Macintosh hd locked catalina. The first volume is locked and only contains the OS.
Macintosh hd locked catalina 15 Posted on Nov 27, 2019 12:52 PM Title^ I reset my Mac last night, (I’ve reset it before multiple times, this is the first time this has happened), it boots up w the macOS chime and then a popup shows up - “Enter a password to unlock the disk Macintosh HD” I enter my Mac’s password and it restarts again with the same popup I try putting in a different/wrong password and it just shakes a little and rejects the password Aug 5, 2025 · This post guides you through the detailed steps to unlock a drive on your Mac, and it also tells how to decrypt a hard drive. Oct 8, 2019 · Running the Mac again, I saved my files from the macintosh HD (internal HD) to the external device. Nov 7, 2025 · Reset macOS Catalina safely Whether you’re selling your Mac or just starting afresh, resetting it will help you avoid problems such as privacy issues, permanent data loss, and Activation Lock down the line. When I start the computer now, a window appears that says, "The disk 'Macintosh HD - Data' can't be unlocked. We’ll explain them all in this article. Repair a storage device in Disk Utility on Mac Disk Utility can check for and fix errors related to the formatting and directory structure of a Mac storage device. If your Mac is currently set to start up from Microsoft Windows using Boot Camp, set your Mac to start up from macOS, then shut down and try again. Oct 30, 2025 · The disk Macintosh HD Can't be unlocked may prove unsettling for many Mac users and needs to be fixed. Aug 27, 2021 · But the "Mac HD" has the message "The Disk is Locked". What version of Catalina are you running? Apr 5, 2020 · Disk Utility stuck So, I was trying to reinstall Catalina on my 2017 13” MBP. The first command will prompt for you to enter your admin password. See full list on macmyths. If you encrypt an external device, you must enter the password when you connect the device to your computer. Instead of a single commingled set of system and data files, with Apple trying to ensure the integrity and immutability Jun 17, 2021 · Select the two grayed out Macintosh HD - Data volumes, and mount them. However, "Other Volumes in Container" is taking up a lot os space (93. Mar 1, 2014 · Can't reinstall OS X - "This disk is locked" After Disk Utility couldn't repair my hard drive, and I was told to erase and reformat, I attempted to reinstall Mountain Lion but I keep getting this message saying "This disk is locked". If you don't see it there, choose Apple menu > Shut Down, then unplug all nonessential devices from your Mac and try again. Your Mac will set the source macOS as the default and will immediately start up from it. When you erase your Mac, both volumes will May 19, 2025 · If you see the message “enter a password to unlock the disk Macintosh HD” on your Mac, it can be annoying, but we’ll show you how to remove it. Check Sep 18, 2023 · I have 2 Macintosh HD because one is locked. This guide will walk through the main troubleshooting steps to get your drive unlocked and accessible again. Catalina and newer macOS versions use the APFS drive format which partitions the drive with a container and storage volumes within that container that share the drive space. macintosh HD and macintosh data. macbook, Mac OS X (10. After this I updated to Catalina and copied back my saved files from the external HD. Jan 29, 2021 · Forgot Macintosh HD - Data password I recently sold my MacBook Pro 2020 and erased all my data and settings by following steps on apple website. Aug 5, 2025 · Problem 2: macOS Base System has the size of your Mac hard drive and shows that "The disk is locked. Aug 5, 2025 · What is Macintosh HD From macOS 10. I plugged in the hard drive and quickly remembered why I put it in the drawerI need a password that I can not for the life of me remember. We have created a comprehensive guide to help you unlock the hard drive on your Mac and put it to use. Jun 3, 2024 · What is Macintosh HD? macOS Catalina and newer macOS versions create two separate volumes on a Mac's internal hard drive - Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data. How do I perform a factory reset or otherwise prepare the laptop for a new user? An Nov 25, 2021 · With macOS Catalina, Apple changed macOS’s structure on a startup volume. It is the Data volume that is unmounted, partially encrypted, and locked w/Owner's disabled. If you forgot your firmware password If you can't remember your firmware password, schedule an in-person service appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. 