Please note, the Electric Desktop App must be installed and MDM must be running before any actions can be taken on a device. Please ensure the MDM status of your employees’ devices here.
Every time you request to take a device action such as wipe device or lock a device, IT Hub will send a command to the Mobile Device Management (MDM) installed on the employee device to complete that action. Most times, the command is expected to succeed in just a few seconds. However, there are cases where the command might fail:
The device may have lost its internet connection, preventing it from receiving or executing the command.
Compatibility issues if the device’s operating system is outdated or doesn't support the specific command.
User settings or restrictions on device permissions could block the command.
Occasional server-side issues on the MDM platform such as misconfigurations or downtime
When the failure happens, the device might appear to be inaccessible to an administrator or otherwise “bricked.” If any of these issues occur, please proceed to use the device’s factory wipe as explained below as a next step.
How to Wipe a Windows PC
Open the Settings Menu
Click the Start Menu (the Windows icon in the bottom-left corner).
Select the Settings gear icon.
Go to Recovery Options
In Settings, click Update & Security.
On the left, click Recovery.
Start the Reset Process
Under the "Reset this PC" section, click the Get started button.
Choose What to Remove
Remove everything: Completely wipes all your files, apps, and settings. This is the option to use if you're giving away or selling your computer.
Select How to Reinstall Windows
You’ll be asked how you want to reinstall Windows:
Cloud download: Downloads a fresh copy of Windows from the internet.
Local reinstall: Uses the copy of Windows already on your computer.
Either option works, but Cloud download ensures you have the latest version.
Final Confirmation
After choosing to remove everything, you’ll see a summary. Click Reset to start wiping your PC.
The process may take some time, but once complete, your computer will restart, and Windows will be back to its factory settings.
Please note, if you are removing a Windows device from your company’s device fleet for good, an additional step might be needed so that the provisioning package does not reinstall on reboot. Please contact our team at product-support@electric.ai.
How to Wipe a Mac
Restart Your Mac in Recovery Mode
Click the Apple logo at the top-left of the screen and select Shutdown.
To boot the device into recovery, follow the steps depending on which chip your Mac utilizes:
Once booted into recovery, if you are asked to verify a password for a user account on the machine, and you do not know the password, select “Recovery Assistant” from the Menu Bar and then select “Erase Mac”.
Follow the steps to erase the device and reinstall macOS.
Open Disk Utility
In Recovery Mode, you’ll see a few options. Click on Disk Utility, then click Continue.
Erase Your Hard Drive
Select your main hard drive (usually called Macintosh HD) from the list on the left.
Click Erase at the top.
Choose APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as the format (the system should recommend one automatically).
Click Erase to confirm. This deletes everything on your hard drive.
Reinstall macOS
Once your hard drive is erased, close Disk Utility to return to the main menu.
Select Reinstall macOS and click Continue. This will download and install a fresh version of macOS.
Finish the Setup or Turn Off
After reinstalling macOS, your Mac will restart and show the setup screen. You can either complete the setup or power it off.