1. The error message "the disk cannot be used as start up disk" doesnt help => WHY cant the disk be used

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1. The error message "the disk cannot be used as start up disk" doesnt help => WHY cant the disk be used

1. . The error message "the disk cannot be used as start up disk" doesnt help => WHY cant the disk be used

2. the support article http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3926?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US suggests reducing the size of the partition (WHY whould that help?)

3. resizing doesnt work (error message: try reducing the amount of change in the size of the partition) => didnt find any solution on that one either...

(trying to upgrade 10.6.8 to Mavaricks)

Mac mini, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Mar 23, 2014 6:27 AM

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Answer 1

BobHarris

Level 9

53,123 points

Mar 23, 2014 12:55 PM in response to iPirat

A Startup disk must be use a GUID partition table format, then the partition that you want to boot from must be HFS+ file system format.

Changing the partition from anything else to GUID will remove any existing partitions and file systems on the disk.

Changing the partition table is done via Applications -> Utilities -> Disk Utility, select the disk, select erase tab, click on Options and you should be able to select the partition table style.

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Answer 2

iPirat Author

Level 1

0 points

Mar 23, 2014 2:13 PM in response to BobHarris

Hi Bob, I suppose your comment is related to my first "why". Just double-checked: my disk has GUID partition table, and the partition is hfs+. So that's not he problem..

While rereading my original post, I thought that Maybe, I wasn't clear enough:

step 0 was at the bottom of my original post and a little sparse...

0. I'm trying to upgrade 10.6.8 to mavericks (AppStore -> upgrade to Mavericks)

When selecting the drive I get the message in 1. of my original post, which then leads me to 2. and 3.

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