Problems preparing Macbook Pro for new user

[PhillT]

Hi all. I'm moving jobs, so have been reinstalling OS X onto my work Macbook Pro to make sure all my personal stuff is gone before I hand it back to the office.

Following online instructions from Apple (http://support.apple.com/kb/PH14243), I erased the Mac HD section using Disk Utility on start up - it said it would take 12 hours, so I left it plugged in overnight to do its thing.

This morning, it had turned itself off, so I rebooted and went to Reinstall OS X Mavericks as instructed. But when it comes to select the disk to install it to, I only have one option - Recovery HD, which is only 650Mb and is locked so can't be selected. I can't go any further. The Macbook has a 750GB hard drive.

When I go back to Disk Utility now, the Mac HD partition within the overall drive is now gone, replaced by an unmounted partition called disk0s2.

What's happened and how can I fix it?

Thanks in advance.

[PhillT]

Thanks kindly for the help. However, when I click Apply at the end of your instructions, it asks me if I'm sure (and warns me that I'll erase disk0s2). When I click Partition, I get the following error message:

Partition Failed
Partition failed with the error:
Couldn't unmount disk.

Help!

[PhillT]

From wherever it runs by default on the hard drive, there was no DVD.

[PhillT]

It asks me if I'm sure and gives me the option of Cancel or Partition. And yes, definitely in Disk Utility.

[PhillT]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Voila.



I don't appear to have an unmount button... Mount or Eject?

[PhillT]

BlueMR2 said:

Can you click on disk0s2 and take another picture.

Here we go.



Thanks Leithen, I'll have a look at that link.

[PhillT]

Leithen said:

Have a look at this. It looks like you may need to create a bootable usb drive and attempt repair/partition from there.

Trying this now, but how do I create a bootable USB drive if I already have Mavericks installed? The instructions seem to suggest I should done it when installing...

[PhillT]

BlueMR2 said:

Does it mount that partition if you click mount on the top bar?

No, nothing happens.

[PhillT]

BlueMR2 said:

That disk1 base system seems to be a remote version on the web, so your hdd is probably completely empty.

Forgive my lack of technical knowledge - is that good or not?

[PhillT]

Sorry for the delay in replying to this all - just wanted to say thanks, the USB boot disk did the trip and all is now sweet. Cheers, collective knowledge.