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Trying to wipe an iMac for sale.

iMac doesn't respond to Cmdr-R recovery start up (needed to wipe data via Disk Utility), but goes directly to the user selection screen, with no bong at all. I recently updated the OS to 12.6.5 (Monterey), as my iMac was made in 2015. I assume that this problem is some glitch owing to not smoothly running the new OS, but I am not completely sure of the procedure to reinstall the OS.

iMac 27″, macOS 12.6

Posted on Apr 23, 2023 3:49 PM

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8 replies

Apr 23, 2023 4:15 PM in response to gregory l.

Try Option Command R or Option Shift Command R


  • Command-R: Start up from the built-in macOS Recovery System. Use this key combination to reinstall the latest macOS that was installed on your system, or to use the other apps in macOS Recovery.
  • Option-Command-R: Start up from macOS Recovery over the internet. Use this key combination to reinstall macOS and upgrade to the latest version of macOS that’s compatible with your Mac.
  • Option-Shift-Command-R: Start up from macOS Recovery over the internet. Use this key combination to reinstall the version of macOS that came with your Mac or the closest version that’s still available.


Use macOS Recovery on an Intel-based Mac - Apple Support

Apr 23, 2023 6:55 PM in response to gregory l.

Second time, again, no bong, I get a spinning globe with a pull down menu for wifi network that somehow cannot see my wifi network


If you can get it to that point again, see if there is a "join other network" selection or words to that effect. Type your network name (SSID) manually and see if it will prompt you for its password.


At this point, I am thinking the best option is to make an installer flash drive with Monterey on it to reinstall the OS, but I don't know if the start up disk preference will even recognise the flash drive*.


I agree, and it should. Press and hold an Option key while booting.

Apr 23, 2023 4:57 PM in response to den.thed

With a wired keyboard, I pressed "Command-R" while restarting. No bong. First time it went directly to the user selection screen. Second time, again, no bong, I get a spinning globe with a pull down menu for wifi network that somehow cannot see my wifi network (I've gotten this a few times with the wireless keyboard, and it seems to go nowhere eventually even if it does see my wifi network). At this point, I am thinking the best option is to make an installer flash drive with Monterey on it to reinstall the OS, but I don't know if the start up disk preference will even recognise the flash drive*. Thoughts?


I made an official start up disk with Ventura (before I realized that Ventura would not run on an 2015 iMac) and the start up preference didn't even recognise it, although it is ostensibly bootable. Could be a Ventura problem or could be something else.

Trying to wipe an iMac for sale.

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