Repairing Boot Camp after creating new partition

Hi Christopher,

Thanks a bunch for your prompt reply!!!

Her are the outputs on the Gdisk command you wanted the info for:

diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS MAC_OSX_ML 499.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data WIN8_PROx64 500.3 GB disk0s4

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/disk0:1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB

Logical sector size:512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID):DF74661F-A6DE-466B-B637-8D81F396CD3E

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2701 sectors (1.3 MiB)

Number Startsector) Endsector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 975018983 464.7 GiB AF00 Apple_HFS_Untitled_5

3 975018984 976288519 619.9 MiB AB00 Apple_HFS_Untitled_2

4 976289792 1953523711 466.0 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 1953525168 sectors (931.5 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0xEC1946A7

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 975018983 primary 0xAF

3 975018984 976288519 primary 0xAB

4 * 976289792 1953523711 primary 0x07

I hope this can give you better insights to the matter!

Thanks again, Greatings

Hi Christopher,

Thanks a bunch for your prompt reply!!!

Here are the outputs on the Gdisk command you wanted the info for:

diskutil list

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *1.0 TB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS MAC_OSX_ML 499.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data WIN8_PROx64 500.3 GB disk0s4

Command (? for help): p

Disk /dev/disk0:1953525168 sectors, 931.5 GiB

Logical sector size:512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID):DF74661F-A6DE-466B-B637-8D81F396CD3E

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 1953525134

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 2701 sectors (1.3 MiB)

Number Startsector) Endsector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI System Partition

2 409640 975018983 464.7 GiB AF00 Apple_HFS_Untitled_5

3 975018984 976288519 619.9 MiB AB00 Apple_HFS_Untitled_2

4 976289792 1953523711 466.0 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP

Recovery/transformation command (? for help): o

Disk size is 1953525168 sectors (931.5 GiB)

MBR disk identifier: 0xEC1946A7

MBR partitions:

Number Boot Start Sector End Sector Status Code

1 1 409639 primary 0xEE

2 409640 975018983 primary 0xAF

3 975018984 976288519 primary 0xAB

4 * 976289792 1953523711 primary 0x07

I hope this can give you better insights to the matter!

Thanks again, Greatings

PS used web interface-editors' "courier new" font family for readers benefit!

Christopher,

I have OSX 10.8.2 and Win7 Pro 64b running via bootcamp on my MBA with a 256GB SSD.

I created an ExFAT partition in Disk Utility from some of the unused space on my OSX partition. Following, I cannot boot into Windows as only OSX and RECOVERY show available when I hold down the option key on boot.

If I look at my startup disk I can see Windows there, however if I select I receive "no bootable device --- insert boot disk and press any key".

This is likely somewhat redundant, but given I did not see any posts including ExFAT, I thought I would throw this out there to be sure (redundant post equals more specific examples and help to others!)

Here is what I have and was hoping you could advise /walk me through it.... THANK YOU!!!

sudo gpt -r -vv show disk0

gpt show: disk0: mediasize=251000193024; sectorsize=512; blocks=490234752

gpt show: disk0: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: disk0: Sec GPT at sector 490234751

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 324218744 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

324628384 1269536 3 GPT part - 426F6F74-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

325897920 320

325898240 39063552 4 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

364961792 125272064 5 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

490233856 863

490234719 32 Sec GPT table

490234751 1 Sec GPT header

sudo gdisk -l /dev/disk0

GPT fdisk (gdisk) version 0.8.6

Partition table scan:

MBR: hybrid

BSD: not present

APM: not present

GPT: present

Found valid GPT with hybrid MBR; using GPT.

Disk /dev/disk0: 490234752 sectors, 233.8 GiB

Logical sector size: 512 bytes

Disk identifier (GUID): 00001FBF-6F13-0000-E15F-000045770000

Partition table holds up to 128 entries

First usable sector is 34, last usable sector is 490234718

Partitions will be aligned on 8-sector boundaries

Total free space is 1189 sectors (594.5 KiB)

Number Start (sector) End (sector) Size Code Name

1 40 409639 200.0 MiB EF00 EFI system partition

2 409640 324628383 154.6 GiB AF00 Customer

3 324628384 325897919 619.9 MiB AB00 Recovery HD

4 325898240 364961791 18.6 GiB 0700 ExFAT

5 364961792 490233855 59.7 GiB 0700 BOOTCAMP

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 30515/255/63 [490234752 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

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

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 324218744] HFS+

3: AB 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 324628384 - 1269536] Darwin Boot

4: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 325898240 - 39063552] HPFS/QNX/AUX

diskutil list /dev/disk0

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *251.0 GB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Macintosh HD 166.0 GB disk0s2

3: Apple_Boot Recovery HD 650.0 MB disk0s3

4: Microsoft Basic Data ExFAT 20.0 GB disk0s4

5: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 64.1 GB disk0s5

DSC426 wrote:

Christopher,

I have OSX 10.8.2 and Win7 Pro 64b running via bootcamp on my MBA with a 256GB SSD.

