Apple website or whereever else, i.e. I never had Apple ID related trouble with any one time of M1 restore, including that crazy route of DFU reset with 2nd Mac.

I imagine similar instructions are available on several sites, and in several posts/threads here. Finding the right instructions can be difficult though, especially when you're in a semi-panicked, frustrated state, and you're faced with multiple opinions and suggestions from many different places.

One thing I learned when creating that screen shot post: Searching by image can sometimes be more successful than searching by text. I wanted to get a screen shot of that Reset Password dialog box, but I didn't take one, so I had to search for one. That image took me to a blog that explained the solution too.

I suspect Apple has over-extended themselves. They have their fingers in too many pies. They have always been bad about providing documentation, but I don't recall ever seeing documentation that was so wrong and dangerous. The variation in knowledge-level of the 'techs' I've encountered since buying this M1 is vast. I got one fully qualified tech, and two people that seemed like entry-level CSRs. That's not limited to Apple though, that's pretty common now.

 

[gank41]

Again, I am being naive here but why not just delete GradgeBand, iWorks, iMovies, etc., that most people don't use much or at all? Wouldn't manual delete or a good third party uninstaller app suffice for this? I understand that some people want to completely uproot some of the bloatware from their Macs but as long as their residual files are not adversely effecting the system or taking up too much space there shouldn't be too much to worry about.

Considering Big Sur was new when the M1’s were released, and the M1’s are all totally new architecture requiring changes to the OS, there’s going to be a lot of changes initially. We’re at 6, soon to be 7 versions of macOS 11 so far. The M1’s have been out for roughly just under 4 months. After a lot of people got them in their hands at home, and then started filing feedback for issues that may have not been tested initially, there’s been a lot of code that’s changed. Sometimes an update doesn’t get rid of leftover code or files that aren’t needed. Sometimes you install apps when you get your new machine but then uninstall or get rid of apps.. Sometimes just changing preferences, and then again, and again, over time... I for one am still waiting for a better/more stable way of doing a complete erase and reinstall of macOS and then going from there. I might even just wait until macOS 12 is released and “start over” then (obviously still getting my files and stuff back, too).

 

[SpeQ]

I for one am still waiting for a better/more stable way of doing a complete erase and reinstall of macOS and then going from there.

I'm not trying to change your mind, and I can understand why you feel that way, but my incentive for doing it sooner rather than later is the fact that the longer you use a new computer, the more you personalize it and the more complicated it gets to start over / migrate.

How will you ever know if there is a better/more stable way of doing a complete erase and reinstall of macOS? I mean, who can you rely on when you can't even trust Apple support docs? You're always going to be taking a leap of faith to some extent.

Again, not trying to sway you, but you might want to research the method described here a little more. I think you'll see it suggested here and other sites more often as time goes on. It's a pretty simple procedure, not much more complicated than the Apple recommended procedure that doesn't work.

 

[gank41]

I'm not trying to change your mind, and I can understand why you feel that way, but my incentive for doing it sooner rather than later is the fact that the longer you use a new computer, the more you personalize it and the more complicated it gets to start over / migrate.

How will you ever know if there is a better/more stable way of doing a complete erase and reinstall of macOS? I mean, who can you rely on when you can't even trust Apple support docs? You're always going to be taking a leap of faith to some extent.

Again, not trying to sway you, but you might want to research the method described here a little more. I think you'll see it suggested here and other sites more often as time goes on. It's a pretty simple procedure, not much more complicated than the Apple recommended procedure that doesn't work.

About 2 months ago I reinstalled Leopard on a replacement SSD I put in my old G5 PPC Mac Pro for fun, just to get it going again. I've still got my old 2010 MBP and my 2015 MBP. Now my M1 MBP.. For each computer there's been a different set of issues at launch. These new machines are no different, and in a short amount of time there will be better documentation by Apple for sure. I don't mean to sound thankless at all, and I'm sorry if it comes off that way. It's these very forums that helped me with my old PPC Mac Pro so so many years ago. I think it's great that people here are willing to help so many others like they do. This thread is no different, as I've learned plenty as well.

But considering the potential issues with the high TBW on the new SoC's SSD, which I am also having an issue with (about 23 TBW in 659 Power on Hours / 3 months? 27 unsafe shutdowns?), I'd prefer to hold off on writing even more data on my machine via an erase/reinstall until there's a little more clarity overall. So much has been learned in the couple months since these machines have been out.. More is still yet to be figured out.

 

[qap]

I wrote a post about this but it has been deleted, anyway here's the solution: Don’t ever format a drive of M1 Macs from recovery mode

 

[Quackers]

These are the first set of instructions that appeared to work universally (or nearly) even though the title suggest it's for something else
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211983
Those now seem to be out of date

I wrote my findings in this post when trying to find out what had changed
https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...through-recovery-environment-success.2285528/
These were my findings when I was experimenting and it worked at that time (Feb 20th) but who knows? It might not work with 11.3 or 11.4 They might change things again.

All this information has been available for quite some time.

I'd also add that if you're fortunate enough to have a second Mac capable of running the latest Apple Configurator 2 app then the DFU method is receiving high praise for both ease and speed. Apparently it's much faster.

@qap I'd suggest your blog post heading should end with "with Disk Utility" as erasing the mac from within the recovery environment actually works just fine (just not necessarily with DU).

