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Hard drive not using full amount of space

C

c0bracommander

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 5, 2008
49
0
So I must have partitioned this hard drive (it's still somewhat new), and now, when I try to resize it to its normal setting with no partitions, it tells me I can't.

Here are some screenshots documenting what I'm talking about:

Original:
26lSA.png


When I resize it:
slzGC.png


The popup before I choose "partition":
WAE33.png


The error message:
R89Yf.png


I understand that I'm trying to partition something with only one partition, but I could have sworn that just expanding the partition to make it full would take care of the problem and let me get back that unused space (all 200 gigs worth).

Any idea on how to reclaim that unused space without losing my current data?
 
you can not resize the partition if you are booting from the partition

put your install disc in and do it with the install disc , on top choose options and disc utility , but backup first :)

and a 1Tb disc never has 1000gb they have only 900and something gb and thats normal i guess -10% is acceptable to call it 1tb :(
 
Guys, he is not talking about the 1TB/931GB difference, he is talking about unallocated hard drive space. Read again and look at the screenshots!

MacHamster68 said:
you can not resize the partition if you are booting from the partition
Click to expand...

Wrong. But it might help to boot from the install disc anyway.

c0bracommander, I found one possible solution on the InsanelyMac forums. I suggests backing up your data before trying it though.
 
i had the same issue while installing SL on my main HD which is a SSD

total size should 80.03 Gb

but even if i select to partition into 1 partition, it comes up with 1 partition of 79.68 Gb and the rest is unallocated

it doesn't really bother me but i was wondering why the partition cannot take advantage of the full space (80.03 Gb)
 
Boot off of your install CD then go to Disk Utility in the upper menu. Click Options to make sure it's APM partition map. Where it shows "Volume Scheme, current", click that menu and then select 1 partition. Then click Apply to format and partition the drive.
 
already tried many times
especially during the installation of SL

at this time, the drive was not the boot drive yet and i couldn't get the full capacity

it's just a couple of Mb and it doesn't really bother me but it could be useful to know why the system does not allocate the whole capacity
 
Stated Drive Size

macchiato2009 said:
i had the same issue while installing SL on my main HD which is a SSD

total size should 80.03 Gb

but even if i select to partition into 1 partition, it comes up with 1 partition of 79.68 Gb and the rest is unallocated

it doesn't really bother me but i was wondering why the partition cannot take advantage of the full space (80.03 Gb)
Click to expand...

What is the manufactures stated drive size?
 
hamlinspahn said:
What is the manufactures stated drive size?
Click to expand...

80

but under SL with the new file system, 80.03 are recognized

i know that free space is usually less than stated but under SL, a small amount of space remains unallocated, this doesn't make sense
 
Two Approaches To Counting

macchiato2009 said:
80

but under SL with the new file system, 80.03 are recognized

i know that free space is usually less than stated but under SL, a small amount of space remains unallocated, this doesn't make sense
Click to expand...

It’s the difference between kilobytes and kibibytes SL reports like a drive manufacture states size but the actual partition is still reported the correct way. So no different than in the past, stated size bigger.
 
hamlinspahn said:
It’s the difference between kilobytes and kibibytes SL reports like a drive manufacture states size but the actual partition is still reported the correct way. So no different than in the past, stated size bigger.
Click to expand...

I previously had the exact same SSD in another mac (MBP)

during the initial clean install of SL

80.03 Gb were detected and i got 1 partition of 80.03 Gb

so it doesn't really make sense
 
It Doesn't Make Sense

macchiato2009 said:
I previously had the exact same SSD in another mac (MBP)

during the initial clean install of SL

80.03 Gb were detected and i got 1 partition of 80.03 Gb

so it doesn't really make sense
Click to expand...

I'm not sure why you would get different result on different SL machines. I was referencing a document that I found at Apple that explained the difference in reported size in SL from previous versions of OS X, so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with it. I obviously don't know what has happened to the 2 different SL installs and Macs you have used or if anything has, but the 80.03 is what you should expect in a perfect SL world and the 78,79 or so you are seeing it what you would see in any previous versions of OS X. Just some things off of the top of my head that could be in play are Upgrade vs Clean install, firmware, hardware on the two different Macs, but they could be identical for all I know. But at the end of the day the lower number sounds correct to the actual space on the drive so I don't think you are losing anything as the partition size is what I would expect prior to this new found SL knowledge. I really thought I had discovered the source of you issue.
 
macchiato2009 said:
i had the same issue while installing SL on my main HD which is a SSD

total size should 80.03 Gb

but even if i select to partition into 1 partition, it comes up with 1 partition of 79.68 Gb and the rest is unallocated

it doesn't really bother me but i was wondering why the partition cannot take advantage of the full space (80.03 Gb)
Click to expand...