I created an ExFAT partition in Disk Utility from some of the unused space on my OSX partition. Following, I cannot boot into Windows as only OSX and RECOVERY show available when I hold down the option key on boot.

If I look at my startup disk I can see Windows there, however if I select I receive "no bootable device --- insert boot disk and press any key".

This is likely a redundant question, but given I did not see any posts including ExFAT, I thought I would throw this out there and see if I can correct it (redundant post equals more specific examples and help to others!)

Here is what I have and was hoping you could advise /walk me through it....

You can not create multiple partitions on a drive with a Bootcamp partition. You likely have to start over. Also, you should consider starting a new thread rather than prpetuating this old thread that was identified as solved a long time ago.

Here is a screen capture of how it is configured. Also, I didn't start a new thread because this seemed the most relevant to the topic with posts just days ago. Either way, just looking for some help.

DSC426 wrote:

Here is a screen capture of how it is configured. Also, I didn't start a new thread because this seemed the most relevant to the topic with posts just days ago. Either way, just looking for some help.

As already stated, you can not create multiple partition on a drive containing a Bootcamp partition. If you want help the best way is to not continue a topic in an already solved thread. Many regular users do not bother opening or reading a thread that is marked solved.They focus on new issues, which yours would be if you started a new thread. I'm just trying to help you get the best help you can.

The gdisk output is fine. So what you need to do is go to recovery/transformation and create a new hybrid MBR, add partitions 2 3 4, make only 4 bootable, then write out the new partition tables. That will effectively keep the MBR the same as now, and write out new repaired GPT primary and backup partitions.

Part of the problem in your case is that you keep mixing tools around, using gdisk first before bootcamp and then using it gain after boot camp. I can't really follow what you're doing. And on top of it, you're using Windows 8 which while it should work, in every native installation of it I've seen it uses either 2 or 3 partitions which is totally incompatible with how Apple supports Windows 7. It should be possible to do a single partition installation of Windows 8 like Windows 7, but I've never tried it and seems to be horribly off topic because it's completely unsupported by Apple. For such a thing you are 1000% better off putting Windows 8 in a VM.

You cannot do this and have the Apple prescribed partition scheme. By adding an additional exFAT partition, Apple's tools intentionally, by design, break Windows bootability. It's possible to regain bootability but you will not be able to either read or write to the OS X partition from within Windows.

Using gdisk, you need to go to the recovery menu, create a new hybrid MBR, answer yes to the first question, then add partitions 4 and 5 to the MBR, making only partition 5 bootable. You will be able to use the exFAT volume in OS X and Windows. You will be able to read (optionally write) the Windows volume in OS X as well. But again, when you're in Windows, you will not be able to see or use the OS X partition. Further, this partition arranagement is not what Apple uses, so it's possible for Disk Utility or a future installer to break the bootability of this arranagement.

And last, exFAT is a bad choice for a volume format. It's really meant for flash media like USB sticks, CF and SDXC cards. Not SSD or HDD. It has only one FAT, so if it gets corrupt you will lose all data. You're better off using FAT32. If you need bigger file support, or for larger volumes, then you need to use NTFS.

You can not create multiple partitions on a drive with a Bootcamp partition. You likely have to start over.

Both are untrue. The fact is, Disk Utility lets you create multiple additional partitions on a drive with a Boot Camp partition, and Apple has zero knowledge base articles proscribing such action. And yet, in effect, when you do this, the user experiences data loss in that they no longer have Windows bootability. It's pretty heinous. And if more advanced users weren't so nervous about learning something new like how to repair these Apple tool induced problems, with a tool like gdisk, then people wouldn't have to start over. It's a really simple repair the vast majority of the time, it's just that Apple provides no tools to fix this once you've screwed it up, which their tools freely let you do to the point it's inticement.

