Missing HDD space after removing Boot Camp partition

[cyberninja9]

early 2015 MBP Retina 13 inch running OSX 10.11.16

256GB SSD that was partitioned into: - 174 GB Macintosh HD - 75 GB Boot Camp HD

This morning I decided to remove the 75 GB Windows 10 boot camp partition because I wanted to free up some space on my HDD. I used the Boot Camp Assistant, but it didn't complete the removal and gave me an error (which I did not think to write down). When I went to the disk utility after that, I saw that the Apple SSD had a "free space" partition of 75 GB.

I then proceeded to partition the Apple SSD to remove the free space, thinking that it would add the extra back to my Macintosh HD. I was able to get rid of the free space, but I don't know where it went, because the Apple SSD is reading at 251 GB and the Macintosh HD is still 174.

This is the readout from the terminal:

/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_CoreStorage Macintosh HD 174.4 GB disk0s2
3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 76.3 GB disk0s3
/dev/disk1 (internal, virtual):
#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER
0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD +174.0 GB disk1

I think my missing storage is in the Apple_Boot Recovery HD, but I don't know where to go from here.

I greatly appreciate any help.

 

[KALLT]

Recovery is indeed not supposed to be that big. My guess is that the Recovery partition and the free space were merged inadvertently. What you could do is remove the recovery partition entirely and resize the Macintosh HD volume to take all the remaining space. Then you download the El Capitan installer from the App Store and re-install OS X. The effect will be similar to an upgrade, so it should not affect your personal files. However, you should do a backup with Time Machine first.

This is just a guess on my part though, reinstalling the Recovery partition is not straightforward and I am assuming that the best solution would be to use Apple’s regular tools. @Weaselboy knows likely more about this topic.

 

[Weaselboy]

I think my missing storage is in the Apple_Boot Recovery HD, but I don't know where to go from here.

Yep... looks like it. Not quite sure how you got it that way though. Let's try this.

First make sure you have a good backup in case we get sideways here.

Now command-option-r boot to Internet recovery. After selecting your wifi, you should see a spinning globe while the recovery utility downloads. Then you will see the recovery screen. In the Utilities menu up top select Terminal. Now run this command in Terminal to shrink Recovery HD back down.

diskutil resizeVolume disk0s3 650M JHFS+

Now we need to turn off core storage on the Macintosh HD volume, so run this in Terminal. You cannot resize volumes that have been converted to core storage, so we need to turn it off. It will take a few minutes to revert.

diskutil cs revert "Macintosh HD"

Now run this command to expand the Macintosh HD volume to fill all empty space on the disk.

diskutil resizeVolume disk0s2 R JHFS+

Now quit Terminal and while you are there just for grins, start Disk Utility and run a first aid on the disk.

Now restart and see if it worked. Then also do a command-r boot to see if the local recovery volume is still working. If not, you are going to need to download El Capitan from the App Store and just run the installer over top of your existing install to fix the recovery volume. This won't erase your data.

 

[cyberninja9]

Thank you so much for responding!

I won't be able to do a backup until sometime tomorrow, but hopefully everything will go smoothly.

 

[NoBoMac]

Gonna ditto Kallt on re-install. When I swapped my HDD for SSD, I did a simple clone of old drive to new, and re-install got recovery partition all settled out.

If Weaselboy's instructions don't work out, a back-up/clone restore with a re-install should get everything back to working order.

But, as stated, get a backup or two of the main partition before doing anything.

 

[cyberninja9]

When I attempt the first terminal code I get a response "there do not appear to be enough arguments for the partitions you specified"

 

[Weaselboy]

When I attempt the first terminal code I get a response "there do not appear to be enough arguments for the partitions you specified"

Try this without the HFS format specified at the end. It is already in HFS, so I don't think that will be required.

diskutil resizeVolume disk0s3 650M

Same for the last command.

diskutil resizeVolume disk0s2 R

 

[cyberninja9]

Volume header needs minor repair

The volume recovery HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaired

File system check exit code is 8

Error -69893: couldn't modify partition map because file system verification failed

 

[Weaselboy]

Volume header needs minor repair

The volume recovery HD was found corrupt and needs to be repaired

File system check exit code is 8

Error -69893: couldn't modify partition map because file system verification failed

Yeah... you are hosed.

I'd just clone it off to an external now and erase the whole drive then clone back.

 

[cyberninja9]

How do I erase it?

 

[Weaselboy]

How do I erase it?

command-option-r into Internet recovery. Then in Terminal enter the command below to wipe the main core storage volume.

diskutil cs delete "Macintosh HD"

Then quit Terminal and start Disk Utility. In the erase tab in the left column select the drive itself at the very top then format to Mac OS Extended (Journaled). Then quit Disk Util and restore from your Time Machine backup.

