How do I repartition using Disk Utility?

Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Location
Cairo
Your Mac's Specs
13" 2015 MacBook Pro Retina / 15" 2010 MacBook Pro
Hello there

I am using a mid-2010 MacBook Pro with a 320GB Hitachi drive. My current partition plan is pretty messed up and I want to fix it but I am not able to.

The first thing I did was install the Mac OS X DVD which came with my computer in order to use Disk Utility from there hoping I can repartition the Macintosh HD (main) partition without losing any data, but that doesn't seem to be working.

This is what my current volume scheme looks like:

IMG_20130628_183941.jpg


My hard drive is partitioned into three partitions: Macintosh HD, Macintosh HD 2 and UNUSED. Macintosh HD has Mac OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.4 on it, which is my main partition and the one I have all the data stored on (movies, music, etc.). Macintosh HD 2 has another version of Mac OS X on it which I don't care to lose if need be. UNUSED used to be a Boot Camp partition which I partitioned manually since Boot Camp Assisant didn't want to work for me, and then I deleted that partition hoping I can use this free space (about 42GB) in order to expand/extend, whatever you call it, the main Macintosh HD partition, but that doesn't seem to work.

Basically what I want to do is restore all the space into Macintosh HD, use Boot Camp Assisant to create a Boot Camp partition and finally create another partition (Mac OS X Extended Journaled) and install that 'other' version of Mac OS X I want.

Is there a way to do this without losing the data I have at the moment?

Macintosh HD: 241.82GB
Macintosh HD 2: 35.57GB
UNUSED: 42.21GB

I Googled and I found that one way to do this is to use Gparted, but I am not even sure how to use it. It says GParted live so I am assuming it should be installed to a flash drive and booted from using rEFIT?

Thanks guys. If my problem/issue isn't clear, please let me know and I will try to rephrase it.
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
Is there data on that 35.57 GB partition? If not just delete it which will give you the 42 and the 35 as one partition. Then you can drag the main 241GB one down and hit apply and all should be fine.

But if you have data on that smaller partition you need to back that up some where as no way with any utility that I have ever used will that data be safe.

Then with the one large partition Bootcamp should work fine.
 
OP
Tarek
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Location
Cairo
Your Mac's Specs
13" 2015 MacBook Pro Retina / 15" 2010 MacBook Pro
Thank you so much, that worked. Basically what I did is delete both Macintosh HD 2 and UNUSED then drag the main one down and it gave me all of the space. Thanks again!
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Hey Dennis....

I just looked at the new iPartition 3.0. Web site says that it works with Boot Camp, Windows partitions, and even on PCs. Supposedly, it will non-destructively resize partitions. A bit pricey at $46 though.
 

dtravis7


Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 4, 2005
Messages
30,133
Reaction score
703
Points
113
Location
Modesto, Ca.
Your Mac's Specs
MacMini M-1 MacOS Monterey, iMac 2010 27"Quad I7 , MBPLate2011, iPad Pro10.5", iPhoneSE
Sounds good for the future for sure. Normally I can do what I want with DU but for some special partitioning it would be a great thing to have around.

Thanks for mentioning it.
 
OP
Tarek
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Location
Cairo
Your Mac's Specs
13" 2015 MacBook Pro Retina / 15" 2010 MacBook Pro
Thanks for the tip, chscag.

By the way, I have always tried to install Windows from a flash drive instead of the DVD disc on my Mac but failed, both on my early '08 MacBook Pro and my current one.

I tried following this tutorial to the word: Install Win 7 on MacBook Air from a USB drive | How To - CNET to no avail. I am guessing it's a MacBook Air only thing since it doesn't have an optical drive? I don't mind using the DVD disc at all, however on my Vaio I use a flash drive and it's much faster, not to mention a bit safer than having to use a DVD disc considering how weak the lens of the optical drive is. lol
 

chscag

Well-known member
Staff member
Admin
Joined
Jan 23, 2008
Messages
65,248
Reaction score
1,833
Points
113
Location
Keller, Texas
Your Mac's Specs
2017 27" iMac, 10.5" iPad Pro, iPhone 8, iPhone 11, iPhone 12 Mini, Numerous iPods, Monterey
Yep. If your MacBook Pro has an optical drive, you can't use that procedure. However, there are work arounds which I've seen posted. The problem with the work arounds, is that they don't always work. It's best to use your optical drive.
 
OP
Tarek
Joined
Sep 18, 2008
Messages
827
Reaction score
14
Points
18
Location
Cairo
Your Mac's Specs
13" 2015 MacBook Pro Retina / 15" 2010 MacBook Pro
Yeah, as I said I don't mind using the optical drive, in fact I'd rather have an optical drive than solely depend on USB ports or external optical drives. I am guessing a very radical approach to achieving this would be to physically disconnect the optical drive's cable from the motherboard in order for the Mac to automatically set the USB port as the second boot method after the hard disk, however it's not worth the hassle.
 

Shop Amazon


Shop for your Apple, Mac, iPhone and other computer products on Amazon.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Top