Disk Utility question - repartitioning...

Hi all,

I've got a question about repartitioning that I'm not sure I can do, and would rather get some feedback before I try ) (numbers are of course for demonstration purposes as the actual amount of space on the drive is different from the numbers below)

Ok - I know I can shrink a partition (assuming it's not really fragmented) and create a new partition in the new free space. I did this already for a test OSX install. So, right now, the drive (128G SSD) has two partitions, one ~25gig, the other (the original install) ~103gig.

I have found I didn't quite give myself enough free space on the test OSX install, and need a few more gigs. In this, I'd hate to have to do a re-install if I don't have to.

I know I can shrink down the 103gig partition by 5 gigs no problem.

But, my problem is - can I shift up and expand the second partition by that 5 gig? So in the end, I'd have main part being ~98 gigs, second part ~30gigs.

I'm not sure on the shifting up and expanding part of this challenge..

Any input would be appreciated before I risk my test OS from being damaged..

I'm really not sure you can go the "other way" without using special software. In Windows, I would pop in my "Partition Magic" CD, boot and go to work without fear of losing data or screwing up the partition table. It's a bit different with using DU. I've had no problem shrinking partitions and moving data but have not tried expanding.

If you really need to expand that partition you might want to use "iPartition" which is a non-destructive partitioning utility similar to my favorite Partition Magic. Not sure you want to spend $44.95 though.

Hi Chscag,

yeah, PM is nice on windows, I've used it several times - I wish DU had that functionality (that I had confidence in)

And you're also right, don't really want to spend the $44.95 right now, it'd be cheaper for me to make a TM of the partition, delete it, shrink the other partition a bit more and make a new one; was just hoping I could get away without doing that (and without spending near $50)


-----UPDATE ----
It wouldn't let me shift and expand the partition I needed to make larger, so I had a TM backup of it, the erased the partition and recreated a larger one. Annoying and took more time then I would have wanted to spend, but it did work in the end.