Thank you... Quick response! A couple of updates. I have only used gdisk for the read-only information output I provided. Didn't even know this tool existing before I had the problem... Did it all through the GUI bootcamp / GUI disk utility originally and haven't done anything, except carve out space using the OSX GUI Disk Utility since for the new exfat partition - which is when it broke. Also, I am running Windows 7 Pro 64bit not Windows 8.

My original goal in making the change was to provide Windows more space, in a separate partition, not to try to read/write to OSX from Windows. In fact the opposite, I was thinking while using OSX I would be able to read/write files that I put there (ExFAT partition) when I was in Windows previously. In other words, have a partition both Windows and OSX could see/use, independent of the OS I booted into. When I initially set things up I carved out more space for OSX than Windows and am finding I need more space to use Windows today than I do in OSX. Originally, I set Windows up to use 64GB NTFS. The remainder ~188GB for OSX. In a 1st choice) PERFECT scenario I would like each to be equally split approx128GB NTFS, approx 128GB OSX. I don't know if I can do that now somehow and not lose data. 2nd choice) Revert to my previous config 64GB NTFS, the rest OSX losing no data and just scraping/removing the ExFAT partition -it contains no data. 3rd Choice) Get it to boot to either and live with the ExFAT, or remove it (ExFAT) using disk util after I have my dual boot option back and working and return the space back to OSX.

It was a crazy little experiment and I think simply using a portable usb hdd would be just fine so long as I can get back to where I was.

Thoughts? Help?

Hi Christopher,

THANKS for your prompt reply! I'll give it a shot this weekend! 😎

And yes, as I mentioned earlier, this is rocket sience for me.... 😕 😁

Cheers

I need help... value 5 is the partitions disk0s number right? so in this case I put 4 instead of 5?

When I put that command in, it says command not found. I'm on a MacBook Late 2009 10.8.2 if that helps

Nevermind, I found it.

This post is incredible ! So much information in it...But I didn't manage to boot my windows 7 bootcamp partition.

Here is my situation (I tried several things without succes, so finally, I reformat disk0) :

/dev/disk0

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *500.1 GB disk0

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk0s1

2: Apple_HFS Vidéos 499.8 GB disk0s2

/dev/disk1

#: TYPE NAME SIZE IDENTIFIER

0: GUID_partition_scheme *480.1 GB disk1

1: EFI 209.7 MB disk1s1

2: Apple_HFS iMac 388.0 GB disk1s2

3: Microsoft Basic Data BOOTCAMP 91.8 GB disk1s3

sudo gpt -r -vv show disk0

gpt show: disk0: mediasize=500107862016; sectorsize=512; blocks=976773168

gpt show: disk0: PMBR at sector 0

gpt show: disk0: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: disk0: Sec GPT at sector 976773167

start size index contents

0 1 PMBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 976101344 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

976510984 262151

976773135 32 Sec GPT table

976773167 1 Sec GPT header

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

Disk: /dev/disk0 geometry: 60801/255/63 [976773168 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

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

1: EE 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 1 - 976773167] <Unknown ID>

2: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

3: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

4: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

sudo gpt -r -vv show disk1

gpt show: disk1: mediasize=480103981056; sectorsize=512; blocks=937703088

gpt show: disk1: Suspicious MBR at sector 0

gpt show: disk1: Pri GPT at sector 1

gpt show: disk1: Sec GPT at sector 937703087

start size index contents

0 1 MBR

1 1 Pri GPT header

2 32 Pri GPT table

34 6

40 409600 1 GPT part - C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B

409640 757812480 2 GPT part - 48465300-0000-11AA-AA11-00306543ECAC

758222120 262872

758484992 179216384 3 GPT part - EBD0A0A2-B9E5-4433-87C0-68B6B72699C7

937701376 1679

937703055 32 Sec GPT table

937703087 1 Sec GPT header

sudo fdisk /dev/disk1

Disk: /dev/disk1 geometry: 58369/255/63 [937703088 sectors]

Signature: 0xAA55

Starting Ending

#: id cyl hd sec - cyl hd sec [ start - size]

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

1: EE 0 0 2 - 25 127 14 [ 1 - 409639] <Unknown ID>

2: AF 25 127 15 - 1023 254 63 [ 409640 - 757812480] HFS+

*3: 07 1023 254 63 - 1023 254 63 [ 758484992 - 179216384] HPFS/QNX/AUX

4: 00 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 [ 0 - 0] unused

Can anyone help me ?