deleting a windows partition

[obadiahorthodox]

I did some research about this and tried A) holding down the CMD and C keys
B) holding down the CMD and R keys
C) from the Snow Leopard disk
The thing is, the SL disk does not open the installer so I can go to disk Utilities and wipe the disk. I tried literally every suggestion on the net, youtube videos, written instructions that I printed from the web, nothing works. All I want is to wipe out the windows partition and get back that space on my HD. I'm really starting to hate the person who installed the windows partition and then made it an empty OS.

 

[bobtomay]

If it will not boot to the recovery partition by holding the Cmd and R keys at boot up, then I would go back to the suggestion of ordering your own copy of 10.7 direct from Apple and creating your own 10.7 installable boot disk.

Don't see any reason to replace the hard drive unless you just want to replace the current drive with a larger faster drive. In which case, you're still going to need 10.7 if you wish to install it.

 

[obadiahorthodox]

Last question (I promise) When I get the Lion thumb drive, will I be able to go into disk utilities and erase the HD and then do a clean install of Lion? Should I choose "120.03 GB ST9120822A" Or the second choice "untitled" ? If that does not work, I might as well get a new HD and do a fresh install of Lion.

 

[bobtomay]

Since I have not seen a pic of your Disk Utility, and with your admitted limited knowledge, I am hesitant to provide much info as to what you should do.

Based on what you just wrote, I do not believe there is even a Windows partition on your drive.

If when you compare yours to mine, the top entry:
120 GB ST... would be the same as my 500 GB ....
That is the drive - that is not a partition.

If you only have one listing indented below that named "untitled" and when you highlight the 120GB top entry and then go to the Partitions tab and only see 1 partition named "untitled" and that untitled partition takes up the entire space of the drive, that is your OS X partition and you do not have a 2nd partition for windows on that drive.

 

[obadiahorthodox]

deleting a windows partition Reply to Thread

If what you say is true, when I start my computer holding down the option key why are there TWO HDs One "Untitled" and one "Windows"?
Like I said before, when I click the Windows HD it opens and says " Missing operating system" Then I have to press the power button to shut the computer off.
Then I turn on the computer while holding down the option key, the two HDs show up, then I put the SL disk into my optical drive and in a few moments the Mac OS X install DVD appears, I click that and then I get a screen with the Apple logo with the spinning wheel (not the multi colored one), and thats it, nothing opens up, nothing happens.
I have played movie DVDs on this computer with no problem, so I know its not the optical drive. The only thing I can think of is when the previous owner installed Lion and the Windows and then erased the windows OS and left me with an empty OS for windows, it did something to the computer which makes it impossible to boot from the SL installation DVD.
I guess on the First of the Month, I will take it to either the Genius Bar, or a qualified Apple Repair store and see if they can fix it.
Again, thank you for all your help.

 

[harryb2448]

Yes the Lion USB thumb drive advertised in your link would do just that. Boot from the thumb drive by holding down 'C", go into Utilities and erase and partition the hard drive Mac OS Extended (Journaled), back to the Installer and proceed with install. Then update to OS X.7.5 over the 'net.

 

[obadiahorthodox]

Thank you, I will call up the 1800MYAPPLE tomorrow and order one. There are so many junk files on my computer from the previous owner especially that 2nd HD windows I need to do a complete wipe of my Hard Drive so I can get rid of all the junk that accumulated over the years.
While I was looking at the different threads I came across this: http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/buy-sell-trade/231426-prepping-your-mac-resale.html I followed the link Easily Prep Your Mac for Resale and very carefully read the whole thing. I carefully followed the directions even though I dont like to mess with anything that as to do with the terminal because if you dont know what your doing you can destroy your computer. After I typed everything in exactly as he had written, I rebooted and It worked. My OS was like the first day it was started. I was able to register the computer with Apple and get everything set up like it was brand new right out of the box. The first thing I checked was to see if the Windows HD was gone, sad to say its still there. So I need to get the Lion thumb drive and do a complete wipe of my disk to get rid of it.

 

[MacInWin]

Now that it will boot, try using Boot Camp to uninstall Windows again. If that doesn't work then try rebooting the three ways bobtomay suggested in post #20 above. If you can get to the recovery boot partition, then you can repartition and reinstall from there.

 

[obadiahorthodox]

I will try them again. I couldn't use Boot Camp because it says I can't partition the disk. I am erasing the free space right now, using the disk utility, but that's about all I can do at this point. I called Apple this morning and they do not sell the Lion thumb drives anymore. I am going to make an appointment with the Genius Bar this week and see if they have any ideas about getting rid of that windows HD.
Its getting critical, this morning my computer automatically booted into the windows HD and I had to manually boot into the Lion OS. There must be some hidden files left over when the previous owner erased windows but left an empty OS.
In disk utilities it shows I have two things, the top is called " 120.03 GB ST9120822A..." the one below that is called "untitled". When I clicked "120.03..." and clicked erase, the format is "MS-DOS (FAT) the name is "untitled" all the buttons are greyed out.
When I clicked Partition it says Partition Layout current untitled. The format is Mac OS Extended (journaled) the button is greyed out. all the other buttons are also greyed out.
When I clicked the partition layout button from current to one partition the name changed to UNTITLED 1 the format is MS-DOS (FAT) and the size is 120.03 GB. the partition button is now greyed out, but the format button is active and so are the revert and apply buttons. The message says " To erase and partition the selected disk, choose a layout from the partition layout pop-up menu, set options for each partition, and click apply. The selected partition will be created." The options button is greyed out.I clicked the revert button and everything went back to the way it was.
I have no idea what any of this means. Maybe this is where the windows OS HD is located because it is MS-DOS (FAT), I'm definitely not going to make any changes to this until I get professional help.
If any body out here has an idea about this, please let me know.

 

[obadiahorthodox]

I made an appointment at the Genius Bar where I live, and took it in, they diagnosed the problem and found the solution. My Mac Book will be ready tomorrow. The software is free. I want them to look at my optical drive because I have been having issues with it. That will cost $89.00 + labor & tax, if I need a new one. I'll pick it up tomorrow.I'm so glad there is an Apple Store where I live. All in all things worked out very nicely.
Here is the report they sent me by email:

"Genius Bar Work Authorization
Repair No: R99609662
Customer Information

Product Information
Robert Robinson Warranty Status: Out of Warranty(OW)
USA Model: VIN MACBOOK (13-INCH MID 2007)
Date of Purchase: 23-May-07
Serial No: W87212Z6YA5

Problem Description/Diagnosis

Issue: This computer has two partitions, one is a windows partition with no windows OS. The other is named Untitled and boots to that, but there is no recovery drive, even though the OS is Lion. Also, DVDs do not seem to play.
Steps to Reproduce: Option booting verifies the issue above. Unable to verify the combo drive issue.
Proposed Resolution: Erase and repartition the hard drive so that there is only one partition, then install Lion. Then triage combo drive to see if DVD plays. If it does not, replace combo drive.
Cosmetic Condition: Cracks all over the top case. Fracture at display hinge on bottom case. Dirty all over. Multiple cracks around the bottom case. "