How to Perform a Mac OS Rebuild

A rebuild entails reinstaling the operating system of the computer. This article is for personally owned computers (not Butler owned computers). 

By following these steps, you can successfully rebuild your macOS, providing a fresh start and resolving any existing issues. If you have any questions, click Create New Case on this page and submit a case for Information Technology.

How to Perform a Rebuild of macOS

Step 1: Backup Your Data

Before starting the rebuild process, ensure you back up all important data using Time Machine or another backup method.

1. Using Time Machine:
   1. Connect an external drive to your Mac.
   2. Open System Preferences and select Time Machine.
   3. Click Select Backup Disk and choose your external drive.
   4. Click Back Up Now to start the backup process.
2. Alternatively, manually copy important files to an external drive or use cloud services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

Step 2: Reinstall macOS Using Recovery Mode

You can reinstall macOS using the built-in recovery mode.

Using macOS Recovery (Internet Recovery)

1. Start macOS Recovery:
   1. Turn on or restart your Mac. There are two options for accessing recover based on the processor.
      1. If your Mac has an Intel Chip:
         • Immediately press and hold Command (⌘) + R until you see the Apple logo or a spinning globe.
      2. For Macs with a Silicon Chip (M1, M2, etc.)
         • When the Mac is shut down, press and hold the power button until the Options menu Appears 
   2. If your Mac can’t start from the built-in recovery system, it might try to start from macOS Recovery over the internet. To do this, press and hold Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + R or Shift + Option (⌥) + Command (⌘) + R at startup until you see a spinning globe.
2. Reinstall macOS:
   1. In the macOS Utilities window, select Reinstall macOS.
   2. Click Continue and follow the on-screen instructions.
   3. Select the disk where you want to install macOS and click Install.
   4. Wait for the installation to complete. Your Mac will restart several times during this process.

Step 3: Set Up macOS

1. After installation, your Mac will restart.
2. Follow the setup assistant to configure your preferences (e.g., language, Wi-Fi, etc.).
3. Create a user account and set up your preferences.
4. Restore your backed-up data using Time Machine or manually.

Final Tips

• Ensure your Mac is plugged into a power source throughout the process to avoid interruptions.
• Regularly back up your data to avoid loss in the future.

Related Links:

What is a Computer Rebuild? (Students Only) - Operating System Reinstall
How to Perform a Windows Rebuild