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Can't delete a partition in Disk Utility.

D

dannymout

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 30, 2016
2
1
Canada
I tried to put a clean install of OS 10.12 on my Mac. I did this by making another partition in DU, then installing OS 10.12 on it using the installer you can find download on the App Store, planning to delete the original partition. But, for some reason, in Disk Utility, I can't seem to delete the old partition. For some reason, I can delete the new partition (the one I want to keep).

I attached an image showing what Disk Utility is doing.

screen-shot-2016-04-30-at-11-55-05-am-png.629449
 

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Run these two commands in Terminal and post the output of each command so we can see what is going on.

Code: 
diskutil list

diskutil cs list

Confirm Fenix is the one you want to delete?
 
Weaselboy said:
Run these two commands in Terminal and post the output of each command so we can see what is going on.

Code: 
diskutil list

diskutil cs list

Confirm Fenix is the one you want to delete?
Click to expand...

Yes, I'd like to delete Fenix.

When I typed diskutil list, I got:

Code: 
/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:      GUID_partition_scheme                        *251.0 GB   disk0
   1:                        EFI EFI                     209.7 MB   disk0s1
   2:                  Apple_HFS Fenix                   149.6 GB   disk0s2
   3:          Apple_CoreStorage Danny                   99.9 GB    disk0s4
   4:                 Apple_Boot Recovery HD             650.0 MB   disk0s5
/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):
   #:                       TYPE NAME                    SIZE       IDENTIFIER
   0:                  Apple_HFS Danny                  +99.5 GB    disk1
                                 Logical Volume on disk0s4
                                 5BFFA964-566A-4F14-94A7-E3BFB5E5F4A1
                                 Unencrypted

Then, when I typed diskutil cs list, I got:

Code: 
CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)
|
+-- Logical Volume Group 7C5D0956-2DD7-41D7-80E7-3F521220E373
    =========================================================
    Name:         Danny
    Status:       Online
    Size:         99910004736 B (99.9 GB)
    Free Space:   18984960 B (19.0 MB)
    |
    +-< Physical Volume 025A573D-2085-4E00-A67B-8068AC9C970C
    |   ----------------------------------------------------
    |   Index:    0
    |   Disk:     disk0s4
    |   Status:   Online
    |   Size:     99910004736 B (99.9 GB)
    |
    +-> Logical Volume Family DAFB8453-4849-4CA1-A36D-B42A792CB31B
        ----------------------------------------------------------
        Encryption Type:         None
        |
        +-> Logical Volume 5BFFA964-566A-4F14-94A7-E3BFB5E5F4A1
            ---------------------------------------------------
            Disk:                  disk1
            Status:                Online
            Size (Total):          99538698240 B (99.5 GB)
            Revertible:            Yes (no decryption required)
            LV Name:               Danny
            Volume Name:           Danny
            Content Hint:          Apple_HFS


The partition I want to keep is called Danny.
 
Okay... you have a couple things going on here we need work around. First, the Danny volume is a "core storage" volume and cannot be resized without turing off core storage. So Open Terminal and enter the line below then wait for core storage to "revert" on Danny.

Code: 
diskutil cs revert "Danny"

Second problem is Fenix is before Danny, so Fenix cannot be resized or removed. So let's do this. Once Danny has completed the core storage revert, do a command-r boot to recovery. Then open Disk Utility and click Fenix. Then in the edit menu click Restore... You will get a window like this. In the Restore from: dropdown select Danny then click Restore. This will clone Danny to Fenix.

Looking at my screenshot I am restoring Macintosh HD to Backup. So using my example you should have Fenix selected where I have Backup selected... then you should have Danny selected where I have Macintosh HD on the dropdown. Make sense?

Okay, once that completes, go ahead and reboot while holding the option key at startup. This will bring ups boot manage where you can select Fenix to boot to. Now you should be able to use Disk Utility from there to remove Danny (since we copied Danny to Fenix you won't lose anything) then resize Fenix to fill the disk.

Then open Finder and select Fenix then hit the return key and rename it to Danny.

Lastly open System Preferences and in the Startup Disk panel select Danny as the boot disk.

So to summarize, we turned off core storage on Danny, then copied Danny to Fenix, the killed Danny and renamed Fenix to Danny. This would get you the end result you want.

Before you do any of this at all, make sure you have a good backup in case things get sideways.

Screen Shot 2016-04-30 at 11.15.32 AM.png
 
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Hi Weaselboy,

I had the same problem as dannymout described in this threat, so I also followed your advice. Everything seemed to work, except for the fact that my single remaining (visible) partition didn't get the disk space back from the partition I had successfully deleted. Instead, it seems that the system has allocated that disk space (aprox 100 GB) to the Recovery HD partition.