 

[cyberninja9]

So I deleted and restored like you said, but I don't think it worked 100%.

On the one hand, I got all of the space back to Macintosh HD. However, now it is classifying everything in the "Other" category, when I look at the storage tab of "About my Mac."

Also, I don't have a recovery partition anymore:

/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 Macintosh HD 250.7 GB disk0s2


I also can't turn on file vault and get this message:
"Some disk formats don’t support the recovery partition required by encryption. To use encryption, reinstall this version of OS X on a reformatted disk."

 

[Weaselboy]

So I deleted and restored like you said, but I don't think it worked 100%.

On the one hand, I got all of the space back to Macintosh HD. However, now it is classifying everything in the "Other" category, when I look at the storage tab of "About my Mac."

We can work with this. That Other readout gets its info from the Spotlight index, and your system may still be reindexing after the restore. If it does not get better, run the command below to reindex and wait for it to complete. Even then, it may still be off. Under Yosemite and El Capitan that readout is just a mess and often wrong, so you can just ignore it.

sudo mdutil -E /

On the recovery issue, it may be because the one on your backup was borked from the other problems on the main drive. Just go to the app store and download El Capitan and reinstall it right over top of your system. That will not erase anything and will create a recovery partition for you. Then you will be able to turn on FileVault also.

 

[cyberninja9]

Everything works!

Thank you so much for helping me through this!

 

[lentoinks]

@Weaselboy Can you also help me with my problem which is somewhat similar to issue faced by cyberninja9. The difference is I erased the Bootcamp partition from DiskUti. I also tried re installing the os but when I checked the DiskUti again bootcamp partition is already gone. Half of the 256gb is missing.. badly need your help.. thanks

 

[Weaselboy]

@Weaselboy Can you also help me with my problem which is somewhat similar to issue faced by cyberninja9. The difference is I erased the Bootcamp partition from DiskUti. I also tried re installing the os but when I checked the DiskUti again bootcamp partition is already gone. Half of the 256gb is missing.. badly need your help.. thanks

Tell me what year and model Mac you have and what macOS version you are trying to install.

Also, run each of the two commands in Terminal and tell me the output of each.

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

 

[lentoinks]

Thanks for your reply.

MacBook Pro, Retina, early 2015.. OS: OS X Yosemite v10.10.5


HSEs-MacBook-Pro:~ hsecouncil$ diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *251.0 GB disk0

1: EFI EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_CoreStorage 124.4 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD *124.0 GB disk1

Logical Volume on disk0s2

969AA261-4920-4ADD-8A64-782069E60A58

Unencrypted


HSEs-MacBook-Pro:~ hsecouncil$ diskutil cs list

CoreStorage logical volume groups (1 found)

|

+-- Logical Volume Group F4ED22C0-8300-4C1B-AB8F-F2D66C5268E5

=========================================================

Name: Macintosh HD

Status: Online

Size: 124371693568 B (124.4 GB)

Free Space: 18968576 B (19.0 MB)

|

+-< Physical Volume A8A18E22-3BFA-484F-9A86-6C21DD66885C

| ----------------------------------------------------

| Index: 0

| Disk: disk0s2

| Status: Online

| Size: 124371693568 B (124.4 GB)

|

+-> Logical Volume Family AD4F185A-C625-4097-9FB6-6B9916DF389B

----------------------------------------------------------

Encryption Status: Unlocked

Encryption Type: None

Conversion Status: NoConversion

Conversion Direction: -none-

Has Encrypted Extents: No

Fully Secure: No

Passphrase Required: No

|

+-> Logical Volume 969AA261-4920-4ADD-8A64-782069E60A58

---------------------------------------------------

Disk: disk1

Status: Online

Size (Total): 124000403456 B (124.0 GB)

Conversion Progress: -none-

Revertible: Yes (no decryption required)

LV Name: Macintosh HD

Volume Name: Macintosh HD

Content Hint: Apple_HFS

 

[Weaselboy]

MacBook Pro, Retina, early 2015.. OS: OS X Yosemite v10.10.5

It looks like you drive is setup as a core storage volume and that is why you cannot get it to resize. Follow my instructions up in post #11 and that will get the space back. This will of course erase the drive and all your data, so backup first.

 

[maflynn]

It looks like you drive is setup as a core storage volume and that is why you cannot get it to resize. Follow my instructions up in post #11 and that will get the space back. This will of course erase the drive and all your data, so backup first.

I've seen some other posts, that seem to indicate that apple set up core storage on the MBPs, I don't understand why they did that. I mean for iMacs with two drives to create a Fusion drive yes, but for MacBook Pros?

