So today I decided to install ML. To do so I split my partition into two (the partition I was already using and another partition to install ML on) after this I installed ML into the blank partition I created with the intent to erase my old partition with Lion on it and add the free space from that to my new Mountain Lion partition. The only problem now is after I deleted the old Lion partition I don't know how to add the free space to my new (ML) partition. HELP?!?!
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Free Space and Primary Partition
- Thread starter mototriu
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Ok all you need is the USB/DVD which you used to make a bootable 10.8 drive. If you haven't already search youtube for a video on how to make a mountain lion bootable drive. Then, plug in the USB/DVD (whatever the bootable drive you created is). Restart your mac and when you listen to the sound that macs make when they boot press and hold alt/option key and choose the bootable drive using the keyboard arrows and then hit enter. Finally clean install mountain lion. If you dont know how to do so, search youtube or if you ask I will post here a link on how to do that step by step. It will take like 30 minutes.
Before I read this I ended up making a partition out of the free space and cloning my ML partition. After this I booted into the cloned ML partition and deleted the original ML partition, this allowed me to put the free space on one ML partition. My only problem now is I deleted the Recovery Partition by accident in the process on my macbook air, do you know how to get it back?
There is something called Internet Recovery on 10.7 & 10.8 I think. I have never used it though but you can look up for more info about it. What I know for sure is that doing a clean installation will help you not only get all of your free space back, but it will retrieve the Recovery Partition as well.
I just looked it up and your right. it looks like all I'll have to do is use internet recovery and re-install lion. Then all I have to do is install mountain lion over lion. Thank you for your help.
From what you have said, it sounds like you got ML from the App store? If so, just download ML again and reinstall over your existing installation and that will recreate your Recovery HD and will not remove any of your data. No need to install Lion first.
Backup first just to be safe though.
1. click the + button to create a new partition (#1) at the start
2. resize your current partition (#2) so it's smaller than #1
3. restore partition #2 to #1
4. boot up from #1, delete #2
5. resize #1 to fill entire hard drive
2. resize your current partition (#2) so it's smaller than #1
3. restore partition #2 to #1
4. boot up from #1, delete #2
5. resize #1 to fill entire hard drive
Yes I did download it from the app store, my air qualified for the up to date program. If I reinstall ML over my existing copy of ML will my recover partition have lion or mountain lion store on it?
If you reinstall Mountain Lion over top of what you have now you will have the Mountain Lion recovery partition if I understand your question correctly.
Alright that sounds great. Im downloading it now and I'll post back after it's reinstalled and everything. Thank you.
Alright I reinstalled ML and everything worked out great, i now have a ML recovery partition. One last question though, my mac shows me as only having 60 gb of space when it's a 64 gb air. Why is that? Is that 4 gb the OS or something?
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Actually, any hard disk (or SSD) does not have the storage the manufacturer says. Your total storage might be for example 62.8GB and not 64GB. Also, system stuff and Mountain Lion take up some space. Hope you're fine now.