I can't get that one to shrink to 1 GB size and allocate 100GB back to 'Macintosh HD'. Hope you can help!

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *320.1 GB disk0
1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1
2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 219.1 GB disk0s2
3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 100.1 GB disk0s3
 
mausman22 said:
Hi Weaselboy,

I had the same problem as dannymout described in this threat, so I also followed your advice. Everything seemed to work, except for the fact that my single remaining (visible) partition didn't get the disk space back from the partition I had successfully deleted. Instead, it seems that the system has allocated that disk space (aprox 100 GB) to the Recovery HD partition.

I can't get that one to shrink to 1 GB size and allocate 100GB back to 'Macintosh HD'. Hope you can help!

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: GUID_partition_scheme *320.1 GB disk0
1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1
2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 219.1 GB disk0s2
3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 100.1 GB disk0s3
Click to expand...

Boot to Internet recovery by holding command-option-r at boot... then use Disk Utility to erase the whole drive by selecting the drive itself at the very top of the left column then erasing to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). That should erase the whole drive back to one partition. Then quit Disk Util and reinstall the OS.
 
I'm having a similar issue and would really appreciate some help solving it. I have an iMac with a 3TB Fusion Drive. After partitioning it and installing High Sierra on the partition, I want to merge the partitions back into 1. I tried some of the commands in Terminal but I still can't get all the space back on my Fusion Drive.

At this point, I've cloned my High Sierra system disk using Carbon Copy Cloner to an external drive, so all I really need to do is format the Fusion Drive back to 3TB and reinstall.

However, when I restarted in Internet Recovery Mode, I can't erase the Fusion Drive (Erase is grayed out) and it's telling me that the Fusion Drive is only 1.3 TB (unless I choose Partition tab, then I can see it's a 3TB drive).

Here is my diskutil list screenshot.

Screen Shot 2018-04-27 at 8.33.40 AM.png
 
Get back in Internet recovery with a command-option-r boot then in the Utilities menu open Terminal and run this command. That will kill the Fusion drive.

Code: 
diskutil cs delete "Macintosh HD"

Then follow the steps in post #6 here and post #14 in the same thread to format the drives and rebuild the Fusion drive.
 
Thank you I was able to get my Fusion Drive back! One more question: do you recommend I reinstall Mac OS then use Migration Assistant to move everything back to the fusion drive, or can I just use Carbon Copy Cloner to copy the clone back?
 
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Jumping on the bandwagon here. I've got a similar issue. Partitioned HD then installed HighSierra on the smaller partition. Now I'd like to delete the HS partition. DiskUtility won't let me select the partition to do so.
[doublepost=1529499205][/doublepost]Well I was able to open disk Utility in recovery mode and delete the partition and the free space. Now I’m stuck “applying changes to.... Got the spinning beach ball. How long should this take?
 

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rmjryost said:
Jumping on the bandwagon here. I've got a similar issue. Partitioned HD then installed HighSierra on the smaller partition. Now I'd like to delete the HS partition. DiskUtility won't let me select the partition to do so.
[doublepost=1529499205][/doublepost]Well I was able to open disk Utility in recovery mode and delete the partition and the free space. Now I’m stuck “applying changes to.... Got the spinning beach ball. How long should this take?
Click to expand...
It looks like you have a Fusion drive setup there. To get the space back and start over you will need to delete the Fusion drive and rebuild it.

First use Time Machine to make a backup to an external drive of the volume you want to keep.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/i-think-i-just-broke-my-new-imac.1973683/

Then follow the steps in posts #6 and #14 in this thread to get back to one large Fusion drive. Then restore back from the Time Machine drive.
 
So after about 30 minutes of the spinning beach ball, I saw a post that if you get stuck at "check drive exit 0" or something like that, try a cmd opt esc or hard restart. Did that system came back up on normal boot drive. Checked Disk Util again and partition and free space are gone. Just really unnerving to do a hard restart after messing with Disk Util.

I guess there are some features in Disk Util that aren't available until used in Recovery Mode.
 
here we go again...reviving this thread..
Howdy. Weaselboy.....Just wondering..I see your status as green. I'm a newbie here but fairly familiar with Macs. Would you be able to help me with a similar problem you dealt with here?......https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/cant-delete-a-partition-in-disk-utility.1970428/

I have been trying terminal command to delete the recovery hd. It's a real PITA with the High Sierra OS.

Ideally I would like to have a clean sweep and partition my 1 TB HD with Sierra and Snow Leopard sharing the HD. I use a lot of the older Snow leopard apps ...garage band and especially iPhoto.

