Reformat HD to single partition for Boot Camp

I am setting up my new MacBook Pro 17. I set it up with a 50GB second partition and when I went to set up Boot Camp, it says I need a single non partioned disc. I have reinstalled OSX having gone through the disc utility as advised but the partioned disc remains. I am back doing another run through disc utility booting from the OSX disc and can find nothing there to let me delete the partion, I have erased both discs and done a clean install. Very frustrated, can anyone advise me on how to do this.

I had the same situation I don't remember how I have done that,
I have back up from my external hard drive. After that I might have restored. I am sorry I wrote as I remember.

Still frustrated

Thanks, I do have a back up on external drive, have tried that approach, as well as the clean install, but still the partition persists. It seems any erase, reinstall or other approach only deals with the partition selected. Have been searching Apple support as well and nothing comes up on how to delete a partition.

Success!!

Finally cracked it:
Basically quite simple, in disc utility, erase the main drive and reinstall, it clears the partitions.

How does that work? That is, if you only want one partition on the disk, how can you erase the disk without erasing the operating system, including the program that enable you to reload your information to the disk and disk utility and boot camp assistant and so forth. I'm struggling with this issue too and don't want to delete my entire hard drive because it seems like that would erase all the information on it including the OS and so forth. Is this correct?

sounds like you tried to install it on your partition table or something.

To tell the truth, I hadn't tried it, as I was afraid it would erase my hard drive. However, now I've become more daring as I've got Time Machine working with a recently acquired external hard drive. However, the computer won't let me erase the hard drive, as its the only partition and is the boot disk. Should I back up in some way other than with Time Machine, an image of the disk or something? Should I try to erase it with the external drive plugged in, maybe having a secondary drive would help? any advice?

Well, you obviously can't erase or otherwise format a hard disk when the operating system is up and running. Sort of like asking it to commit suicide.

You need to boot the machine from your install DVD, run "Disk Utility" from the top menu "Utilities" and then erase the disk. Make sure you have a good Time Machine backup made to an external drive before you proceed.

During the reinstall process of the operating system it will ask you if you wish to restore from backup. Reply yes and point to the Time Machine backup on the external drive. Once the restore finishes and you reboot back to OS X, Boot Camp should be able to create the partition for you.

Regards.