Space lost issue on MBA

Hi all, I have an MBA 2009, model A1304. The Hard drive system information says its an "Apple SSD SM128". But when I look at the available and total space, I have one partition 28.8GB (bootcamp) and one 38.8GB (Main MacOS). Those are the total sizes. They come to 67.6GB. Now I read many forum posts complaining on 5GB lost here, 10 there. But this is like half the SSD drive. Could it be that its going bad and half of it was marked off limits or something.

When I boot the machine to MacOS, it shows a similar state.

I would appreciate any help in tackling this.

PS when I look at the Admin tools > System management > Storage > Disk Management screen in Windows, it shows a 45GB "Unallocated space" partition, which is invisible under MacOS. I guess this is the missing space. Can I format it and use it under Windows? can MacOS or BootCamp be using half the SSD drive for its housekeeping usage?

Bootcamp 3.2, OSX 10.6.7

Thanks..!

Open Disc Utitlity - in Applications / Utilities

Highlight the drive - topmost item in left sidebar
Then go to the Partition tab
Give us a screen shot.

Screenshots

Hi, thanks for this. Interestingly, the Mac OS partition utility also shows a 45GB area unused between the partition, which it lets me use to expand the Mac HD partition. (I didn't do it yet, only on the interface then cancelled). But its very strange - this Mac Air started as an MacOS only device; presumably (I don't remember ever checking it then) the Mac HD partition originally used all of the SSD space, as factory configured by Apple. I then installed Bootcamp. Could Bootcamp have thrown away half the hard drive space in to an unused partition, and for what purpose would it have done that?

I would like now to format this partition to be used by Bootcamp (i.e. Windows) not the Mac OS. So there should be no harm to the MacOS if I go to windows and format it?

Again many thanks.

BootCamp would not have done that. At least I've never seen a report of it doing that.

Will it allow you to drag the line between the unused space and the Windows partition and drag it upward to enlarge the Windows partition?

To create a new partition in the free space (I've never had a drive configured like that on a Mac), I think - in the 1st pic of Disk Utility above, you would click on the + sign below the partition map.

Another option to resize the Windows partition is Paragon's CampTune.

As always, before playing with any of the partitions on the drive, have backups in place.
I would also add, I have never played with the partitions that were created by BootCamp except by using BootCamp.
There are a few here more experienced than I.

Thanks for that! what I want is for that new partition to be accessible from Windows. Can the MacOS format it like that? I don't mind if its not accessible from the Mac. I'm just running out of space in the Windows partition. Will try dragging upward as you said...

You can't drag upward and expand the Boot Camp partition without destroying the Windows boot sector. Besides, the partition manager portion of Disk Utility has no way to expand or contract NTFS. Use the Paragon Camp Tune utility that was recommended by Staff member bobtomay. It works.

As I thought. Won't Windows be able to format the space for itself without harming the Mac OS?
I'm a bit wary of using 3rd party partitioning utilities...funny though Windows would be a kind of 3rd party utility to a Mac
Thanks

chscag is much more familiar with this.

I wouldn't however, create a new partition for Windows to use. You're down to less than 10% free space in your Windows partition and you're bound to already be experiencing slow downs there due to that only. I'd be looking to enlarge the OS partition.

The two real options for that would be: a) use BootCamp and restore the whole drive to OS X, then use it again to create a larger Windows partition and reinstall or b) use CampTune. Have not used CampTune, but have only heard good things about it. I do use Paragon's NTFS for Mac and wholeheartedly recommend that software.

ok I get it (finally). But would Camptune, a Mac program know about updating the Windows MBR that there is a new partition? from what I remember, if this is not done, Windows won't boot anymore...

CampTune can expand and contract a Windows partition without disturbing the Windows boot sector. However, you might want to use WinClone instead of CampTune since WinClone can make a backup copy as well as expand the partition. Download WinClone from here. It's $19.99 to buy a license.

One more thing... If I back up the whole SSD image with winclone and something happens, can the Mac Air boot from a USB drive or an external DVD drive so I can restore it?

thanks