Completely wiped my MacBook clean

KITTYKOMP

Hi all,

so I was trying to put my MacBook Air 2017, back to factory settings and I seem to have wiped the whole laptop clean. I’m really annoyed with myself and I’m looking for some help on what I can do. Any help would be greatly appreciated, the simpler the better.

Thanks

cymruchris

KITTYKOMP said:

Hi all,

so I was trying to put my MacBook Air 2017, back to factory settings and I seem to have wiped the whole laptop clean. I’m really annoyed with myself and I’m looking for some help on what I can do. Any help would be greatly appreciated, the simpler the better.

Thanks

I don't want to state the obvious - but you didn't have a time machine backup on an external disk?

MikeJXE

The simplest way to fix that is by visiting an Apple Store, make an appointment with the Genius Bar 

theoretica

Do you want to try and recover any data or just end up with a working computer for a new user?  Look up how to start your mac in recovery mode and it may do what you want.

KITTYKOMP

Thanks, can they help when it’s an old laptop?

MikeJXE said:

The simplest way to fix that is by visiting an Apple Store, make an appointment with the Genius Bar 

Neil_Jones

If you have access to another computer (and since you're writing this you probably do, though I get it may be a phone)) you may be able to recover the data yourself without paying a fortune at the apple shop.

According to https://iboysoft.com/mac-data-recovery/apple-genius-bar-data-recovery-vs-data-recovery-software.html Data Recovery isn't something the Genius Bar deal with.  Not withstanding the fact its an American site, wouldn't be surprised if the global nature of Apple means it applies over here as well.  Key phrase is "We contacted Apple support and found that they only provide data recovery service when you have a backup."

As per the question above, do you have a Time Machine backup or not?  Or do you have any form of backup at all even if its just dragging and dropping?

TELLIT01

Out of interest, what were you actually trying to achieve by getting back to factory settings?  Logically, factory setting would put the device back to the state before a customer received it.  Does it not even have the operating system on any more?

Dandytf

Is restore from iCloud backup possible.

DullGreyGuy

Dandytf said:

Is restore from iCloud backup possible.

Time Machine cannot yet backup to iCloud however any of the OP's docs, photos, calendar, music etc stored in iCloud will clearly be there for resyncing 

MikeJXE

KITTYKOMP said:

Thanks, can they help when it’s an old laptop?

MikeJXE said:

The simplest way to fix that is by visiting an Apple Store, make an appointment with the Genius Bar 

You have done exactly what I did a couple of years ago,  and the only way back is an Apple Store. Yes they will fix it absolutely, make sure you get a Genius Bar appointment. If you have another Apple device you can log into Apple Store on that and book a slot. Good luck 

MikeJXE

Oh and it won't cost you a penny