 

[Weaselboy]

I've seen some other posts, that seem to indicate that apple set up core storage on the MBPs, I don't understand why they did that. I mean for iMacs with two drives to create a Fusion drive yes, but for MacBook Pros?

Nobody really knows for sure that I have seen. It started with Yosemite. If you install Yosemite or higher on a Mac that is, portable, has a chipset with AES-NI, and there is no bootcamp partition present, the installer will convert the drive to core storage.

There was some speculation in the Ars Technica review of Yosemite that this was laying the groundwork for easier conversion to a new file system. They also offered it might be a way to make it easier to turn on FileVault as it would avoid the reboot to convert. But I have still not seen anything definitive.

 

[maflynn]

Nobody really knows for sure that I have seen. It started with Yosemite. If you install Yosemite or higher on a Mac that is, portable, has a chipset with AES-NI, and there is no bootcamp partition present, the installer will convert the drive to core storage.

I don't really use a Mac for portable machine any longer, so I never even noticed, I thought it was a new phenomenon.

There was some speculation in the Ars Technica review of Yosemite that this was laying the groundwork for easier conversion to a new file system

Without reading that article (yet), that was my knee jerk reaction. Its rumored that they'll be introducing the new file system in the next version of macOSX

 

[EriG]

It looks like you drive is setup as a core storage volume and that is why you cannot get it to resize. Follow my instructions up in post #11 and that will get the space back. This will of course erase the drive and all your data, so backup first.

Hi Weaselboy! I have the same problem of this guys.. Just tried all the commands you mention here but still can get it done
I have a Macobook pro late 2013 Retina 15" High Sierra
diskutil list: in the follow pics: (got it in the other mac)
command diskutil cs list says: no coreStorage logical groups found

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[Weaselboy]

Hi Weaselboy! I have the same problem of this guys.. Just tried all the commands you mention here but still can get it done
I have a Macobook pro late 2013 Retina 15" High Sierra
diskutil list: in the follow pics: (got it in the other mac)
command diskutil cs list says: no coreStorage logical groups found

Thanks in advance!!!!

Can you explain how you got to this point to begin with?

 

[etrevino94]

Can you explain how you got to this point to begin with?

@Weaselboy I really need your help recovering lost space in my MacBook Pro. I am in a similar situation as @EriG

I have a MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Early 2015). I used boot camp to create a windows partition, which I used for a couple of months. I created the partition before High Sierra and my Mac has been updated since then so the format has changed to AFPS. Yesterday, I went into bootcamp to remove the windows partition and restore my drive. However, something went wrong in the process and my MacBook froze. I had to hard restart the computer and when I logged in I found that the windows partition had been removed, but the windows partition size was not returned to my "Macintosh HD" drive.

I tried doing several things you said in previous posts and now I am in an erased MacBook Pro with a chunk of my space missing. I do have a backup that I made just before attempting to fix this issue.

Running the diskutil list and diskutil cs list commands in terminal gives the results in the attached images.

I also attached an image of the gpt show /dev/disk0 and "Macintosh HD" information.

It was hard to follow your previous posts because they are related to a pre-High Sierra update.

I really need to get this fixed to restore my backup. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[etrevino94]

Hi Weaselboy! I have the same problem of this guys.. Just tried all the commands you mention here but still can get it done
I have a Macobook pro late 2013 Retina 15" High Sierra
diskutil list: in the follow pics: (got it in the other mac)
command diskutil cs list says: no coreStorage logical groups found

Thanks in advance!!!!

@EriG I was finally able to figure out how to fix this problem.

Your disk will be erased so make sure you have a backup if you need to save your files.

I will be using "Macintosh HD" as the name of my partition, but yours could be different if you renamed it in the past.

Follow these steps:

• Restart you computer and hold down Command+option+R to enter internet recovery mode
• Wait for the internet recovery to load, it will ask you to connect to a wifi source
• Once it loads, click on disk utility
• In disk utility, click on the "View" tab and select "Show All Devices"
• Click on the "Macintosh HD" partition and unmount it, the name should go gray when it is finished unmounting
• Now click on "Apple SSD xxxxxxx Media", click erase, a small window will open
• Write "Macintosh HD" for the name and choose "APFS" for the format
• Click erase and wait for it to finish, it should be quick
• This is it, click on "Macintosh HD" and verify that you have your full storage back (you might need to click on "View" and then "Show all devices" again to show it. Or you might also need to click on the expand arrow next to "Apple SSD xxxxxxx Media" to show it.)
• Now quit the disk utility window to return to the internet recovery screen
• If you are using a back up, click on "Restore from Time Machine Backup" and follow the instructions to restore
• If you are not using a backup, click on "Reinstall a new copy of macOS High Sierra" and follow the instructions
• Once either option is complete you will need to restart you computer

That is it. I hope this helps you.