I get an error while partitioning with the boot camp assistant, HELP please :)

[7254278]

Hey all,

I opened the boot camp assistant to partition my macbook air drive so I could install windows. It gave me an error message saying "Some files can not be moved". It said I should reformat and try again. I tried repairing permissions normally and through diskwarrior. Still a no go. I would reformat but here is the deal, I bought this computer second hand and it did not come with leopard disks(I know it is very stupid of me not to have a copy on hand but alas I don't). So here is my question, doesn't anyone know how to solve this problem without reformatting? Any help would be just great. . . Im really stumped.

Cheers
Patmian212

 

[Eidorian]

You should never buy a computer without the operating system discs.

You're going to need to reformat or restore from a backup.

 

[richard.mac]

the only way is to buy iDefrag and do a full defragmentation of your hard disk while booted into OS X on an external hard drive or while booted into iDefrag's boot disc.

 

[7254278]

You should never buy a computer without the operating system discs.

You're going to need to reformat or restore from a backup.

Well I JUST backed up right now, but I think restoring now would be useless because essentially its whats on my PC right now, so I think I'd get the same error. I will pick some disks up at some point, probably after payday. But I need this solved ASAP. Is there nothing I can do?

 

[Eidorian]

Well I JUST backed up right now, but I think restoring now would be useless because essentially its whats on my PC right now, so I think I'd get the same error. I will pick some disks up at some point, probably after payday. But I need this solved ASAP. Is there nothing I can do?

You need to get rid of data fragmentation cause by normal disk usage. Right now the partition editor can't find a chunk large enough to split off. You're either going to have to get iDefrag or reinstall/restore OS X so it has a large enough chunk left over to partition.

 

[7254278]

the only way is to buy iDefrag and do a full defragmentation of your hard disk while booted into OS X on an external hard drive or while booted into iDefrag's boot disc.

I guess Ill try this, one quick question though, sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean iDefrags boot disk isn't iDefrag a digital download?

 

[Eidorian]

I guess Ill try this, one quick question though, sorry for my ignorance, but what do you mean iDefrags boot disk isn't iDefrag a digital download?

There are parts of the operating system that can't be moved while in use. You're going to need to use the boot disc for that.

 

[7254278]

There are parts of the operating system that can't be moved while in use. You're going to need to use the boot disc for that.

How would I go about doing that?

 

[richard.mac]

to do a full defrag you have use iDefrag while booted into another disc whether it be an external hard drive with OS X installed/cloned on it or an iDefrag boot disc. from http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iDefrag.php

System Requirements

Mac OS X 10.3.7 or later (including Leopard), 400MHz PowerPC or better or any Intel Mac, 512MB RAM. Supports internal and external disks. To defragment your boot volume, you need to boot from a different volume (except for on-line defragmentation feature). iDefrag is supplied with a tool to allow you to create a bootable CD/DVD; recent machines require a bootable DVD, in which case you will require a DVD burner or a Superdrive.

but being an idiot that i am i forgot that MacBook Air's dont have an optical drive! so if you dont have an external superdrive use an external hard drive with OS X installed/cloned onto it.

you can also do a quick defrag while booted into your MacBook Air which may or may not work for you so try that first.

 

[7254278]

to do a full defrag you have use iDefrag while booted into another disc whether it be an external hard drive with OS X installed/cloned on it or an iDefrag boot disc. from http://www.coriolis-systems.com/iDefrag.php



but being an idiot that i am i forgot that MacBook Air's dont have an optical drive so if you dont have an external superdrive use an external hard drive with OS X installed/cloned onto it.

I do have a 500gb external drive with my time machine backups. . . can I boot from that? If not how would I go about cloning osx to it and booting from it, by the way guys, I REALLY REALLY appreciate all this help.

 

[richard.mac]

try the quick defrag before you start cloning, it may work for you.

to clone OS X to an external drive you need a clean hard drive or partition and a cloning tool like Carbon Copy Cloner. either use an iPod, buy a new external hard drive or partition your Time Machine hard drive with Disk Utility's no destructive partitioning (not sure if it will work) and use Carbon Copy Cloner to clone. then install iDefrag onto it.

 

[7254278]

Cheers, Ill try the quick defrag option and see how it goes. Ill report back ASAP.

 

[richard.mac]

good luck! im heading off to work so ill be offline for a while.

 

[7254278]

I am almost done, but I have one more question. I now have a bootable external HD. . . I will boot with it then use iDefrag to defrag my internal drive. . . Once thats done will I be able to boot normally again? Will the defrag mess with my OS or am I just being paranoid?

 

[richard.mac]

just install iDefrag on your clone and your main boot disk if you want. it will not mess up your boot disk… youre just being paranoid! if Boot Camp Assistant doesnt give you that same error then your doing fine.

 

[7254278]

just install iDefrag on your clone and your main boot disk if you want. it will not mess up your boot disk… youre just being paranoid! if Boot Camp Assistant doesnt give you that same error then your doing fine.

DONE! AND IT WORKS! I ADORE YOU HAHAHA. . . Cheers for all that help, I really do appreciate it. . . Now to install windows.