create a partition on mac for clean install

Create A Partition On For Clean How To Do This

Youll need to select a drive to store the recovery files; agree to check the disk for errors (we recommend this, rather than skipping this step); locate the install file we downloaded in step 2; and select the correct option when asked if youve got either Mac OS X version 10.7 or 10.8, or 10.9.

Create A Partition On For Clean How To Do This

And we show you how to do this in the following article, for every version of macOS.

But this tool is not compatible with Yosemite and later versions of macOS, so well start by walking you through a method that works with High Sierra and other recent editions of the OS (in very slightly different ways).

One is when the hard drive itself - where the recovery partition is stored - fails catastrophically.

In that case youll need a recovery disk stored on a removable storage medium.

Weve got a separate article showing how to create a Mac recovery disk.).

This is a neat way of triggering for a second time the process whereby the recovery partition is created.

Youll need an 8GB or larger removable drive that hasnt got anything on it you need, and admin privileges.

To format the drive, go to Applications Utilities and open Disk Utility.

Select the drive and click Erase.

The name of the disk needs to be Untitled, if the Terminal commands below are to work, so rename it if necessary.) Select Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format type.

Click Download. Since weve already got OS X 10.13, we get a warning message: Would you like to continue Well click Continue.

The installer is about 5GB, so downloading can take a while.

Find the installer file (which should have appeared in the Applications folder) and save it to an external flash drive.

Weve got full instructions on how to do that here - How to make a bootable Mac OS X install drive - but well run through the basics again.

Make sure the High Sierra installer (or at least a copy of it), called Install macOS High Sierra.app, is in its default location in your main Applications folder (Applications).

Paste (Cmd V) the copied command into Terminal and hit Return.

Type your admin-level account password when prompted, and press Return again.

Scan down the list of apps youve purchased or download for free (which is in order of when you downloaded them) and find the old version of macOS.

Christopher Silvertooth created a tool called Recovery Partition Creator; the most recent version of this, 3.8, is compatible with Mavericks, but sadly will not work with anything later than that.

We dont expect any problems, but its wise before we begin to back up your Mac.

Go to the Mac App Store, find the relevant version of OS X, and click download.

Weve had no problems with the software but youll have to make your own decision.

Youll get one more warning message and chance to change your mind: click Open.

We backed up in step 1, so were happy to click OK and proceed.

Create A Partition On Mac For Clean Install