I did have this set up with a dual boot between Snow leopard and Sierra...then I upgraded to High Sierra and messed some of my apps. up. Now....I can't revert....tried everything I can find online to delete the recovery partition. I am assuming if I can delete it...it will allow me to reinstall older versions. I'm on a 27" iMac ..late 2009.

here's what I have currently...any help would be greatly appreciated.Thanks, Doug


/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):


#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER


0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0


1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1


2: Apple_HFS #1 target partition 250.2 GB disk0s2


3: Apple_Boot 650.0 MB disk0s7


4: Apple_HFS #2 750 GB 748.5 GB disk0s5


5: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s6




[Process completed]



as it stands I'm booting /running off of the second partition #2 750 GB.

I am happy to leave it as is if I could only install Leopard /snow Leopard on the #1 target partition.
 
Last edited:
Don't worry about the recovery partition. Just erase the 250GB partition then reinstall Sierra to that partition.

I'm assuming here you have the Sierra installer.
 
Howdy...yes I have Sierra... I can access it from the recovery hd / recovery startup and have "been there" with Sierra in the first (250 Gb) partition. My dilemma is...I can't add an older os when I partition my hd, anywhere, any how..
Any thoughts?
[doublepost=1534093885][/doublepost]Sierra , as mentioned is what the Mac is running now in the second partition...
Screen Shot 2018-08-12 at 1.10.39 PM.png

[doublepost=1534094470][/doublepost]I have tried as well to revert to El Capitan using an external HD formatted as a "bootable installer" I believe Capitan wasn't locked down as much, allowing more options for installing older versions. I can't budge or move around very much with High Sierra...........
 
Last edited:
The problem there is the one you want to resize (#1) is above #2, so you will not be able to resize it. Can you just select #1 target in Disk Util and erase the partition only?
 
Weaselboy said:
The problem there is the one you want to resize (#1) is above #2, so you will not be able to resize it. Can you just select #1 target in Disk Util and erase the partition only?
Click to expand...

yes...I can, would you use the options in the screenshot posted here? Thanks, d
Screen Shot 2018-08-12 at 2.54.01 PM.png

[doublepost=1534100332][/doublepost]if so...I'll proceed. I keep second guessing myself...am I missing some small step or incorrect partition format? It shouldn't be this convoluted...or should it?? :)
 
thanks for getting back...here is what I have after the erase.

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS #1 target partition 250.2 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot 650.0 MB disk0s7

4: Apple_HFS #2 750 GB 748.5 GB disk0s5

5: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s6



[Process completed]


Screen Shot 2018-08-12 at 3.47.32 PM.png
 
Not exactly...as mentioned in 15 and 17 ^^^^^, I am currently running High Sierra....I would like to run 10.6.8 SL in my partitioned HD.
With Sierra and it's associated "recovery partition", I cannot install a previous OS...anywhere.
If you could walk me through a procedure that would allow me to dual boot between H.S. an S.L. and or delete the Recovery HD partition, that would be awesome.
As mentioned, prior to the High Sierra update , I was able to run a dual boot HD with both OS as mentioned above.
I was trying to migrate some apps around and ended up losing my partitions, my bad!

I have tried just about every terminal command I can create and /or find online...nothing seems to allow me to delete anything.

The recovery HD .......listed here twice?? disc 6 and 7, I cannot delete.
If I could delete the recovery HD and or H.S. located on disk 5, I believe I could install Snow Leopard and or revert back and install the less intrusive El Capitan and have the option to install a previous OS. Clear as mud...eh?

Thanks, Doug

/dev/disk0 (internal, physical):

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS #1 target partition 250.2 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot 650.0 MB disk0s7

4: Apple_HFS #2 750 GB 748.5 GB disk0s5

5: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s6



[Process completed]
 
Last edited:
If you have erased the partition and have the bootable installer, just boot to the installer and install to whatever partition you want. It sounds like maybe you are trying to install from command-r recovery, and that is not going to do what you want.
 
Been there...tried that..nada. Unless I'm doing it wrong? On start up, I'm holding the option key and looking for my external boot (shown here) in the window

Screen Shot 2018-08-13 at 10.29.14 AM.png





Screen Shot 2018-08-13 at 10.25.10 AM.png


It doesn't appear. I'll take a shot and get back 2 U shortly......
[doublepost=1534171827][/doublepost]
IMG_20180813_103231013.jpg
IMG_20180813_103239861.jpg
IMG_20180813_103248899.jpg

[doublepost=1534171946][/doublepost]oops..forgot. It does appear but as you can see in the screenshots, it doesn't move forward and the machine just sits in the last window.
[doublepost=1534172431][/doublepost]I believe some terminal command voodoo is the only cure for a cure and I'm not qualified to do a full on exorcism. any help would be appreciated..cheers,d
 
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