changing CoreStorage Logical Volume

duplobusz wrote:

Hi!

So I have recently upgraded my 2012 MacBook pro to Catalina. In order to do that I had to create a new partition on my disk (APFS (Encrypted)), I've split it into 180 GB + 70 GB and installed Catalina on the 70GB one and made it my startup disk.

Now, after the installation, I want to remove the partition and be able to use the entire disk, but I can't! I have already put all my files on a pen drive, to be able to erase the whole disk, but it still gives me errors.

The problem is that the 180GB is still considered a primary partition and a 'CoreStorage Logical Volume', which makes it impossible to unite the two partitions.

Can it be done?

W̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶e̶x̶a̶c̶t̶ ̶M̶a̶c̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶.̶.̶.̶.̶I̶n̶t̶e̶l̶?̶

i̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶i̶s̶ ̶a̶ ̶ ̶i̶M̶a̶c̶ ̶w̶i̶t̶h̶ ̶F̶u̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ ̶D̶r̶i̶v̶e̶.̶.̶.̶?̶

How to fix a split Fusion Drive

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207584

I see now 2012 MacBook pro to Catalina.

Core storage has been (deprecated) replaced with the introduction of the apfs...

(this is only applicable pre APFS) from the Terminal.app copy and paste:

diskutil cs list   

compare with, copy and paste:

diskutil apfs list

You need to erase reformat initialize the parent drive, reinstall the macOS and restore your user from backup

How to erase your Intel-based Mac - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208496

How to reinstall macOS from macOS Recovery - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204904

Restore items backed up with Time Machine on Mac - Apple Support https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/restore-files-mh11422/mac

I'm not sure what other issues might be involved, but you cannot merge the 180 into the 70. You can merge the 70 into the 180 by first deleting the 70GB partition, then dragging the control handle from the 180 into the free space left.

To erase the entire drive, you would need to boot into Internet Recovery. Then, in Disk Utility, you would need to select "Show all Devices" from the View popup menu in the toolbar. Select the drive device and erase that.

duplobusz wrote:

Amazing, that did the trick, thanks a lot!

Good computing duplobusz !