Pratition not working. . .is there anyway to fix this ?

Are you trying to partition an externally enclosed hard disk drive, or one inside a working computer?

The Disk Utility has selective abilities to partition, and some aspects of this changed over time depending on the version of OS X. The instructions in the Partition area are rather clear, and there is a way to revert to how it was before you made basic changes while you are in that window. Later on, it may not be so easy.

There is a tiny Plus + sign that allows the square box indicating the hard disk drive in the existing system location, and to click that + that adds a new box next to the original one, this is a new partition, and you can drag its size. And name it. Then, you'd see two hard disk drive icons on the desktop or anywhere the current or original named Macintosh HD icon appears.

If you are trying to partition a running OS X, it is possible. However there needs to be enough space available for the applications and OS X to run correctly. Some of the 'free space' is used as Virtual memory, so if you partition the working space, that may compromise the operating system and the ability of the applications to run.

Partitioning a hard disk drive may compromise the content, and so you may inadvertently cause files on the hard disk drive to be erased. If system parts are on there, or temp files, VM files, etc, then the system will have to try and work around their loss. If this affects the OS X and your applications, you may have to reinstall. To have a working clone of your entire computer drive content on an external boot-capable HDD, as a backup would be recommended. Not just time machine or time capsule bits.

How full to capacity is the working hard disk drive in question? If you partition, what percentage of that would be a new drive area? According to your use habits with this MacBook, is the hard disk currently ever more than 70% full? And, if this is a replacement hard disk drive, how much larger than the one it is replacing, is it?

Just curious & don't want to see it go Poof!

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Can you click + (plus at the bottom) ?

This is the startup disk. If you boot from a OS DVD or an external there would be no problem adding a partition.

The image you presented appears much like my Disk Utilty view,

except I can partition mine directly in the box, as indicated. There

are a few reasons perhaps why yours will not let you do that.

Perhaps 'disk permissions issues' or user privilege corruption.

An unmounted drive (boot volume disengaged) allows

additional disk utility tasks to be performed. Be careful.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