Partitions

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I've been searching the internet for awhile now and I can find any help with this. I (in a somewhat n00b-ish way) decided to create two partitions using DISK UTILITY (NOT BOOTCAMP!), calling them Windows and Linux for obvious reasons. However, when I tried to install Ubuntu, it didn't really want to install on the blank drive I partitioned. So for some reason it added 3 more partitions. Now I just want to remove all of them besides Macintosh HD so I can get all my hard drive space back. However, when I went into Disk Utility and clicked the little minus on the partition, then "remove," an error appeared saying: "Partition failed with the error: MediaKit reports no such partition"

What am I doing wrong? And how else can I remove these partitions? I really don't want to wipe the whole hard drive, but I did back all my files up, so it is left for a last resort.

Thank you for your help. And yes, I realize that the whole thing I did was stupid, so I want to correct my mistake. :)

Screen shot 2009-12-29 at 4.03.42 PM.png
 

bobtomay

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Try highlighting the MacIntosh HD partition and see if it will allow you to resize it back to take the entire drive.

I would hope that you have a backup prior to trying this.

If it will not allow it, then you are most likely going to have to wipe and start all over again.
 
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Try highlighting the MacIntosh HD partition and see if it will allow you to resize it back to take the entire drive.

I would hope that you have a backup prior to trying this.

If it will not allow it, then you are most likely going to have to wipe and start all over again.

Not sure I agree with the "wipe it and start over" strategy.

bobtomay: My assumption is you are screwed for resizing the partition back to full size.
That being the case, I suggest you get an external USB HD and use SuperDuper to backup your working Mac OS partition. The external HD doesn't have to be the same size as the internal HD - it just has to be big enough to backup the actual "Used Space" of the internal Mac OS partition.
Once the internal HD is fully backed up to the external drive, reboot the mac with the "option" key held down - and pick the external HD to boot from.
Once you are booted from the external drive, use the Disk Utility to repartition the internal HD to one, big, Mac OS Extended partition.
Once it is repartitioned, run SuperDuper from the external HD, and copy everything back to the internal HD.
Now, you can reboot, and everything will be back to the way it was before you tried to install 3 different OSs.
You've lost a few hours and gained knowledge.
 

bobtomay

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... I suggest you get an external USB HD and use SuperDuper to backup your working Mac OS partition. The external HD doesn't have to be the same size as the internal HD - it just has to be big enough to backup the actual "Used Space" of the internal Mac OS partition.

That would be the:

...I would hope that you have a backup prior to trying this.

part.

And this:

...Once the internal HD is fully backed up to the external drive, reboot the mac with the "option" key held down - and pick the external HD to boot from.
Once you are booted from the external drive, use the Disk Utility to repartition the internal HD to one, big, Mac OS Extended partition.

would be the:

...then you are most likely going to have to wipe...

part. While the following:

...Once it is repartitioned, run SuperDuper from the external HD, and copy everything back to the internal HD.
Now, you can reboot, and everything will be back to the way it was before you tried to install 3 different OSs.
You've lost a few hours and gained knowledge.

would be the:

...start all over again.

part.

Very nice ticedoff8. I was hoping I wouldn't have to type all that again. ;D
 

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