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User profile for user: Viraj Toronto
Viraj Toronto Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition

Am trying to install Windows 7 using Boot Camp. Am receieving the following message in Boot Camp "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"


In Disk Utilty, I get the following message after clicking Verify Disk and Repair Disk buttons


Problems were found with the partition map which might prevent booting

Error: Parition map check failed becuse no slices were found


Any solution for above message?

iMac (21.5-inch Mid 2011), Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Mar 31, 2012 9:15 PM

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12 replies
User profile for user: Kappy
Kappy
User level: Level 10
361,725 points

Mar 31, 2012 9:18 PM in response to Viraj Toronto

You will need to repartition your drive:


You will have to backup your OS X partition to an external drive, boot from the external drive, use Disk Utility to repartition and reformat your hard drive back to a single volume, then restore your backup to the internal hard drive.


  1. Get an empty external hard drive and clone your internal drive to the external one.
  2. Boot from the external hard drive.
  3. Erase the internal hard drive.
  4. Restore the external clone to the internal hard drive.

Clone the internal drive to the external drive


  1. Open Disk Utility from the Utilities folder.
  2. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
  3. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
  4. Check the box labeled Erase destination.
  5. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
  6. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
  7. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.

Destination means the external backup drive. Source means the internal startup drive.


Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager appears. Select the icon for the external drive and click on the downward pointing arrow button.


After startup do the following:


Erase internal hard drive


  1. Open Disk Utility in your Utilities folder.
  2. After DU loads select your internal hard drive (this is the entry with the mfgr.'s ID and size) from the left side list. Note the SMART status of the drive in DU's status area. If it does not say "Verified" then the drive is failing or has failed and will need replacing. SMART info will not be reported on external drives. Otherwise, click on the Partition tab in the DU main window.
  3. Under the Volume Scheme heading set the number of partitions from the drop down menu to one. Set the format type to Mac OS Extended (Journaled.) Click on the Options button, set the partition scheme to GUID then click on the OK button. Click on the Partition button and wait until the process has completed. Do not quit Disk Utility.

Restore the clone to the internal hard drive


  1. Select the destination volume from the left side list.
  2. Click on the Restore tab in the DU main window.
  3. Check the box labeled Erase destination.
  4. Select the destination volume from the left side list and drag it to the Destination entry field.
  5. Select the source volume from the left side list and drag it to the Source entry field.
  6. Double-check you got it right, then click on the Restore button.


Destination means the internal hard drive. Source means the external startup drive.


Note that the Source and Destination drives are swapped for this last procedure.

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User profile for user: Viraj Toronto
Viraj Toronto Author
User level: Level 1
0 points

Apr 1, 2012 11:47 AM in response to Kappy

This is the solution that worked for me, which was told by Apple Care phone agent.


1. Shutdown the Mac

2. Restart it. Hold Command + R. It will take around 5 mins for option screen to display

3. Select Disk Utility

4. Erase the content of Macintosh HD. Ensure you have backed up the drive, before step 1.

5. Once step 4 is completed, close the Disk Utility. It would again take you to the main screen.

6. Select Reinstall Lion OSx.

7. Installation of Lion OSx taken around 60 - 90 mins

8. Once you login into Lion OS, restore the backup from Time Machine

9. Go to Applications ---> Utilities ---> Migration Assistant.app. Select the first 2 check boxes (Users & Applications). I did not select Settings checkbox, since I didnt wanted to overwrite the old settings.

10. Once restore is finished, you are able to use the system as you intended. In my case now, the Boot Camp did not throw me the error "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to single partition"


Go ahead and install Windows 7.

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User profile for user: berthin
berthin
User level: Level 1
0 points

Mar 19, 2013 1:25 AM in response to berthin

Does it mean that without an external driver the Disk Utility can not restore the partitions. I have tried all the methods above still 'it cant be restored. I want disk drive to be restored to one partition so that i can manage to run other program like Adobe.

Please if there some who understands my problem help me.

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The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition

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