Hidden EFI partition?
 
Well once you do figure it out, you won't be able to install Snow Leopard anyways onto your iMac G5 as SL doesn't support PowerPC. You will need Leopard 10.5 install media.
 
hamlinspahn said:
I'm not sure why you would get different result on different SL machines. I was referencing a document that I found at Apple that explained the difference in reported size in SL from previous versions of OS X, so I'm pretty sure it has something to do with it. I obviously don't know what has happened to the 2 different SL installs and Macs you have used or if anything has, but the 80.03 is what you should expect in a perfect SL world and the 78,79 or so you are seeing it what you would see in any previous versions of OS X. Just some things off of the top of my head that could be in play are Upgrade vs Clean install, firmware, hardware on the two different Macs, but they could be identical for all I know. But at the end of the day the lower number sounds correct to the actual space on the drive so I don't think you are losing anything as the partition size is what I would expect prior to this new found SL knowledge. I really thought I had discovered the source of you issue.
Click to expand...

in both cases, i did a clean install

so that's why i don't understand why and how i can get 2 different results with the same model of SSD with SL
 
Whoa this thread sure didn't go where I expected...

Anyway, I'm not sure what I can do unless I back up all my data (600 gigs worth) to get the extra 200 gigs which isn't in a partition and isn't being used.

I originally partitioned the hard drive to have ~ 200 gigs for an Ubuntu partition and the rest would be for OS X. I deleted the Ubuntu partition, and can't get back that space.

I put in my installer disc, but it's providing me with the same option when the disk isn't in: Wipe the drive clean and start all over. Nope, not going to do that. I don't have a backup drive greater than the 1 TB hard drive which I am currently using to transfer all my stuff to.

Oh, and macchiato... Get used to not seeing the full amount of space on your hard drive. I legitimately have extra space that is being unused. You are using the full amount, computers calculate the bits differently than what was advertised on your drive when you bought it. Hard drive manufacturers like to use round numbers to sell products.

edit: read this: http://lifehacker.com/5349204/snow-leopard-reports-hard-drive-capacity-correctly-in-base-10
 
You just solved your problem right there with the Ubuntu partition that you created and you can't get the 1 full partition back without wiping everything which will require you to back everything up to another external hard drive. I don't know of any software utilities out there that could do that for you.

And like I mentioned earlier, make sure you get the right OS first before doing anything as Snow Leopard is not supported on your PPC iMac G5. You need Leopard 10.5 install CDs.

Back up your data to an external hard drive and then load up the OS disc and go to disc utility. From the drop down menu, select 1 partition and the right partition map, Apple Partition Map. Name your new single parititon and then click apply. Quit disc utility and then install your OS and using Migration assistant, restore all your old settings and files.

c0bracommander said:
Whoa this thread sure didn't go where I expected...

Anyway, I'm not sure what I can do unless I back up all my data (600 gigs worth) to get the extra 200 gigs which isn't in a partition and isn't being used.

I originally partitioned the hard drive to have ~ 200 gigs for an Ubuntu partition and the rest would be for OS X. I deleted the Ubuntu partition, and can't get back that space.

I put in my installer disc, but it's providing me with the same option when the disk isn't in: Wipe the drive clean and start all over. Nope, not going to do that. I don't have a backup drive greater than the 1 TB hard drive which I am currently using to transfer all my stuff to.

Oh, and macchiato... Get used to not seeing the full amount of space on your hard drive. I legitimately have extra space that is being unused. You are using the full amount, computers calculate the bits differently than what was advertised on your drive when you bought it. Hard drive manufacturers like to use round numbers to sell products.

edit: read this: http://lifehacker.com/5349204/snow-leopard-reports-hard-drive-capacity-correctly-in-base-10
Click to expand...
 
The easiest way to do it would be to get an external hard drive as big as the total space used on your iMac g5. Make sure it has Firewire on it as you need that to boot. Download Superduper! to clone your drive to the external one. You can then boot from your external(which is an exact copy as your internal) and load up Disc Utility to partition the internal drive with 1 partition to full capacity.

After the formatting/partitioning is complete, just run SuperDuper! again to clone your drive back to the internal. This is the easiest way without using any OS installation discs. You can then use that external for backup. :)
 
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