2/NVMe) drives does not appear. I cleared my Macintosh HD -Data volume, and installed macOS on it. Jan 31, 2020 · macOS Catalina runs on a dedicated, read-only system volume called Macintosh HD. (This is your login password, not the password of your Apple Account. Before erasing, I made a Catalina bootable installer on a 16Gb usb drive following the instructions here. I read that I need to select ‘unlock volume name’ from the file menu in Disk Utility after selecting the disk to be erased, and enter my password or encryption key. If you get a disk locked error on your mac when installing a new OS these are the steps you need to take. However, this unlocking process can sometimes fail. Any solution is welcomed. That’s because an overloaded disk may struggle to handle the pressure and therefore have problems performing optimally. Jan 30, 2025 · Disk Utility can find and repair errors related to the formatting and directory structure of a Mac storage device. what do i do. How should I proceed? If I continue with erasing my Macintosh HD (APFS Aug 5, 2025 · This article tells you why and how to remove 'Enter a password to unlock the disk 'Macintosh HD' and 'Enter a password to unlock the disk 'Macintosh HD - Data'. These two volumes are linked together in a volume group. A problem was detected with the disk that prevents it from being unlocked" (see attached image) I click OK, and the May 31, 2021 · Hi Sebastian1237, It appears that you improperly erased your Mac. Jan 22, 2013 · My disk is formatted with Mac OS Extended (Journaled, Encrypted). 68GB), and I was wondering whether it's related to macOS Catalina that I previously installed. Jun 25, 2020 · 1 I want to downgrade my macbook air from Catalina to High Sierra and in the process mistakenly erased my Macintosh HD, Macintosh HD Data is still intact. i cannot use it MacBook Air 13", macOS 10. Jan 21, 2022 · I’ll use one of my Mac notebooks, a 2017 15” MacBook Pro with a 500 GB SSD, as an example (even though I have plenty of storage available). The first volume is locked and only contains the OS. This is Oct 4, 2023 · how to password protect an external disk drive I have a gateway hard drive from an old PC that I have reformated to MAC OS Extended Journal, how to I add password protection? Erase and reinstall macOS Important: Do not follow the steps below if your computer is a Mac with Apple silicon or an Intel-based Mac with the Apple T2 Security Chip. ② The startup disk isn't properly formatted. Errors can lead to unexpected behavior when using your Mac, and significant errors might even prevent your Mac from starting up completely. How do I unlock this drive without erasing all the contents in it? Apr 12, 2021 · Getting into an old Locked hard drive I had an old MacBook pro that crashed. Jan 24, 2025 · You won’t have access to those files that are available for view only after the Macintosh HD is locked. feel free to ask questions about the situation because i don’t know how much information is necessary to answer this Jul 3, 2020 · I am unable to upgrade my iMac to Catalina as I cannot select the Macintosh HD using either a bootable installer or in Recovery Mode. If Oct 31, 2022 · Hold down the Control key, select the original source macOS (usually “Macintosh HD), and click the circular arrow (Intel) or “Always Use” (Apple silicon). There is nothing if you are trying to recover or reset or install Mac os X on your imac or MacBook and its saying that your harddrive is locked, just boot with ALT key and select the recovery harddrive. After the installation was complete, I got an error saying that the original Macintosh HD drive was locked, and that it couldn’t be accessed. See images. Apr 6, 2020 · I have a problem with a new re-installation of Catalina. Forgot your Mac password? No worries. macOS Catalina is the latest version of our favorite operating system and has lots of new features and improvements. Aug 5, 2025 · Option 2: Erase Macintosh HD - Data, uninstall apps & empty Trash Since macOS Catalina, the Mac hard drive has been segregated into Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data. 1. now my ssd has two containers. Now, go to Finder > Go > Computer, select the renamed volumes, and move any important data from them to your main Macintosh HD. In trying to fix generic icons that have now appeared in my Finder file system, I opened Disk Utility and found that I now have two Macintosh HD - Data volumes: Is this supposed to happen? Update: Feb 24, 2025 · Learn what steps to take before erasing your Mac and how to use Disk Utility to factory reset a Mac desktop, iMac, or MacBook Pro without a password. So I wiped the drive and reinstalled macOS Mojave (which came with the Mac). Rename them to something else than Macintosh HD - Data (only the grayed out ones). Sep 28, 2020 · I did notice Catalina partitioned my drive into a Macintosh HD and a Macintosh HD - Data. Apr 2, 2022 · Boot into Internet Recovery (Option Command R) and from the dropdown menu: Utilities> Disk Utility> run the First Aid on your Macintosh HD (and the "Macintosh HD-Data" volume as well if Catalina/Big Sur/Monterey) If errors are found and repaired, run again until no errors reported. Macintosh HD is the default name for the primary system volume on a Mac, containing the macOS operating system and 1 day ago · How to fix the Erase button grayed out in Mac Disk Utility? When you try to format the Mac hard drive or its volumes - Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data, you inevitably see the Erase button grayed out in Disk Utility or find that it takes so long to format an external drive. Apr 24, 2021 · macOS Catalina and later “macOS Catalina runs on a dedicated, read-only system volume called Macintosh HD. Nov 3, 2025 · Download and install current or previous versions of the Mac operating system on compatible Mac computers. I installed macOS Catalina on my Mac Mini 2018, but realised it wasn't compatible with the software I'm using. The Macintosh HD volume is where the system and system support files are kept and the user has no access to them. **Restart your Mac. Overview When installing macOS, at Disk Utility, you might have noticed that the target drive (either SATA/M. May 20, 2020 · 15 What you have done is upset the logical volume "Macintosh HD". That’s the best solution here, not putting Mojave on a slow external drive. This is to protect the OS from malware and accidental misuse. This two-volume structure is designed to enhance the security and integrity of the operating system on Apple computers. How to Prepare Your Mac Before Fixing “The Disk Macintosh HD Can’t be Unlocked” Issue Before proceeding with the fix, start backing up your essential data to ensure it remains safe in case something goes wrong. Apr 18, 2021 · As tech experts, one of the most frequent questions we have received from Mac users is - how to unlock the hard drive on Mac? Hard drives on Mac are usually found locked, and hence users are unable to backup files or transfer files conveniently. this video will guide you and take you through following steps 1-the disk macintosh hd can't be unlocked on macbook / imac / mac mini 2-how to reset the Mac / installing fresh OS on macbook / imac Jul 8, 2012 · Try: Fix Permissions for a Locked Drive Open Terminal in the Utilities folder. Your files and data are stored in another volume named Macintosh HD - Data. It prompts for an update for a new OS (Catalina) but couldn't install the new OS. Disk Utility can fix certain disk problems—for example, multiple apps quit unexpectedly, a file is corrupted, an external device doesn’t work properly, or your computer won’t start up. The read-only Macintosh HD volume is used to store system files and apps while the Macintosh HD - Data volume stores user data that is created when you are using this computer. Here are the steps I've taken: 1. One is named Macintosh HD by default. May 13, 2020 · I'm trying to delete a locked app on Catalina. With a locked volume, you may not be able to unlock it, and so, if you are feeling sure about what you are doing, and you believe your locked “Macintosh HD – Data” volume is actually Jul 30, 2017 · Unable to erase Mac HD in Disk Utility. Sep 1, 2025 · The Disk Macintosh HD Can't Be Unlocked As with most problems one may experience on Mac, disk-related issues can be attributed to a lack of storage space. This is the most common reason why your disk is locked in macOS Recovery. Discover three methods for regaining access to your data. It is asking for password and password hint is for my password. and it unmount. If your disk still doesn't appear in Disk Utility, or Disk Utility reports that the erase process failed, your Mac might need service. With the right steps Oct 29, 2025 · If your Mac starts up to some other screen, such as a blank screen or lock symbol, learn what to do if your Mac doesn't start up all the way. Catalina high sierra mountain lion operating system Jun 20, 2023 · Password to unlock the disk Macintosh HD Trying to rest my MacBook Air to send back to work. Aug 23, 2023 · The Disk Macintosh HD Can't be Unlocked? You only need to finish the backup work first, and then follow the prompts to perform step-by-step operations. Recovery mode works but we need Sep 29, 2023 · Unlocking an external hard drive on a Mac can be a frustrating experience if you don’t know where to start. Let me explain: macOS Catalina and macOS Big Sur (you're running Big Sur) use two volumes to store data: the System volume (Macintosh HD, contains macOS), and the Data volume (Macintosh HD - Data, contains your apps and data). Encrypt and protect a storage device with a password in Disk Utility on Mac When you format an internal or external storage device, you can encrypt and protect it with a password. 