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frank_op Author

Level 1

4 points

Re-initializing iMac fails because no recovery system can be created

Hi,

I want to reset my iMac ( 14,2 @ 3.5 GHz (x8), 16384 MB RAM, 3Tb / 128Gb Fusion Drive ).

I keep on getting the error: 'OS X can't be installed on the disk Macintosh HD, because a recovery system can't be created'.

I tried many, many things already -.-

Here's part of the log file:

I actually had to start this whole process because I realised that after my iMac was all of a sudden really slow (took 15 minutes to start) that my Fusion Drive is not working anymore.

My goal is not to throw this thing away but just install some version of mac os x to keep on using the thing as external display.

I already:

tried to install different versions of mac os with a boot usb
tried to install from time machine back up
tried to repair the fusion disk (which I think has worked)
tried to setup a recovery disk myself (which I also think had worked, at least I saw it in the diskutil list)

Please, please with a cherry on top..

iMac 27″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 2, 2021 6:46 AM

Top-ranking reply

a brody

Level 10

84,055 points

Posted on Mar 2, 2021 10:53 AM

command-option-shift-R internet recovery.

Use Disk Utility's View menu to View all volumes.

Format the top most volume HFS Extended GUID for installing anything older than 10.13.

Format the top most volume APFS if using 10.13 or later.

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Re-initializing iMac fails because no recovery system can be created

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