How can I regain disk capacity to Macintosh HD partition?

[grwren]

Hi. I'm hoping some one can offer some advise here because I can't figure out how to increase the size of my Macintosh HD partition!

My imac hd has three partitions, Macintosh HD, Macintosh HD2 (which I created to do something else) and Recovery HD (is that actually suppose to be there???). As I don't need Mac. HD2 to be as large any longer I'd like to take some capacity from Mac. HD2 and add it back to the Mac. HD or just delete it all together. But all I seem to be able to do is add another partition to either Mac. HD or Mac. HD2 & Recovery HD. If I delete Mac. HD2 it then then just adds that capacity only to the Recovery HD partition! I've attached a screen shot for reference.

And regarding Recovery HD, is that even suppose to be there? I don't recall it being there before. Isn't Recovery suppose to be in firmware or in a hidden partition on the Macintosh HD partition? Is it safe to delete? Is it possibly also the reason I get two Recovery icons when I boot with the Option key pressed (that's new too!)?

Any advise or questions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

 

[MacUser2525]

Easiest way to do it. Backup the computer to a bootable copy on an external drive with something like Carbon Copy Cloner or Super Duper. Boot from the backup clone wipe the internal hard drive and restore your external copy to the newly formatted and partitioned internal drive.

Edit: now I think you should be able to do a restore from Time Machine backup when booted from the recovery partition too, having wiped the hard drive to put it back to one partition first.

 

[grwren]

Edit: now I think you should be able to do a restore from Time Machine backup when booted from the recovery partition too, having wiped the hard drive to put it back to one partition first.

Thanks and I hope you're right with that. In fact, a good bit of what I've come across seems to agree, boot in Recovery mode (CMD + R) and then recover every thing from Time Machine. I may have to eventually give that a try but I was hoping not too have to go to that extreme just yet.

I'm still researching other ways to regain the space but in my travels I've come across a number of discussions that seem to indicate that the Recovery HD partition that now shows up in Disk Utility is likely the reason I can't enlarge the Macintosh HD partition, but it's also very likely not needed. This web site, https://www.hawkdive.com/how-to-check-if-your-mac-has-recovery/, shows how to check a mac for the hidden recovery partition. Following the instructions I found that my imac does indeed now have two recovery partitions, screen shot attached, the smaller hidden (and probably original) one and the new larger one.

The question now is, can I delete the large one? I may just have to give that a try and see if the smaller one is still there and if it'll still work. Then go from there.

Thanks again for your input.

 

[MacUser2525]

Thanks and I hope you're right with that. In fact, a good bit of what I've come across seems to agree, boot in Recovery mode (CMD + R) and then recover every thing from Time Machine. I may have to eventually give that a try but I was hoping not too have to go to that extreme just yet.

I'm still researching other ways to regain the space but in my travels I've come across a number of discussions that seem to indicate that the Recovery HD partition that now shows up in Disk Utility is likely the reason I can't enlarge the Macintosh HD partition, but it's also very likely not needed. This web site, https://www.hawkdive.com/how-to-check-if-your-mac-has-recovery/, shows how to check a mac for the hidden recovery partition. Following the instructions I found that my imac does indeed now have two recovery partitions, screen shot attached, the smaller hidden (and probably original) one and the new larger one.

The question now is, can I delete the large one? I may just have to give that a try and see if the smaller one is still there and if it'll still work. Then go from there.

Thanks again for your input.

You are welcome and appear to be correct. The apple created partition is always the 650mb size and has the label Apple_Boot unlike the 2.0gb one you have that is HFS. I would give it a try at deleting both it and the no longer needed spare partition. Of course having first done a complete TM backup to ensure you have the latest copy of your files in the case of a restore that could possibly need to be done.

Edit: it would not hurt to do a test boot into the recovery partition, then to do the removal of the no longer needed partitions either. This would make certain nothing of a running system would interfere with the process.

 

[OLDCODGER]

If I recall correctly, Ubuntu Live CD allows one to alter HD sizes as one wishes.

 

[Fishrrman]

1. Use CarbonCopyCloner to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup. DO NOT use time machine for this
2. BOOT FROM the cloned backup
3. Open disk utility. Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices" (VERY important step)
4. Select the "topmost line" which represents the internal drive
5. ERASE it to APFS with GUID partition format
6. Open CCC, and RE-clone the cloned backup BACK TO the internal drive.

This way WILL work, 100% guaranteed.

 

[grwren]

Edit: it would not hurt to do a test boot into the recovery partition, then to do the removal of the no longer needed partitions either. This would make certain nothing of a running system would interfere with the process.

I'll most definitely do a back up, then test the recovery partition and then remove the 2gb partition. Then I'll probably test recovery again and if all is well, another backup! Anyway, it may be a couple of days or so before I can give this a try but will asap and will be back with results, good or bad!. Again thanks for all the advice.

 

[grwren]

If I recall correctly, Ubuntu Live CD allows one to alter HD sizes as one wishes.

Interesting. I'd think if Ubuntu live could do that then a Linux live usb might also. Might be worth a try, thanks!

 

[grwren]

1. Use CarbonCopyCloner to create a BOOTABLE cloned backup. DO NOT use time machine for this
2. BOOT FROM the cloned backup
3. Open disk utility. Go to the view menu and choose "show all devices" (VERY important step)
4. Select the "topmost line" which represents the internal drive
5. ERASE it to APFS with GUID partition format
6. Open CCC, and RE-clone the cloned backup BACK TO the internal drive.

This way WILL work, 100% guaranteed.

Fishrrman, I greatly appreciate your input. I'm certain you know what you're talking about and that it'll work as you say but quite frankly that involved a scenario scares the **** out of me as it's above my level of incompetence! No offence intended but I'm going try the simplest approach first and if it works great, if not, then plan B! Thank you again!

 

[grwren]

Well, so far as I can tell right now it appears the simple method seems to have worked just fine. I took a shot and just went ahead and deleted the 2gb Recovery partition which then allowed me to delete HD2 and now the hdd is back at 1tb for the main partition. The imac appears to boot correctly and will boot into the original Recovery mode where I can pick the recovery method I want to use. Weather or not they will actually work correctly remains to be seen, hopefully I'll never have to find out.

Fishrrman & MacUser, thank you both for suggesting CCC & Super Duper. I looked into both and it seems one or the other, or both, may well be a worth while investment especially if I decide to upgrade to an ssd later!

Thanks again.

 

[MacUser2525]

Well, so far as I can tell right now it appears the simple method seems to have worked just fine. I took a shot and just went ahead and deleted the 2gb Recovery partition which then allowed me to delete HD2 and now the hdd is back at 1tb for the main partition. The imac appears to boot correctly and will boot into the original Recovery mode where I can pick the recovery method I want to use. Weather or not they will actually work correctly remains to be seen, hopefully I'll never have to find out.

Fishrrman & MacUser, thank you both for suggesting CCC & Super Duper. I looked into both and it seems one or the other, or both, may well be a worth while investment especially if I decide to upgrade to an ssd later!

Thanks again.

You are welcome and it is good to hear the simple method worked. Now it is back in one partition you should be fine. The CCC I can personally recommend I have used it since Apple took away the ability to clone a running system. It has never failed me in all these years.