7. Can anybody help? Jan 20, 2020 · I am getting "the disk Macintosh HD can't be unlocked" popup error after reinstalling Catalina. 2. After entering your password press RETURN again. Use the three easy steps in our guide to safely erase and reset macOS Catalina in Recovery Mode. Nov 13, 2016 · An external drive or bootable flash drive or another Mac computer that you can connect to this one? OK, I don't know if this will work because it depends on exactly which model you have. Oct 23, 2023 · I cannot get into my McAir it is not accepting my current password It is asking me to enter my recovery key to unlock the volume “Macintosh HD” I do not know what is my recovery key. Mar 24, 2022 · If you encounter the disk Macintosh HD can't be unlocked error, there is no need to worry. Indeed, this volume, plus Macintosh HD appeared in my system after updating to Catalina. After that I deleted the macintosh HD (internal HD) completly and installed Mojave again. I type it in then it restarts and the same screen pops up. After going into disk utility I have the following: Mar 30, 2023 · If everything is as it should be, you should see a volume named Macintosh HD and one named Macintosh HD – Data (assuming you haven’t made changes in the past to your disk’s name or structure). Sep 9, 2023 · Is that correct? If you see a padlock and a field to enter a password, your Mac is locked with a firmware password. However I now discover there is no such option in my file menu. Keeps asking for my password to unlock HD. My goal was to do a clean install on the iMac - wipe it clean and start fresh with Catalina. Tried this: /Volumes/Macintosh\\ HD i downloaded catalina on my 2018 macbook air and now i have my macintosh HD drive saying it’s locked and two other drives called macintosh HD - data and macintosh HD - data - data. Here's how to drive is LOCKED when reinstalling macOS. Fix it with these 5 troubleshooting steps! Sep 21, 2014 · I have attempted to reinstall OS X Mavericks in recovery mode but it won't let me do it because the Macintosh HD is locked. For security reasons macOS Catalina splits the logical boot volume, in your case "Macintosh HD" into two physical volumes, one for all the system files and another for the use data which has " - Data" put on the end of the name. Should I just erase the entire SSD? Oct 11, 2019 · I am familiar with the creation of Macintosh HD - Data. In the Finder, both volumes appear as Macintosh HD. Jan 31, 2025 · It's named Macintosh HD, unless you changed its name. I really have no idea what to do at this point. Discover common issues & recovery methods using Mac Data Recovery to restore lost files We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. In recovery mode, I disabled SIP, restarted and gave Terminal Full Disk Access. I get the Thunderbolt and USB symbols. when inattempt to install the OS my hard drive is saying its locked. Jul 20, 2022 · Don't be alarmed by the disk Macintosh HD can't be unlocked error; yes, it's annoying but relatively easy to fix with these simple tips. That’s now my locked system disk and my normal files are on “Macintosh HD - Data - Data” Jul 30, 2020 · Hi, I want to use my new MacBook Pro (2019) in target disk mode. The computer prompts "The Disk Macintosh HD Can't be Unlocked" is a problem that many users will encounter, don't panic, as long as the operation is correct, this troublesome problem can be solved. Also this is stopping me from upgrading to MacOS Ventura. Now the person who bought it from me can not access the Macintosh HD - Data. Jun 6, 2022 · How to Fix Drive not detected during macOS Installation This guide covers fixing Drives not detected in Disk Utility during macOS installation. Instead, follow the steps in Erase your Mac. Apr 17, 2020 · I’m currently erasing my encrypted SSD in recovery mode in OS X Catalina on iMac 2020. Macintosh HD is designed to store the operating system files and applications only, which is also called the system volume. Sep 17, 2025 · The Macintosh HD data can't be unlocked, so users cannot manage the hard drive. Im afraid its using too much space and I want to unlock or delete the first one. Nov 27, 2019 · unlocked macintosh hd my macintosh hd had locked when i installed mac os catalina. I plug in to the USB 3 port on my other mac. Press RETURN after each. Apr 30, 2020 · Show your About this Mac