Fix Multiple MAC HD Data Drives Created After Installing macOS Catalina
Do you see multiple Mac HD Data Drives created after installing macOS Catalina? Did you install Catalina several times and it created multiple Mac HD Data Drives? Do not worry, there are many Catalina users who are dealing with this issue. Please follow the steps provided in this article to fix multiple MAC HD Data Drives created after installing macOS Catalina. Let’s start with a real-life scenario.
OS Catalina. 2 MAC HD Data Drives- After installing Catalina a second time, it put a second Mac HD data partition. Then when trying to use Time Machine, it failed. Because there are two drives with the same name HD data. How do I rename the drive or delete the Drive? How do I know which one Catalina is using?
Source: Apple Community
Follow all the 4 steps which include steps to backup your data, delete HD data drives, reinstallation macOS and then restore the backed up data.
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Step 1: Back up your data on your Mac
Steps to Create a Time Machine Backup
- Connect any External storage device such as USB Flash Drive, Thunderbolt, AirPort Time Capsule or FireWire drive to your Mac.
- When you connect an external storage device, it may prompt you to use the storage device to back up with Time Machine. Choose Encrypt Backup Disk (recommended) and then click on Use as Backup Disk.
- In case Time Machine does not prompt to use your external device then you can do it manually:
- Go to the Apple Menu > Select System Preferences > then click on Time Machine.
- Click on Select Backup Disk or select disk or Add or Remove Backup disk, whichever options are available.
- Select the external storage device from the list, select Encrypt backups. Now click on Use Disk.
- Make sure you connect the empty external storage device to the mac. Time Machine will prompt to delete the disk first. Click on Erase to continue. Please note this will erase all the data on the external storage device.
Step 2: Erase HD Data Drives
- After shut down, turn on your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘)-R.
- Release the keys once you see the Apple logo, on the startup screen.
- Enter the password if you see the password prompt.
- You will see the utility window, select Disk Utility from the list.
- Show all devices; Macintosh HD. Then select Edit > Delete APFS Volume from the menu bar, or click the delete volume button (–) in the Disk Utility toolbar and erase all the HD data drives which you want to delete one at a time.
Now select the Hard drive top layer and erase the drive.
Step 3: Reinstall Catalina
- Shut down your Mac, again go back to recovery mode by pressing and holding Command (⌘)-R.
- Release the keys once you see the Apple logo, on the startup screen.
- After starting up from macOS Recovery, select Reinstall macOS to download and reinstall Catalina.
Step 4: Restore Your Backed Data
- Please connect the Time Machine backup storage device is connected and on.
- Start your Mac and immediately press and hold Command (⌘)-R to go into the Recovery mode. Release the keys when you see the Apple logo.
- On the utility window, select the option which says restore from a Time Machine Backup.
- Keep clicking on Continue till it prompts you to choose a restore source. Once asked to select your Time Machine backup drive. Click on Continue. For encrypted disk, enter the administrator password you used while setting up Time Machine, now again click on Continue.
- Select a backup, then click on Continue.
- Choose a destination disk, where the backup will be delivered.
- Click on Restore or Continue.
- Once done, reboot your Mac.
Wrap Up
I hope this article helped you to get rid of Multiple MAC HD Data Drives which was created after installing macOS Catalina. Just create a backup, delete all the drives using recovery mode and then restore all the files. Doing this will take care of the issue.
