wyatto21

Q: Disk Utility won't let me get rid of a partition

Hello,

     So I recently tried downloading Windows 10 onto my laptop and got the infamous error message: we couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one. So I searched the internet for answers, and I found one telling me I should factory reset my computer and try again. So I did that and a couple hours passed and I then got my computer running newly, like it was fresh out of the Apple Store. But there was a problem, and that problem was that my computer still had the partition I had made earlier before I did a factory reset. So I went onto Disk Utility and tried to solve the problem there, deleting it, and getting rid of it using the '-' button. But even after pressing delete on it, and going back to the main disk on my mac and pressing the partition button, it wouldn't let me click the '-' button. So I searched for even more answers, but was still unable to find any. So I decided to make this thread. Do you guys have any solutions? If so, that'd be great, I don't want my 120$ for Windows 10 to be a waste. Also, if you know how to solve the we couldn't create a new partition or locate an existing one, without using a usb, hard drive, disk, or cd, that would be absolutely amazing!

     Thanks!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4), Disk Utility

Posted on Mar 29, 2016 10:54 AM

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Q: Disk Utility won't let me get rid of a partition

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  • by wyatto21,

    wyatto21 wyatto21 Mar 29, 2016 10:59 AM in response to wyatto21
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 29, 2016 10:59 AM in response to wyatto21

    Small update! I just wanted to tell anyone trying to solve this problem who needed some extra information, the partition I am unable to get rid of is the Scheme: GUID Partition Map! Thanks again

  • by keg55,

    keg55 keg55 Mar 29, 2016 11:02 AM in response to wyatto21
    Level 6 (8,407 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 29, 2016 11:02 AM in response to wyatto21

    Did your MBP Retina come pre-installed with El Capitan? If not, what did it come pre-installed with?

  • by Lanny,

    Lanny Lanny Mar 29, 2016 11:06 AM in response to wyatto21
    Level 5 (7,935 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 29, 2016 11:06 AM in response to wyatto21

    If you're trying to add or remove a partition for Windows, you should be using the Bootcamp Utility, not Disk Utility.

  • by Alex-Turner,

    Alex-Turner Alex-Turner Mar 30, 2016 4:11 AM in response to wyatto21
    Level 2 (151 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 30, 2016 4:11 AM in response to wyatto21

    If your doing a complete drive reformat, this includes/deletes ALL the partitions on the drive including

     

    1: EFI (hidden)

    2: MacintoshHD partition (OS X, programs and files)

    3: Bootcamp partition

    4: RecoveryHD

     

     

    To do this you hold commmand option r keys down and boot the Mac into Internet Recovery which loads from Apple's servers.

     

    Next you select your internal boot drive on the left in Disk Utiliy, click Partition and 1, Option: GUID, Format: OS X Extended Journaled and click Apply.  All the partitions will be erased.

     

    If you have a boot hard drive (no SSD), it's a good idea to also Erase > and move the slider one spot to the right (Zero) and also do that. to map off bad sectors on the drive before putting data on them.

     

    Quit and install OS X with your AppleID and password

  • by Grant Lenahan,

    Grant Lenahan Grant Lenahan Mar 30, 2016 5:30 AM in response to Lanny
    Level 4 (1,468 points)
    Mac OS X
    Mar 30, 2016 5:30 AM in response to Lanny

    Let's begin with the basics.  Re-sizing partitions has some danger and is not a function of disk utility. So, to add a partition using disk utility step #1 is re-format your drive, in the process losing everything.

     

    Boot camp utility will allow you to create a windows partition.  I have not used it.


    Fusion (VMware) and Parallels (Parallels) will allow you to create and run a windows VM on a virtual partition that is stored as a disk image and run them simultaneously with MAcOS.

     

    Grant