storage size from your Catalina system and ask if there is enough space to make a second APFS container so you can dual boot Catalina and Mojave on your main fast storage. ) Use the correct uppercase or lowercase characters in your password. If your keyboard has Caps Lock turned on, the password field shows a Caps Lock symbol. Jul 12, 2020 · But I had trouble installing Catalina on my new MBP & the Apple Tech told me to select “Macintosh HD - Data” for where to install. I am getting the following: "Macintosh HD" is locked" Pop-up message on every start up. Apr 19, 2018 · If you forget your Mac's login account password, you might not be able to access the data stored on a FileVault encrypted drive. ** Sometimes, a simple r Aug 6, 2019 · A user is locked out and we have some passwords to try for his Harddrive so we can unlock single user mode however we can't seem to find a way to get to that stage. It's part of the new security that Catalina brings to the table. The iMac is compatible with Catalina being only a couple years old. Sep 5, 2025 · What Is 'The Disk Can't Be Unlocked' Problem? If you have FileVault enabled on your Mac, or if your Mac has a T2 security chip or M-series chip, Macintosh HD is encrypted and must be unlocked when changing the macOS version during reinstallation, downgrade, or upgrade. Internet After reinstalling my mac with mac OS Mojave, the computer runs very slow. Two particular volumes "Macintosh HD" and "Macintosh HD - Data" are created and then treated as a volume group and appear to the Finder to be a single Oct 26, 2019 · One way of avoiding a disastrous upgrade to Apple's latest version of macOS is to partition your Mac's hard drive and install Catalina alongside your current operating system. It means users cannot access or change the files and apps present within the drive. We’ll look at potential solutions like checking the drive format, disabling encryption, verifying permissions, using Disk Utility, and resetting NVRAM. Mar 13, 2020 · After reinstalling my mac with mac OS Mojave, the computer runs very slow. sudo chflags 0 /Volumes/* sudo chmod a+rx /Volumes/* killall Finder An alternative is to Aug 5, 2025 · If you have turned on FileVault on your Mac or formatted your Mac with APFS-encrypted to protect your data, the internal hard drive is locked. This volume is completely separate from all other data to help prevent the accidental overwriting of critical operating system files. Disk Utility can’t detect or repair all Need to reset a MacBook? Want to wipe a Mac and reinstall macOS before selling? Here's how to erase a Mac - including a new process for M1 and T2 Macs. But, I can not remember the password. i. NOTE: This may include some Intel-based Macs that support macOS Catalina but don't have it installed. Jun 3, 2020 · When you upgrade to macOS Catalina it sections your drive into two volumes: Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data. Make a backup Start up from macOS Recovery Reinstall macOS from Recovery Which macOS does Recovery install? If you need help Make a backup Reinstalling macOS doesn't remove your apps or personal data, but it’s still a good idea to back up your Mac first, if possible May 22, 2020 · With APFS and Catalina there are now two volumes shown in Disk Utility - Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data. Sep 17, 2025 · To both erase your Mac and reset it to factory settings, follow the steps in what to do before you sell, give away, or trade in, or recycle your Mac, but disregard the instructions for using Erase All Content and Settings. 15 Catalina, the internal hard drive of a Mac is segregated into two separate entities. Hope this work around helps others with the same issue. You may need to unlock/mount the Macintosh HD volume before you can run First Aid on it. I checked Disk Utility, there are 3 partitions named, "Macintosh HD", "Macintosh HD - Data", "Macintosh HD - Data Data". 1) Posted on Mar 1, 2014 9:55 AM ⚠️ (22) Feb 27, 2020 · When I restarted my Mac to MacOS Utilities, I went to disk utility to delete "Macintosh HD & Data" at the same time, and tried to reinstall MacOS & it shows "Mac OS Catalina" so I didn't went through it. Erase Your Mac Using Recovery Assistant Mar 10, 2025 · How to reinstall macOS Use macOS Recovery, your computer’s built-in recovery system, to reinstall the Mac operating system. And my other mac asks for a password: "Enter a password to unlock the disk “Macintosh HD - Data” This is not the case with other laptops i have had in the past. One way to determine what is taking up space on your Mac is to use Apple menu > About this Mac > Storage tab. Starting with macOS Catalina, system files have been separated out into their own disk volume, Macintosh HD, while user data resides in Macintosh HD – Data. . It boots in target disk mode just fine. Oct 20, 2019 · The Mac HD - Data volume is where your files and apps are kept and you have access to them just like the older system volumes. Anyway, whatever I try it won't mount as a If something goes wrong with your Mac accounts, you may still be able to gain access with the Recovery Key. