Failed boot camp install - how to remove windows partition?

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Level 1

34 points

Failed boot camp install - how to remove windows partition?

Hi There,

After a failed boot camp install, boot camp no longer sees (or can remove) a windows partition - Disk Utility can't seem to remove it and if I use:

$ diskutil list

It shows up as partition 5 "Microsoft Reserved"

I also have a portion of free space that I can't seem to incorporate back into the main OSX partition - how do I remove the windows partition and make the drive a single OSX drive again?

Any help would be much appreciated

Cheers

Ben

- New Mac Pro

- Installing onto internal 1 TB SSD

- 10.9.3

- Windows 8.1

Posted on Jul 6, 2014 11:36 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Jul 6, 2014 11:37 PM in response to cmscss

You should not have used DU to remove the partition.

Now that you have, backup your disk. Erase and repartition and then restore the backup.

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Answer 2

cmscss Author

Level 1

34 points

Jul 6, 2014 11:40 PM in response to Csound1

OK, but Boot Camp couldn't see it or remove it - and Disk Utility can see it but not remove it?

So is the only fix a full erase and install?

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Answer 3

cmscss Author

Level 1

34 points

Jul 8, 2014 1:19 PM in response to cmscss

Just incase others have this issue, this wasn't caused by using Disk Utility (Disk Utility couldn't remove the partition anyway) it was caused by repeatedly trying to format the Boot Camp partition using the Windows installer when Windows refused to install.

The solution is an Apple tech note (I can no longer find it sorry) that sates that no other hard drives besides the internal HD and the Windows USB flash drive can be connected while installing windows.

Cheers

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