 

[SpeQ]

These are the first set of instructions that appeared to work universally (or nearly) even though the title suggest it's for something else
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211983
Those now seem to be out of date

That's actually the support doc I used the first time I had a problem; the personalization error about a month ago. And you're right, the answer does lie within that doc - the erase and reinstall part is correct. Funny it says published date is March 1, 2021. That must be an edit date. There's no way for anyone to know that the Account Creation error can be fixed by using those instructions though.

 

[Quackers]

That's actually the support doc I used the first time I had a problem; the personalization error about a month ago. And you're right, the answer does lie within that doc - the erase and reinstall part is correct. Funny it says published date is March 1, 2021. That must be an edit date. There's no way for anyone to know that the Account Creation error can be fixed by using those instructions though.

Yes, fair enough. Only those who happen to have read that would know.
It's a pretty poor state of affairs to change the re-installation process quite drastically and say nothing at all to the people who have bought them.
Even Apple's specific instructions are way out of date and actually have caused a lot of the problems that have been faced.

 

[ZMacintosh]

If you use Disk Utility in Recovery to erase and reinstall, make sure you select Erase Volume Group, this typically does the same thing as the Erase Mac option.

 

[SpeQ]

If you use Disk Utility in Recovery to erase and reinstall, make sure you select Erase Volume Group, this typically does the same thing as the Erase Mac option.

I think the conclusion agreed upon in this thread is just don't use Disk Utility in Recovery to erase and reinstall.

I erased the Macintosh HD, then had to erase Macintosh HD - Data, which I think gives you the same final result as erasing the volume group.

 

[Mac... nificent]

Yes, it will work as long as you use the USB-C cable.

Officially, from Apple, they say that it must be a USB-C charge cable. They say regular USB-C cables are not supported.

Your process outlined is nice if you want to install on the internal drive, but it doesn't work for external drives

Here's a Reset Password screenshot:

 

[Apple_Robert]

Officially, from Apple, they say that it must be a USB-C charge cable. They say regular USB-C cables are not supported.

Your process outline is nice if you want to install on the internal drive, but it doesn't work for external drives

Thanks for letting me know I wasn't specific enough about the USB-C charging cable. I amended my post to reflect such.

As to the external drive, you are correct. The Configurator 2 method does not support the external drive option. It would be nice if it did. I am still patiently waiting for Carbon Copy Cloner to release an update that allows for a bootable clone.

 

[Mac... nificent]

I am still patiently waiting for Carbon Copy Cloner to release an update that allows for a bootable clone.

CCC can't release that feature, because Apple won't tell developers how to do it. SuperDuper is in the same boat.

 

[Chancha]

Thanks for letting me know I wasn't specific enough about the USB-C charging cable. I amended my post to reflect such.

When I did the DFU restore, I was also surprised to find only the Apple original charging cable works for the task. I have a handful of much higher quality / bandwidth cables around (including Thunderbolt 3), actually tried using those and they all failed. AFAIK the original charging cable is actually a USB 2.0 (480mbps) data cable. Pretty hilarious that you are forced to do a multi-gig OS restore over a previous gen connection.

 

[Quackers]

When I did the DFU restore, I was also surprised to find only the Apple original charging cable works for the task. I have a handful of much higher quality / bandwidth cables around (including Thunderbolt 3), actually tried using those and they all failed. AFAIK the original charging cable is actually a USB 2.0 (480mbps) data cable. Pretty hilarious that you are forced to do a multi-gig OS restore over a previous gen connection.

What was the failure message please?

 

[Chancha]

That's actually the support doc I used the first time I had a problem; the personalization error about a month ago. And you're right, the answer does lie within that doc - the erase and reinstall part is correct. Funny it says published date is March 1, 2021. That must be an edit date. There's no way for anyone to know that the Account Creation error can be fixed by using those instructions though.

This exact version of article especially the "resetpassword" via Terminal part absolutely did not exist until a few days ago. Pretty sure Apple is actively updating its support docs to cover the scenarios we see here in this thread.

EDIT: the article turns out absolutely existed much earlier; I probably just didn't stumble upon it.

 

[Chancha]

What was the failure message please?

It was over a month ago so I cannot recall exactly; I believe it was the reverse (no failing message), only managed to get an icon notification in the middle of the screen when the original Apple cable was used, therefore establishing a proper connection inside Apple Configurator 2 where it recognized there is this M1 Mac attached. If using any other cables, even using the same (correct) ports, I just got no response in Configurator.

 

[Quackers]

This exact version of article especially the "resetpassword" via Terminal part absolutely did not exist until a few days ago. Pretty sure Apple is actively updating its support docs to cover the scenarios we see here in this thread.

I've had that page bookmarked for at least a month and have used it 3 times in total so it's definitely been around for some time.
The trouble is if you google "re-install M1 mac" that doesn't come up because of its title.

 

[Quackers]

It was over a month ago so I cannot recall exactly; I believe it was the reverse (no failing message), only managed to get an icon notification in the middle of the screen when the original Apple cable was used, therefore establishing a proper connection inside Apple Configurator 2 where it recognized there is this M1 Mac attached. If using any other cables, even using the same (correct) ports, I just got no response in Configurator.

Thank you.

 

[Chancha]

I've had that page bookmarked for at least a month and have used it 3 times in total so it's definitely been around for some time.
The trouble is if you google "re-install M1 mac" that doesn't come up because of its title.

Or let's say Apple's own support article searching is practically non-existent. So when google doesn't think the article is relevant then tough luck for you.

I still remember the time when the pool of articles was still called "knowledge base", and the Support front page was a directory with some sensible hierarchy to start trouble shooting yourself.