removing a Linux Swap Drive

Alright I used Boot Camp to partition my 250gb hard drive on my 2009 aluminum Macbook so that I'd have 32gb to install the Linux OS Ubuntu on. I installed it and had all kinds of fun, but I realized that it really didn't serve a purpose for me and decided to remove it.
Here is my problem: I had somehow managed to create 3 additional drives on my computer: one called Boot Camp (32gb), one whose name I don't actually remember now (I think it had something like 200mb on it), and one called Linux Swap (with 1.3gb on it). I used Disk Utility to remove the first two, but Linux Swap is still there. I cannot mount it and Disk Utility is unable to remove it or erase it, and in addition won't resize my Macintosh HD. Therefore, I can't regain the 32gb which I originally set aside for Ubuntu. I'm not sure why. There is just empty space and Disk Utility won't let Macintosh HD take it back over.
In an attempt to fix this, I downloaded GParted from the GParted website and burned the iso file to a cd immediately after the download completed. With the disk in the drive I tried to boot my computer holding the 'c' button, you know, to boot to the cd. It makes some noise at first, but then boots to OSX.
I have tried all of these things multiple times (which might be why I'm having trouble?). But I really am very new at this and am quite inept. I'm running osx 10.5 on a 2009 aluminum intel macbook, and although it might not seem like the Linux Swap drive takes up that much space, it is somewhat annoying to have on there. I just need to be walked through on how to fix this, if possible, and if someone could that would be awesome!
And if no one could help me fix this problem, maybe you can point me in the right direction to get help—however, I've already tried the Ubuntu forums.

And I was wondering if this partitioning business could all be undone with my Mac OSX install disks, and if so, how. Thanks!

I had this problem before. What you need to do is boot into your Mac OS X install disk you are running by holding C or holding the option key and selecting the install disk, and once it boots up select your language then wait for the menubar to show up once its done click utility's then select disk utility once it opens select the linux swap partition click the erase tab click on the format selection button and select Mac OS Extented (Journaled) then click security options and select the first one (since I think with a partition that small it doesnt really matter which option you pick) then click ok then click erase and let it erase it. And once its done click on your main hard drive go to partitions and you should be able to remove it and resize your mac os x partition to its original size.

Hope this helps,
Cameron

Alright I used my ubuntu live disk to delete the linux swap partition, so that's gone. I now have a stranger problem- i have three separate partitions now on my HD, for some reason. One is a 200mb space which I think was created by Ubuntu, one is the 32gb partition i created with bootcamp, and one is a 200gb mac hd (its original capacity is 232gb).
Problem 1: The 200mb space is unassigned I guess. I cannot resize Mac HD to take it back over.
Problem 2: The 32gb space doesn't even appear in disk utility- it's as if 32gb just disappeared off my HD. This space does appear in GParted (which I finally got working) along with the 200mb space, both of which are unassigned space, which I suppose means that I can't do anything to them.
I'm wondering how to use GParted to make it so disk utility will both recognize the partition and let Mac HD be resized to regain the space. GParted will not let me delete either the 200mb portion or the 32gb portion.
Also I'm terribly inept at this, so any instructions given would have to be pretty basic.
Lastly, Problem 3: When I go to System preferences and Startup Disk, there is no Mac HD that I can select, only Network Startup. So my mac won't automatically boot up into Mac HD now; I have to hold the Option key to manually select the drive to boot into every time I turn it on. I'm wondering if when I get this partition stuff sorted out, will it be recognized in the Startup Disk option, therefore letting me boot up into Mac HD by default?

Have you tried going into Boot Camp Assistant and selecting the option to "restore" your drive? That should take care of the bootcamp partition and may solve the little partition as well. If you used Boot Camp to create a partition, you should also use BC to remove it. This may be less complex than you think.

cheers

Did you ever solve this issue? This sounds really similar to a problem I am having. Here is what I just posted on another forum.

Hey I know this is an age old question that has been answered many a time but I'm still hang issues with it. I've throughly searched the web and found a few different solutions to cases similar to mine but I can't seem to get this thing working so here it goes:

Once upon a time I thought Ubuntu was cool so I partitioned a small part of my hard drive to allow for this. Well now I want to free up space on my mac by deleting the partition. Here's where the problems occur. The first thing I tried was the Boot Camp Assistant to restore my hard drive but when I try to do this I get the following error:

The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition.
The startup disk must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume or already partitioned by Boot Camp Assistant for installing Windows.

Since the Boot Camp Assistant couldn't help me I decided to try the Disk Utility. On the left side of the screen I selected Fujitsu mhy2250bh media and then clicked partition on the right. Well for whatever reason I now see 3 partitions: BOOTCAMP, disk0s5, and Linux Swap. I have no idea where disk0s5 or Linux Swap came from so they're really bothering me and I want them gone. When I click the partition and then select the "-" symbol to remove the volume the status bar does flashes and says "preparing to remove volume" and continues to do this until I have to force quit the disk utility. I have tried everything I can think of but I still can't delete these **** partitions. Any ideas?

I believe the reason that Disk Utility is not working is because you may have overwritten your MBR with GRUB. Common problem when messing with Linux on a Mac. You may actually have 5 partitions on that hard drive. EFI, Mac, BC, Linux Home, Linux Swap.

Can you boot to OS X? If you can, you might want to make a backup of everything on the Mac partition and then just erase the entire drive and start over. If it still won't allow you to remove the partitions, post back. We can clear that drive of all partitions but you'll need a working PC and an external carrier to do it.

Okay I got this figured out. I'm gonna give step by step instructions for any other noobs like myself who stumble across this post in the future. Keep in mind my goals were to delete the extra partitions and reformat my entire hard drive so my Macbook would run faster.

1. Obtain a Mac OS X install DVD.

2. Get you your external hard drive, mine is 250 GB but it doesn't need to be that big. Then in the disk utility select your external hard drive and click partition. Add a partition by clicking the plus sign and give the partition about 10 GB of space to be safe. This will restore your hard drive and may take some time. Then, still in the disk utility, click on your 10 GB partition and there should be two boxes. In the "source" field select the mac os x install .dmg file. In the "destination" field drag the 10 GB partition to the box and apply.

3. Back up your files on the other half of your external hard drive.

4. Go to System Preferences>Startup Disk> then select the CD drive if you have the install DVD or the 10 GB partition if you followed step 2 and click apply and then restart your computer.

5. When the installer begins choose your language then proceed to the next screen but do not install OS X yet. When the tool bar at the top appears choose Utilities>Disk Utility. Choose the disk that Macintosh HD is located in, mine is called FUJITSU, and then click partition. Then under the "volume scheme" tab choose 1 partition. Make sure it is Mac OS extended (journaled) and then name it Macintosh HD or whatever you want.

6. When this is done run the installer and then you're good to go.

@phaley

Thanks for posting the solution. In the future do not mention or refer to any illegal activities. Read the forum guidelines.