Does Clean Install Wipe All Drives Exclusive !link!
Based on your search query, you are asking if performing a "clean install" wipes all drives connected to the computer, or if it is exclusive to just the one you select.
That's an interesting and important distinction to make. does clean install wipe all drives exclusive
Internal or external drives not selected for installation remain Partitions: Based on your search query, you are asking
Key Takeaway:
A clean install does not automatically scan your PC and wipe every drive. It only modifies the specific drive/partition you tell it to modify. All other physical hard drives remain 100% intact. Linux (most installers: Ubuntu, Fedora, etc
- When you use Disk Utility to erase a disk, you must explicitly pick which disk or volume to erase. The macOS installer won’t wipe other disks unless you select them.
- A clean install replaces the existing operating system by formatting (or deleting) the target system partition(s) and installing a fresh OS copy.
- It does not automatically mean “erase every physical drive attached” unless you explicitly choose those drives/partitions during setup.
Human Error:
The most common cause of multi-drive data loss is selecting the wrong drive during the "Custom Installation" screen. If you have two identical 1TB SSDs, it is very easy to click the wrong one.