If you have a lot of unanswered questions even after googling what macOS Base System is, you've come to the right place. I've put together this simple guide that explains what it is, and when and how to use it.
Let's start with the definition first.
What is the macOS base system?
If you booted into recovery mode and opened Disk Utility, you may have come across the mysterious OS
It's basically a recovery partition that contains a minimal structure or stripped-down version of a Mac operating system with the essential components needed only to run and recover macOS (including System Preferences, Dock, and Finder). If you're having persistent problems with your MacBook, it can help you repair or wipe your hard drive, install a new version of macOS, and restore the device from a Time Machine backup.
Sounds exciting, right? But how do you know when to use the basic system? Read more.
When do you use the Mac base system?
System errors are never what Mac users hope to encounter. However, if your Mac keeps crashing, freezing, or giving error messages, you may need to use the Basic Mac System. It can help you recover or restore your macOS.
There are a few reasons to use the Mac base system:
Startup error
Disk problems
Operating system problems
So unless you're trying to restore, restore, or repair your Mac, you generally don't have to worry about the base macOS system. Essentially, it's a backup for reinstalling macOS or repairing our low-level Macs.
You won't find any trace of it unless you boot into recovery mode. To boot into recovery mode for Macs with Apple Silicon:
Shut down your Mac as usual and wait a few moments to make sure it shuts down completely.
Press and hold the Power button until "Load Startup Options" appears.
Select Settings and then click Continue.
Select Volume to restore if prompted and enter a password if prompted.
The recovery app will load in the menu bar.
To boot into recovery mode for Intel-based Macs:
Shut down your Mac and hold down the Command-R keys.
Hold them until the Apple logo appears.
The Utilities window will now load.
Before we move on to the basic Mac system, let's take a quick look at how we can avoid having to use it.
How do you avoid restoring your Mac?
By regularly performing preventive actions, such as monthly Mac maintenance, you can avoid many problems. Additionally, improve the overall health of your device and keep your Mac optimized. Here are a few tips on how to do all that:
1. Clear the clutter on your desktop
Delete unnecessary files and folders on your desktop that are taking up space by dragging them to the Trash.
Enable stacks to keep your desktop organized. Right-click anywhere on your desktop and click Use Stacks.
2. Keep your Mac up to date
Keeping your Mac up to date is the best way to ensure it has the latest bug fixes, software updates, performance and security improvements. Too obvious? I know, but it's an important reminder. Check for updates:
From the Apple main menu, choose System Preferences > General.
Select Software Update and follow the on-screen instructions
3. Restart your Mac regularly
A quick restart can solve many problems, not to mention freeing up RAM and refreshing cache files. If you notice a sudden drop in performance, quickly restart your Mac.
4. Run Mac maintenance scripts
Without a doubt, the easiest way to perform Mac maintenance is with the Apple notarization toolCleanMyMac X. I routinely use the maintenance module to quickly run a series of scripts that rotate system logs and delete errors along with temporary entries. It increases performance and optimizes your Mac systems. Moreover, it is very easy to use. Here are the instructions:
Open the app -download the free version here.
Select Maintenance from the sidebar.
Click View all tasks and select Run maintenance scripts.
Click Run.
Now that you know how to prevent your Mac from experiencing serious problems in the future, let's get back to the basic system partition.
Possible issues with macOS base system. How to solve this?
A common issue that users encounter when trying to use the macOS base system is the Disk Locked error. This happens when the base system, which should only have a disk image of about 2 GB, reflects the size of the hard drive and displays the error. Usually this happens when you accidentally restore your Macintosh HD to the base system.
To fix this problem, wipe the base system in recovery mode. This is what you need to do:
Restart your Mac in recovery mode using the instructions earlier in this article.
Choose Disk Utility, find the base macOS system and choose Erase at the top.
Now rename the drive Macintosh HD and make sure the following settings are:Format-APFS;GUID partition shortas order.
Select Erase and then exit Disk Utility.
Select Macintosh HD as the drive and reinstall macOS.
Do you want to delete the base system?
In short, no. It doesn't take up too much space, so there's no real space-saving benefit here. If you're eager to uninstall it, be prepared for serious issues like not being able to recover macOS! So it's not worth the risk.
We have reached the end. Hopefully I've answered all your nagging questions about the macOS base system. Linger!
