Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"

Csound1 wrote:

I recommend following the Boot Camp directions, solely and exclusively. I am unlikely to change that position.

You can choose whatever you wish.

I'll also note that it was your instructions the OP followed. They resulted in a wrongly formatted partition (FAT rather than NTFS) so I question the methodology as well.

Without even reading the thread properly, you make an uneducated comment. Very strange. The partitioning is done in step 3. There is not FAT partition involved anywhere except to possibly test if the disk will even allow to be partitioned.

Just leave it 'we disagree' this thread is way too long already.

Certainly.

Loner T wrote:

I'll also note that it was your instructions the OP followed. They resulted in a wrongly formatted partition (FAT rather than NTFS) so I question the methodology as well.

Without even reading the thread properly, you make an uneducated comment. Very strange. The partitioning is done in step 3. There is not FAT partition involved anywhere except to possibly test if the disk will even allow to be partitioned.

BarncoreOct 11, 2014 8:18 AM Re: Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"
Re: Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"in response to Loner T

So after a little bit of messing around i re-formatted my HD, restored via TM, ran boot camp, and fiiiiinally successfully created a new partition for windows. But in typical nature, the universe decided to give me yet another hurdle to jump through: I began the windows setup process (i.e. i could successfully boot from windows CD), but couldn't get to install it, because when it came time to choose the partition, i get this error when i select the BOOTCAMP partition:

Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS.

So I must have imagined this I guess.

What exactly is your object here, I find your instructions complex, confusing and incomplete. That problem (above) was the result of them. And now as I know you disagree I'll leave it there.

Csound1 wrote:

Loner T wrote:

I'll also note that it was your instructions the OP followed. They resulted in a wrongly formatted partition (FAT rather than NTFS) so I question the methodology as well.

Without even reading the thread properly, you make an uneducated comment. Very strange. The partitioning is done in step 3. There is not FAT partition involved anywhere except to possibly test if the disk will even allow to be partitioned.

BarncoreOct 11, 2014 8:18 AM Re: Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"
Re: Boot camp: "The startup disk cannot be partitioned or restored to a single partition"in response to Loner T

So after a little bit of messing around i re-formatted my HD, restored via TM, ran boot camp, and fiiiiinally successfully created a new partition for windows. But in typical nature, the universe decided to give me yet another hurdle to jump through: I began the windows setup process (i.e. i could successfully boot from windows CD), but couldn't get to install it, because when it came time to choose the partition, i get this error when i select the BOOTCAMP partition:

Windows cannot be installed to this hard disk space. Windows must be installed to a partition formatted as NTFS.

So I must have imagined this I guess.

No you lost the context here. Every single BA partition is a DOS partition, till Windows is successfully installed. OP did not know how to format it within the installer, and he clearly stated it. It requires clicking on Advanced Options in the installer, and then choosing Format. This is standard in every Bootcamp/Windows installation.

I find your instructions complex, confusing and incomplete. That problem (above) was the result of them. And now as I know you disagree I'll leave it there.

Yet the OP followed them and has a working installation. Where do you think the comprehension issue lies? If you do not like them, please do not follow them. There was no issue, except your misinterpretation without understanding the context. I also clearly stated that BA can format the NTFS partition before the Windows Installer starts, so there is no need for the Installer to show Advanced Options/Format, but that functionality is not in the current product.

Yes, I disagree with you. I do not have to agree with you, do I?

Thanks, much appreciated. You can compare both and see the difference, especially the right hand side, with the red streaks.I re-install the OS every year on Macs that have HDDs from a TM backup, but you now have a complicated setup with Bootcamp in the mix. My recommendation is to start independent backups of OS X and Bootcamp for such an eventuality.

Hi Loner T, I've followed this thread from the start as I have the exact same problem installing bootcamp. This is my first Mac so I'm definitely a newbie and made the mistake of erasing windows and trying to delete the bootcamp partition as I didn't make the partition big enough in the first instance.

I now am in the same boat that Barncore was in and I too am not very "techie".

I did boot into recovery and use disk utility and cs list...this is the result.

Could I take the liberty and ask if you'd cast your eye at the image and give your verdict. It is a late 2013 iMac 27 with I7 processor, 24 GB ram and a 1TB fusion drive.

I'm sorry to burden you with this but you seemed so knowledgable in the thread and I'm desperate to get windows 8.1pro back on as I need it for a couple of programs that are only available within the windows environment.

Best regards.

P.S. When I booted into recovery and ran repair disk in the top drive it listed this in red, although it said the disk appeared ok.

"Invalid disk label @ 4096 cksum mismatch".

Can I suggest a new discussion? Since you are in Recovery (I assume Local Recovery - Command +R), this may be a bit more painful to post output with photographs. Can you boot normally into OS X without any issues? If yes, from OS X Terminal post the output of the following Terminal commands.

diskutil list

diskutil cs list

sudo gpt -vv -r show /dev/disk0

sudo fdisk /dev/disk0

The "sudo" commands will prompt for your password, and it will not be echoed back. You may also see a warning about improper use of "sudo" and potential data loss due to "abuse" of the command.

It is much easier to post information from the normal boot of OS X. If we need to go back to Internet Recovery, it can be done after we gather some information.

Hi Loner T, I've started a new discussion in Bootcamp as per your suggestion and posted the outputs from terminal.

Alas I don't know how to link this reply to the new post....I hope you can find it.

Hi,

I am trying to dual boot the macbook pro I am currently on. Everytime I start up bootcamp it tells me this message: The startup disk must be formatted as a single Mac OS Extended (Journaled) volume or already partitioned by Boot Camp Assistant for installing Windows. I am helpless, because the instructions fro dual booting that I got do not show anythign about this error. please help.

Thanks for reading,

Levi

Can you post a new discussion? Please see Find answers and ask new questions for posting a question.

i solved the problem by formatting the main HD to "GUID partition table" I is still journaled and process continued.

why sir this my personal iphone i need to opend it

how to activate iphone when we forget id and passcode

Please start a new discussion.