How to Partition without Formatting or Losing Data

Hello all,

I have a MacBook Air 13" with 256GB SSD. I have currently installed the OS to that. I have all my files in that. I would like to partition it to 2 partitions without Formatting or losing any data which is in that disk.

Any help?

Thanks in advance.

Disk Utility can do it without losing data, although you should NEVER assume it will go flawlessly. Make a backup first.

Before you can split the drive, it may need defragmenting. There's a crude way to do it by cloning your drive to an external backup; boot off the backup; wipe the internal drive; then clone the external drive back over. For this method, use SuperDuper or Carbon Copy Cloner (be sure to use the beta versions to preserve the Lion Recovery Partition!!!!) Or you can get a defragger. The best one IMO is iDefrag, although TechTool Pro has a capable defrag module also.

Read more here:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/com.shirtpocket/SuperDuper/Fragmentation.pdf

A warning here. I know that at least for Carbon Copy Cloner, the current version doesn't preserve the Lion Recovery Partition. I found this out the hard way. From what I've learned since, there is a beta version that will preserve it.
Will CCC clone the "Recovery HD" partition on Lion? / Frequently Asked Questions and Troubleshooting / Knowledge Base - Bombich Software Support

So, How do we do it in the Disk Utility? I still don't get the idea? Like in Windows, We have an option to do it.

Start the disk utility .
Choose disk using the factory name you like to partition
Than option partition .
Than option + on the bottom side
ON the right side is a symbol drag it to point you like to have it , meaning how big should that new partition be .
Than option Apply .
Do not stop this process until it is stop on its own

@lifeisabeach

The last two betas of CCC (I'm using the latest) will preserve the Recovery partition. It shows up as an option.

Also, I have read that using a defrag tool on an SSD is not recommended. What have you heard? (I have a copy of iDefrag.)

chscag said:

@lifeisabeach

The last two betas of CCC (I'm using the latest) will preserve the Recovery partition. It shows up as an option.

Click to expand...

Yep… when I found my Recovery partition went missing after cloning over a clean reinstall of Lion on a second partition, I found that I would have needed the beta version to preserve it. They really shouldn't be claiming 3.4.3 is Lion ready.

Also, I have read that using a defrag tool on an SSD is not recommended. What have you heard? (I have a copy of iDefrag.)

Click to expand...

Ah… I forgot he had an SSD. I haven't read anything one way or the other, but I can't imagine doing a defrag would help on those. Thanks for the catch. He may have to do something to compact the files though if they are spread all over. Or maybe not? I have no SSD experience. Must rectify that…

OWC certainly advise not to defray or clone an SSD for what it is worth.

Harry: Does OWC give any kind of explanation why they don't recommend using a defrag program or for that matter cloning? I'm just curious as to why they claim that? And is that their advice for just their SSDs or is it a general thing?