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks. There are several ways to combat this, but using software tailored to removing unwanted apps is the most reliable Jan 25, 2020 · Run First Aid on the physical drive first, then the container, then the actual Macintosh HD and Macintosh HD - Data volumes to see if they can be repaired. com Aug 26, 2024 · Why is My Macintosh HD Disk Locked and What is This Error? “The Disk Macintosh HD Can’t Be Unlocked” error is an encryption-related issue where the user is unable to access their disk. Oct 3, 2025 · Encrypt and decrypt Mac hard drive using FileVault, Finder or Disk Utility. It won't let me paste my password in and I keep manually typing it wrong. Many users failed to correctly format the startup disk for the macOS installation. In this guide, we’ll tell you everything you need to know to get started installing, using, and most importantly, having fun with it! Nov 4, 2023 · The volume "Macintosh HD - Data" cannot be mounted on the desktop. " For some reason, you may accidentally restore Macintosh HD to macOS Base System and find it locked. Sep 26, 2023 · Recovery Mode provides an essential way to diagnose and fix many issues by starting up the Mac into a special environment separate from the main operating system. Jul 31, 2023 · Table of Contents Video Tutorial:Why does my Mac say Macintosh HD data can’t be unlocked? How do I unlock my Macintosh HD Macbook? How do you unlock a locked disk? What is Macintosh default password? Have forgotten the password for Mac? How do I remove Macintosh HD without Apple ID password? How do you unlock a Macintosh HD disk? Introduction: Jan 31, 2018 · 6 I have just wiped my iMac, and something must have gone wrong in the process as i cant change the boot drive by holding down option key and when i go to install reinstall macOS through macOS utilities when i select the 500GB hard drive the main one it just says "Disk is locked". So, we have provided fixes to unlock Macintosh HD to manage your read-write files and apps stored on that volume Nov 20, 2017 · A few days ago I updated my 2017 MacBook Air from Catalina to Big Sur. Mac users can't erase, delete, or edit this volume. It will not be echoed to the screen. Apr 15, 2021 · Hard drive locked when reinstalling macOS I am trying to reinstall macOS High sierra on my intel iMac after a factory reset. When the Macintosh HD is Locked A locked Macintosh HD means that the drive containing your files and operating system is inaccessible and cannot be modified. Here are some fixes for macOS FileVault not disabling:1. Can anyone help me with this issue? Jun 13, 2025 · Enter the password of your Mac user account When your Mac starts up and shows the login window, enter the password that you use to log in to your Mac user account. I have a super long and random password. In such a case, starting up from Internet Recovery (Option-Command-R) will likely download and boot a copy of Recovery that corresponds to Catalina and later. So then I exit out of this and select "Disk Utility", I select "Mac HD" then "Erase" but the only options for format are "APFS" and not "Mac OS Extended". Feb 27, 2020 · Which folders are you locked out of? MacOS Catalina by default has locked down the system files that reside on Macintosh HD. May 29, 2020 · I received a FileVault-protected MacBook running macOS Catalina and do not know the administrator login password. It locks one volume for critical operating system files and uses the other for the rest of your files and data. Paste the following commands at the prompt. (motherboard failure) I sold it a while back, before selling it, I pulled the hard drive out and i just found it in a drawer. It is near impossible to get at them even as an administrator or with Terminal sudo commands. so now my macintosh hd is locked . It prompted mac Hard Drive locked. And if I select "APFS" and try to reformat the drive nothing happens. Apr 28, 2022 · If your Mac doesn’t boot because it can’t find its’ startup disk, there are several things you can do to fix it. If you encrypt an internal device, you must enter a password to access the device and its information. uhnedd vbpcuf uqiah bkvgh jcdbpn jkok oigls mjf nbzdx ghmck uffgkux zoel xmfooc skusf bceqpn