resize external SSD APFS encrypted ?

[osculum_est_mortis]

hi I have a 2TB ssd with 3 sections ones the main Mac_hd which I store my Mac files . I want to expand Mac_hd and use the 1TB space from Mac_hd2 .. disk2s3 (147gb) is a veracrypt volume I want to leave that alone.

how do I expand Mac_hd ?? Ive tried deleting Mac_hd2 and then creating a volume/ container .. can't wrap my my mind around this I don't understand how volumes/containers work on Mac.

if anyone can help would be great. do I need to use diskutil ?? I don't want to lose my data on Mac_hd

 

[Mike Boreham]

The normal way would have been to highlight "Seagate Expansion Media" in the sidebar, then click the partition tab in top right.

In the pie chart that appears you should be able to select the Mac_hd2 and delete it, and its space would be added to the adjacent slice. But it isn't very clear to me what you will see as not sure what you already done or how Veracrypt affects it, but I would start there. Sometimes you can't do what you want in the pie chart, depending on how things were created.

With APFS its is usually better to create extra space sharing volumes than separate fixed containers as you have. I only create a container when I want to format it with a different file system (HFS+ for bootable installer), or as a Time Machine backup (which needs case sensitive).

 

[gilby101]

Think container = partition. Strictly the type of a partition is 'apfs container'. As Mike says, usually best to have one container/partition for all your APFS volumes.

Three layer hierarchy is 1) physical disk which has 2) partitions and the partition type can be APFS container. The APFS container then can hold 3) multiple volumes. In your case, both Mac_hd and Mac_hd2 would be better in the same APFS container.

Your Veracrypt partition may block you from making changes at the partition level in Disk Utility. I assume you have a good reason (interoperability with Windows perhaps?) for using Veracrypt rather than FileVault.

 

[osculum_est_mortis]

The normal way would have been to highlight "Seagate Expansion Media" in the sidebar, then click the partition tab in top right.

In the pie chart that appears you should be able to select the Mac_hd2 and delete it, and its space would be added to the adjacent slice. But it isn't very clear to me what you will see as not sure what you already done or how Veracrypt affects it, but I would start there. Sometimes you can't do what you want in the pie chart, depending on how things were created.

With APFS its is usually better to create extra space sharing volumes than separate fixed containers as you have. I only create a container when I want to format it with a different file system (HFS+ for bootable installer), or as a Time Machine backup (which needs case sensitive).

I tried that but it didn't move the space to Mac_hd and it didn't allow me to move the slider to expand Mac_hd to take hold of the extra 1tb , initially the drive was setup for cross platform /linux/Mac/windows
I deleted the Luks drive in disks in linux and changed the format to APFS.. I just want to delete Mac_hd2 and assign that 1TB to Mac_hd

 

[osculum_est_mortis]

Think container = partition. Strictly the type of a partition is 'apfs container'. As Mike says, usually best to have one container/partition for all your APFS volumes.

Three layer hierarchy is 1) physical disk which has 2) partitions and the partition type can be APFS container. The APFS container then can hold 3) multiple volumes. In your case, both Mac_hd and Mac_hd2 would be better in the same APFS container.

Your Veracrypt partition may block you from making changes at the partition level in Disk Utility. I assume you have a good reason (interoperability with Windows perhaps?) for using Veracrypt rather than FileVault.

yes that's correct vera is for cross platform capability // is it possible to delete Mac_hd2 and asign the 1tb space from it to Mac_hd .. I don't want to have to back up Mac_hd and the veracrypt volume to my desktop and then delete the hd to repartition the whole drive :/ would take me hours to do that my read/ write speed is very slow.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I tried that but it didn't move the space to Mac_hd and it didn't allow me to move the slider to expand Mac_hd to take hold of the extra 1tb , initially the drive was setup for cross platform /linux/Mac/windows
I deleted the Luks drive in disks in linux and changed the format to APFS.. I just want to delete Mac_hd2 and assign that 1TB to Mac_hd

I suspect you will not be able to do it with Disk Utility, but there might be diskutil methods.

When I have got into these kind of binds I have usually wiped the drive and reloaded from backup. Less trouble and more confidence in the end.

 

[osculum_est_mortis]

I suspect you will not be able to do it with Disk Utility, but there might be diskutil methods.

When I have got into these kind of binds I have usually wiped the drive and reloaded from backup. Less trouble and more confidence in the end.

do you know how to do that with diskutil ?

 

[Mike Boreham]

do you know how to do that with diskutil ?

No sorry.

 

[osculum_est_mortis]

No sorry.

I figured it out and solved the issue in linux by deleting the containers and then restoring the Mac_hd partition image and it resized the space and kept the vera partition in contact.
thanks for who chimed in.